Orange County reopens CARES Small Business Grant portal on Monday

Orange County says its CARES Small Business Grant application portal has reopened on Monday with expanded eligibility criteria.

They said that commercial businesses that have received $100,000 or less in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding are now eligible to apply. 

The grant is said to be a one-time, $10,000 grant to cover business expenses such as employee wages, bills, and rent. The county is also offering micro-grants, ranging between $1,000 to $3,000, for home-based businesses.

To be eligible, Orange County says that businesses must be:

• Located and operates in Orange County
• Is a for-profit business
• Is not a publicly-traded company
• Has experienced a business interruption or closure due to COVID-19
• Has not received funds covered by insurance or reimbursement from the federal Payroll Protection Program (PPP) in excess of $100,000 related to COVID-19
• Can prove ongoing business operations as of February 29, 2020
• Expects to operate after local and state emergency guidelines are removed
• Committed to following all recommended COVID-19 safety guidelines.
• Has no unpaid code enforcement liens or violation of any laws
• No owner, officer, partner, or principal actor of the business is involved with financial mismanagement.

Orange County says the following documents are required to apply:

• Current W-9 Form
• Active state business registration, license or other documentation
• Business financials, including 2019 Tax Return or equivalent
• Staffing documentation, including W-3 Summary, IRS Form 1096, IRS Form 941; or sole proprietor statement (for sole proprietors only in English or in Spanish).
• Municipal business tax receipt
• If the business received Federal PPP funding, provide proof such as a confirmation from your lending institution, or a copy of your PPP executed note.

For more information and to apply, visit the Orange County website.

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