DeWine announces grant programs for businesses that opened in 2020

Starting Tuesday, small business owners in Ohio who opened up shop in 2020 will be eligible to apply for funding from four grant programs announced last week by state officials. Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted on Friday announced the launch of four grant programs to help small and medium-sized businesses recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. All four programs will be administered by the Ohio Development Services Agency. Program guidelines, terms and conditions, and required documentation for all four programs are available now at Businesshelp.ohio.gov. The applications will open on Tuesday. "These four new grant programs will help industries that experienced losses over the last year because of the pandemic," DeWine said. "Ohio's economy is moving forward, and with new grant programs like the ones we are announcing today, we are optimistic that our economy will only continue to grow stronger from here." The programs will provide $155 million in grant funding to businesses that opened in 2020, food and beverage establishments, entertainment venues and lodging venues. The funds were made available by the Ohio General Assembly as part of Senate Bill 108 and Senate Bill 109, both of which DeWine signed into law in May. "The focus of this funding is primarily on Ohio-owned small businesses that are important contributors to their local economy and the quality of life for the people who live there," said Lt. Governor Husted. "The grants will help these businesses buy equipment, hire more employees and make needed updates to their facilities, so they, and the communities they serve, can recover faster." Ohio Small Business Development Centers and Ohio Minority Business Assistance Centers are staffed with advisers who can help businesses with the application process. "The investments we make through these programs will ensure the survival and stability of our small businesses," Director of Development Lydia Mihalik said. "Our small business owners and entrepreneurs are the heart of our economy, and we're optimistic about the future." - The Food and Beverage Establishment Grant will provide grants of $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000 to restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and other food and drink businesses. The amount of individual grants to eligible businesses will be determined by the business's loss of revenue in 2020. The total funding available for this program is $100 million. To ensure the grants are spread throughout the state, $500,000 will be set aside for businesses in each of Ohio's 88 counties. - The Entertainment Venue Grant will provide grants of $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000 theaters, music venues, spectator sports venues, museums, and other entertainment venues. The amount of individual grants to eligible businesses will be determined by the business's loss of revenue in 2020. The total funding available for this program is $20 million. To ensure the grants are spread throughout the state, $150,000 will be set aside for businesses in each of Ohio's 88 counties. - The Lodging Grant will provide grants of $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000 to hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast operations. The amount of individual grants to eligible businesses will be determined by the business's decline in occupancy rate in 2020. The total funding available for this program is $25 million. To ensure the grants are spread throughout the state, $100,000 will be set aside for businesses in each of Ohio's 88 counties. - The New Small Business Grant will provide grants of $10,000 to small businesses that were established between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020. The total funding available is $10 million. To ensure the grants are spread throughout the state, $100,000 will be set aside for businesses in each of Ohio's 88 counties. As businesses in each county are approved for funding, grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. When a county's allocation is depleted, businesses in that county will be eligible to receive grants from the remaining funds in the overall grant program. If businesses in a county don't deplete the county's allocation by July 31, the remaining funds will become available to businesses statewide.