The Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiative will be offering a grant to Michigan small businesses. Applications will be open on Tuesday, December 15 at 9am.
The Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiative utilizes federal CARES Act funding to provide $10 million in grants to help meet the urgent need of Michigan small businesses that are disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 virus. Small businesses in Michigan will be able to start applying for this initiative at 9am on Tuesday, December 15.
Applications for the initiative will be reviewed on a “first-in” basis by the Michigan Municipal League Foundation. For businesses to prepare for the application process, feel free to review the Application Questions and Instructions, and the Application Video Tutorial.
To be eligible for the grant, businesses must be one of the following industries:
- Restaurants, bars, and other food and beverage service providers
- Travel and tourism destinations, including lodging providers and hospitality businesses
- Live event venues and movie theaters
- Conference and meeting facilities
- Ice skating rinks, indoor water parks, and bowling centers
- Gyms, fitness centers, and indoor recreation facilities
Businesses must document at least 51% of positions will be held by low to moderate income persons or in the case of microenterprises (which is five or fewer employees) that the business owner is a low to moderate income individual.The Grant Administrator will request this following the PMSBRI Application and only businesses whose application meets all other initial screening criteria. This includes applications that are “first-in” to the extent that funding is available.
Additional eligibility requirements include:
- Businesses must be in compliance with all State and local orders related to COVID-19, including but not limited to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
- Be a for-profit entity
- Have physical establishment in the Michigan County of Application and is NOT a home-based business
- Provide goods or services to multiple clients or customers
- Be current, or in a payment plan, on all local, state, and federal taxes due through 1/1/2020
- Have an active and valid state license(s)/registration(s), if applicable
- Is not an adverse party to litigation involving the State or municipality
- Business or business owner has not filed for bankruptcy in the last 10 years
- Can identify a need for payroll, rent, or mortgage payments, and/or utility expenses necessary to continue/restart business operations relative to the total grant amount
- Had an annual gross revenues in 2019 greater than $25,000
- Has at least two employees, including the owner(s)
- Has fewer than 50 employees (including full-time, part-time, and owner(s) on a world-wide basis
Grants will be awarded up to $15,000 and the business will identify their total grant request within the application.
At 9am on Tuesday, December 15, the application will be available here.
