Innamorato: Grants available to help nonprofits, businesses and organizations
State Rep urges groups to apply, says relief critical to helping COVID affected communities
Rep. Sara Innamorato July 16, 2020 | 12:35 PM
PITTSBURGH, JULY 16 – With small businesses and community nonprofits feeling the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic, state Rep. Sara Innamorato, D-Allegheny, is urging local organizations and businesses to apply for several COVID-related grant programs.
“Since the start of this crisis my office has been working with our community partners to marshal resources to help those affected by this pandemic. I know how much our small businesses and nonprofits are hurting, which is why I want to make sure they know these programs are available,” Innamorato said. “I hope all eligible businesses and organizations will apply and want to encourage them to contact my office if they need more information.”
The three programs that Innamorato wanted to highlight are:
PA Department of Agriculture: Fresh Food Financing Initiative COVID-19 Relief Fund
What: $10 million in federal CARES Act funds
Who Can Apply: For-profit, nonprofit, or cooperative entities, such as grocery stores, corner stores, convenience stores, neighborhood stores, bodegas, food hubs, mobile markets, co-ops, farmers markets, on-farm markets, and urban farms, community gardens and food aggregation and processing centers with a direct connection to direct-to-consumer retail outlets.
Use: For costs related to COVID-19 that have been incurred between March 1 and Nov. 30, such as higher operating costs, equipment purchases, inventory, food access technology and other costs.
Application Deadline: Aug. 14
More Information: Click on https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Food_Security/Pages/Fresh-Food-Financing-Initiative-COVID-19.aspx
Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development: Neighborhood Assistance Program
Who Can Apply: 501c3 nonprofits
Use: Tax credit program to encourage businesses to invest in projects by eligible nonprofits to improve communities. Projects can include affordable housing, community economic development, community services, education, neighborhood conservation, crime prevention, job training or charitable food assistance. A new and special-priority category this year is COVID-19 Pandemic and Social Justice Issues, which can include a variety of COVID related services as well as projects that strive to increase awareness of or improve social justice issues within marginalized communities in Pennsylvania. See guidelines for more information.
Application Deadline: Aug. 31
More Information: Go to https://dced.pa.gov/programs/neighborhood-assistance-program-nap/ for further details. Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their projects prior to submission with their regional DCED office, which can be found at https://dced.pa.gov/dced-regional-offices/
PA Department of Community & Economic Development: COVID Relief to Small Businesses
Who Can Apply: Small businesses that have been economically impacted by COVID-19.
Use: Grants to cover operating expenses for the duration of the shutdown and the transition period to re-opening; grants to cover technical assistance, including training and guidance, for business owners as they stabilize and relaunch their businesses; debt payment relief for CDFI Pennsylvania borrowers; and loan loss reserves for CDFIs
Application Deadline: This is not a first-come, first-served program. There will be multiple rounds of application windows.
More Information: More details can be found at: https://pabusinessgrants.com/
Additionally, at 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 21, Innamorato will be co-hosting a public web-based discussion with state Sen. Lindsey Williams, D-Allegheny, on rent and foreclosure relief. They will be joined by Allegheny County Community & Economic Development Director Lance Chimka.
Details on the event can be found on Innamorato’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RepInnamorato/