Businesses should apply by Monday, May 11, at 3:00 p.m. to be considered

Applications are now open for the $1 million Somerville Small Business COVID-19 Relief Fund, which provides forgivable loans of up to $10,000 to Somerville small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible applicants should apply online at www.somervillema.gov/BizRelief. Applications are due by Monday, May 11, at 3:00 p.m. Multilingual application support is available.

Using funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant program, this relief fund was established to help local businesses remain viable and to retain or create jobs despite disruptions related to COVID-19. Businesses can use the funding for working capital expenses, including rent or mortgage payments, payroll expenses, and utility expenses.

To be eligible, a business must be based in Somerville and have been in operation prior to October 2019. Businesses that do not operate out of a brick and mortar location must have had at least one full-time employee besides the owner in order to be eligible. Submissions will be reviewed by city staff and an application review committee, which will prioritize applicants who contribute to the unique character of Somerville as a community, experienced construction-related disruptions prior to COVID-19, or meet state definitions for disadvantaged businesses. Complete eligibility requirements are online at www.somervillema.gov/BizRelief.

In addition to the relief fund, the city’s Economic Development team continues to provide free, expert business coaching in multiple languages on a first-come, first-served basis to any Somerville business, among other supports. For more information or assistance for overall business needs during the pandemic, please visit www.somervillema.gov/CovidBizHelp or call 311.

 

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