Arvada Chamber Partners with Adams County and the City of Arvada to Provide Mini-Grants to Local Small Businesses

“While loans work for some small businesses, others may not have the capacity to take on another debt, so by providing mini-grants with the CARES Act funds, we can continue to help our most vulnerable small businesses, which in turn helps stimulate the economy,” said Mary Hodge, Adams County Commissioner and Champion of the Business Support Response & Recovery Team. “We realize businesses may have different needs as they navigate the road to recovery, so we are offering grants for multiple categories of use.”

Businesses can apply for mini-grants at adamscountycovid19.org/minigrants beginning Monday, June 8, in the below three categories. All Arvada businesses and non-profits with physical locations can apply; while the program was started by Adams County, a partnership with the City of Arvada opened grants to businesses and non-profits across Arvada.

• Business operations mini-grants have a maximum award value of $2,500 per business applicant to use for operational upgrades such as building safety enhancements to encourage social distancing, personal protective equipment for employees and customers, adjustments to air or filtration systems, or other costs associated with the enactment of COVID-19 specific operations plans.
• Technology upgrades mini-grants have a maximum award value of $1,000 per business applicant to use for items like point-of-sale terminals or systems, including contactless payment systems, touchless entry and exit for a physical business location, temperature screening, and technology needs for the enactment of COVID-19 specific operations plans.
• Compliance issues mini-grants have a maximum award value of $1,000 per business applicant to use for expenses such as legal support or guidance for operations during COVID-19, consulting support for operations during COVID-19, and expenses for preparation of variance requests to public health agencies.

Businesses can apply to any or all mini-grant categories if applicable. We will send out full details about the application process on June 8. Businesses must submit a separate application for each category through the grant application portal at  adamscountycovid19.org/minigrants. Successful applicants will be notified during the week of June 22, with funding allocated shortly after in one lump sum. Mini-grant recipients must provide documentation within 30 days that shows use of funds as outlined in the application. The application process opens Monday, June 8, and closes Friday, June 19, at 4:30 p.m. MST.

Businesses can apply to any or all mini-grant categories if applicable. Businesses must submit a separate application for each category through the grant application portal at adamscountycovid19.org/minigrants. Successful applicants will be notified during the week of June 22, with funding allocated shortly after in one lump sum. Mini-grant recipients must provide documentation within 30 days that shows use of funds as outlined in the application. The application process opens Monday, June 8, and closes Friday, June 19, at 4:30 p.m. MST.

To be eligible, businesses and non-profits must meet these criteria:

• 25 or fewer employees.
• Physical business or non-profit located within Arvada.
• Fully home-based or remote-operations businesses, except for childcare facilities, are ineligible.
• Business must have primarily in-person customer interactions.
• Non-profits (501c-3 entities) are eligible to apply if they meet eligibility requirements (i.e. in-person interaction at a single physical business location).
• Businesses may apply for grant funds to cover planned eligible expenditures in the next 30 days or to cover recently incurred eligible expenditures from the previous 30 days of application date.
• Businesses must have been open as of Dec. 31, 2019, or prior.
• Ability to demonstrate need for grant funds due to the impact of COVID-19.
• Must conduct legal activities and be in the best interest of the community.
• Cannot be in default or planning to default.
• For franchise owners, only locally owned franchises may apply and must demonstrate that corporate financial support is not available.
• Failure to comply with eligibility requirements will prohibit a grant funding award or, if ineligibility is found at a later date, require the return of any grant funding award(s).
• View full eligibility guidelines in English or Spanish.

For more information and questions, please contact Kami Welch at (303) 424-0313 or kami@arvadachamber.org.