ANOKA – Anoka County is rolling out a new round of COVID relief funding for businesses and non-profit organizations impacted by forced shutdowns. The county will distribute $7 million in grants as part of a $112 million funding package approved by the Minnesota Legislature in December.
Hard hit restaurants, bars and gyms that had to close or continue to operate at less than full capacity are at the top of the priority list. Those with 20 employees or more may get up to $15,000. Businesses with 21 to 100 employees could be eligible for up to $25,000. Anoka County Economic Development Specialist Jacquel Hajder says officials also hope to reach businesses that fell through the cracks in previous rounds of funding.
“Musicians, home-based businesses, they are all included in this,” said Hajder. “They were not included in our previous Cares Act Grant Program. In addition, home based business weren’t allowed at all. They do have to have at least one employee in order to qualify.”
Hajder says it’s important to get your application in quickly. The application link is posted at www.anokacountysuccess.org. You can also get technical help in filling out the application at that website. If your business received help before, it doesn’t rule you out, but could limit what you receive this time.
“We do ask in the process what they have received so we can do some quick math. Let’s say they have $100,000 in expenses, and got a Cares Act Grant previously. And they’re eligible for $15,000 through our program, we just make sure those two grants don’t equal more than the 100,000,” said Hajder.
The grant funds must be distributed by March 15.
