Maine awards $5M in pandemic relief to hundreds of small businesses
Photo / Renee Cordes
Retail businesses have been especially hard hit by the pandemic.
Maine has awarded $5 million in pandemic relief grants to more than 380 businesses statewide, the governor's office announced on Thursday.
Funding will go to business across all 16 Maine counties and come from the Maine Jobs & Recovery Small Business Grant Program. Gov. Janet Mills launched the program last November to help small businesses hurt financially by COVID-19.
The Department of Economic and Community Development notified 382 small businesses and nonprofit organizations that they will receive awards of up to $50,000 each.
The expense-based grants, which average $12,700, will help reimburse businesses for pandemic-related costs ranging from supply chain disruptions to infrastructure improvements. The grants stem from the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, which is funded through the American Rescue Plan and was passed by the state Legislature.
"Maine small businesses are the backbone of our economy, providing livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of Maine people," Mills said. “We hope these grants will help them grapple with pandemic-related financial losses and put them in a better position not only to keep their doors open and people employed, but to thrive in the long run."
Heather Johnson, commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, noted that while Maine's economy is experiencing a strong recovery, too many small businesses continue to struggle with challenges related to the pandemic.
"After carefully reviewing and verifying applications, we are thrilled to award this direct relief to small businesses across the state," she said.
To qualify for an award, businesses with significant operations in Maine were required to demonstrate at least a 20% revenue loss between March 2020 and June 30, 2021.
Eligible expenses that may be reimbursed by grant funds include interest on deferred loans; costs associated with reopening after a pandemic-related closure; increased costs of doing business due to the pandemic; capital improvements related to social distancing; and increased costs due to supply chain disruptions. Additional details on eligibility can be found here.
The $5 million announced Thursday is the first part of a $20 million initiative of the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to support small Maine businesses and nonprofits.
Details on the next round of the program are due to be released in April.
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