Applications open Monday for Avon Lake's Small Business Grant Program

AVON LAKE — Small businesses in Avon Lake looking for a boost can now seek grant funding paid by the city's American Rescue Plan Act dollars. Applications for the city's 2021 Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant open Monday, as part of the overall "Support Our Avon Lake" year-end business support campaign. The city of Avon Lake committed $150,000 to the grants, with amounts ranging from $1,000 to a maximum of $2,500 for each business. That is enough for 60 grants in the maximum amount, or more if not all grants are for the maximum. City Council voted Oct. 25 to enact the program. The grant program will be administered through the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce with help from the Small Business Development Center, according to a news release from the city. Avon Lake's Economic Development Director Ted Esborn compared the grant program with a similar one that was conducted last year. "Last year it was CARES Act funding and this year it is ARPA," he said. "In both cases, when we learned about the funding, we quickly moved to use it on a small business grant program. It has been such a difficult two years for our small businesses, so when we get the opportunity to help them, we jump at it." Applications for the grant program open at 9 a.m. Monday on the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce's website, loraincountychamber.com, along with the grant guide explaining eligibility and the process businesses must complete. Small businesses must have 20 or fewer employees to be eligible, and must also be located in Avon Lake commercial spaces. Ineligible businesses include home-based businesses and financial institutions that issue credit to the public. Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.