On December 20, 2021, the Moscow City Council authorized the creation of two new grant programs to help small businesses and non-profit organizations to mitigate the financial hardships resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The City Council allocated $750,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds received by the City to the two grant programs.
The Small Business Program provides grants up to $15,000 for direct costs, and those costs incurred in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as operational costs (including rent, supplies, utilities, marketing, training, payroll and payroll expenses to include healthcare premiums), where COVID-19 has resulted in a demonstrated substantial reduction in net income (25% or more) that has resulted from revenue reduction and/or operational expense increases when compared to the pre-pandemic levels.
The Community and Social Services Non-Profit Grant Program provides grants up to $25,000 to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations with a primary mission of addressing behavioral health services, nutritional assistance services or educational services and must be used for the development and delivery of new or expanded service programs designed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such programs must include evidenced based intervention measures that have been demonstrated to be successful in addressing the social and/or community needs and be responsive to the public health emergency and its negative social and economic impacts upon low-income and socially vulnerable communities.
“Moscow’s small businesses and non-profits are an important and vital part of our community,” Mayor Bettge said. “That is why the City Council unanimously voted to launch and fund these programs, to get the funds out as quickly as possible, and to provide much needed financial support to those impacted by the pandemic. The local social service non-profits and small business community have been impacted time and again, navigating closures and restrictions on operations, as our community has endured the pandemic. The grant programs will give the City an opportunity to support the residents of Moscow to provide critical assistance to help them sustain operations during the continued pandemic.”
Grant applications will be available for download on the City website https://www.ci.moscow.id.us/1007/ARPA-COVID-19-Recovery-Grant-Program or at City of Moscow, Community Development Department at 504 South Washington, or emailed by sending a request to grantsmanager@ci.moscow.id.us.