Camden County to announce additional small business grants of up to $10,000

By
ROI-NJ Staff
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Businesses in Camden County may be eligible for grants of up to $10,000 from the Camden County Recovers Small Business Grant Program, a COVID-19 relief plan that will be announced Thursday morning.

The program seeks to award $10 million of federal American Recovery Plan Act funds to small businesses impacted by COVID-19 in Camden County. (For more information, and to apply, click here.)

Businesses must meet the following criteria to qualify:

  • Business revenue has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • The business has been located in Camden County since Jan. 1, 2019, or earlier;
  • The business employed 25 or fewer employees as of March 1, 2020; and
  • The business earned $5 million or less in total revenue during 2019.

The businesses must not operate in any of the following categories:

  • Banks or other financial institutions;
  • E-commerce;
  • Businesses where the primary products or services are oriented to specific ages (vaping, liquor stores, etc.); or
  • Franchises, except for those franchises that are completely locally owned and operated.

Please note: Businesses that received funds last year will only qualify for 50% of the grant funds they received in 2020.

Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said the program is all about replacing income that was lost.

“We know small businesses are still suffering and may still have losses that they are carrying over from 2020,” he said. “This program will supplement lost income because of previous lockdowns and hardships brought on by COVID.

“We need to ensure that every proprietor and principal of a small business has access to these grant funds in order to help maintain and stabilize their operations. Moving forward, the grants have the potential to provide a business owner with up to $10,000 for COVID-caused or -related expenses.”

U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-1st Dist.), local officials and business leaders will join Cappelli to emphasize the importance of the program, its potential impact on the local economy and how it will serve as a lifeline for businesses hit by the pandemic.

The event will take place at 10 a.m. at King’s Court at 200 E. Kings Highway in Haddonfield.

Based on the previous allocation of federal funds in 2020, the commissioners already have awarded $29.8 million to certified small businesses in the county.