by J.D. Davidson
Government money that established grants for small businesses in Ohio has doubled since June and remains available, according to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.
DeWine initially established the grant program in June with $155 million in federal relief dollars. The fund doubled to $310 million at the beginning of July after DeWine signed the state’s new budget, which included the additional money approved by the General Assembly.
The money is meant to help small- and medium-sized businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I strongly encourage Ohio’s small- and medium-sized business owners to apply for these grants,” DeWine said. “Funding is set aside for businesses in all of Ohio’s 88 counties. … As we continue our recovery from the pandemic, we want to give our local businesses this money to help them successfully move forward.”
Grants range from $10,000 to $30,000 each and can be used by food and beverage establishments, entertainment venues and lodging venues. Another $10 million is set aside for new small business relief grants.
The amounts businesses qualify for is based on the percentage of revenue loss from 2019 compared with 2020 revenue. A certain amount of funding is set aside for each county.
“I am thrilled to announce applications for these grant programs are now available,” Rep. D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron, said in a statement. “I strongly encourage our local businesses to apply for this assistance so we can help promote the survival and stability of these vital Ohio industries.”
All four programs are administered by Ohio Development Services Agency. Program applications opened June 29 and will remain open until funds are exhausted.
DeWine said the Ohio Small Business Development Centers and Ohio Minority Business Assistance Centers are staffed with advisers to assist with the application process.
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An Ohio native, J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He has served as a reporter, editor, managing editor and publisher. He is regional editor for The Center Square.
Photo “Mike DeWine” by Vivien McClain Photography CC BY-SA 4.0.
