Erie County Establishes Emergency Business Grant Program
On December 15, 2020, Erie County announced
that it was establishing a COVID-19 Emergency Business Grant Program to provide assistance to businesses impacted by Governor Wolf’s and Secretary Levine’s recent Limited Time Mitigation Orders. The Limited Time Mitigation Orders,
which were discussed in a prior Client Alert,
among other things, prohibit in-person dining and alcohol sales, and prohibit indoor operations for gyms, fitness facilities, and businesses in the “Entertainment Industry,” such as museums, movie theatres, arcades, bowling alleys, social
clubs, and other recreational, entertainment, or social facilities.
Businesses will be eligible for a grant of up to $5,000. Erie County is accepting applications from December 16, 2020 to December 22, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.
To qualify for an emergency grant:
- Businesses must have been in operation as of December 10, 2020.
- Businesses must be locally owned and located in Erie County, PA.
- Businesses must have been directly impacted by Governor Wolf’s December 10th COVID-19 limited-time mitigation order.
- If applicants own multiple qualifying businesses, they may qualify for only one emergency grant.
To apply, business owners will need to provide the following:
- Two recent utility bill payments, vendor invoices, or rent payment records from within the past two months (as evidence that the business was open prior to the December 10th order)
- Occupancy permit
- Form W-9
- Narrative statement explaining how Governor Wolf’s order forced your business to close its in-person operations
- If the business is a dine-in restaurant or bar, the applicant will also need to provide a copy of the health certificate.
More information about the new Grant Program, as well as the Application Portal, can be found on the Erie County website here
Please contact a MacDonald Illig attorney if you have any questions about the new grant program or the Limited Time Mitigation Orders.