Bay City, Mich. – The Bay County Small Business Grant Program, with $1,000,000 in funds available to eligible businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, application period is now open. This funding is made possible through the Bay
County Board of Commissioners’ allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. The grants will be administered through Bay Future, Inc., Bay County’s leading economic development organization, with a minimum 30% required to be awarded to eligible women-owned, minority-owned, or veteran-owned businesses.

 

“We are proud as a Board and as residents of Bay County to be able to allocate $1,000,000 to our small businesses to help them overcome the challenges they are continuing to face from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These business owners are our friends and neighbors and they play a vital role in making Bay County the place we choose to call home,” said Bay County Commission Chair, Thomas M. Herek.

Bay County Executive, Jim Barcia echoed those sentiments, “We’re excited for the opportunity to use Bay County’s American Rescue Plan Act dollars to assist small businesses in Bay County. Bay Future has the skills and experience necessary to effectively distribute these funds to our community’s small businesses on behalf of the County.”

 

The application will remain open until Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at 5:00 PM. Eligible businesses will have the opportunity to apply for up to $20,000 in reimbursement grant funding for expenses paid between January 1, 2022, and April 30, 2022, in the following categories:
• Payroll
• Rent/Mortgage Payments
• Utilities

Eligible businesses include for-profit businesses with 2-50 total employees located in Bay County. Businesses must operate from a brick and mortar building and have been in operation since January 1, 2022, and can demonstrate a negative effect as a result of the COVID-19 emergency. Additional eligibility can be found at https://www.bayfuture.com/main/baycounty-small-business-grant-program/ 

Bay Future, Inc. is responsible for the grant award selection process and will be compiling a selection committee for application review. The review process will begin on June 1, 2022, and award announcements will be made no later than June 16, 2022.

“Businesses continue to face challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bay County Small Business Grant Program is a tremendous opportunity to offer the financial support to keep them going and to offset some of those hardships. I’m thankful that Bay County was proactive in allocating funds and recognizing that small businesses play a critical role in our local economy and the quality of life we enjoy here in Bay County,” said Trevor Keyes, President & CEO of Bay Future, Inc.

The Bay County Small Business Grant Program was one program in a three-part resolution that the Bay County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed at a special meeting Tuesday, January 18, 2022 to allocate $2 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to Bay Future, Inc. to support small businesses that were affected and impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Bay Future, Inc. collaborated with the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and the Lake Huron Region Small Business Development Center on the creation of the proposal and will continue to partner on program implementation.

In addition to the grant program, the Small Business Support Program will focus on the startup and growth of businesses specific to Bay County through a Small Business Development Center Consultant. The Talent Attraction & Retention Program will call together partners to create a portal of placemaking and workforce development to attract and retain workers and launched last week with community input sessions.

More information:
• Bay County Small Business Grant Program Overview
• FAQ Bay County Small Business Grant Program
• Bay County Small Business Grant Program Eligibility & Application Questions
• Bay County Small Business Grant Program Application

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Established in 2004, Bay Future, Inc. is a public-private alliance of government, business, and other organizations that support economic growth in Bay County, Michigan, and the Great Lakes Bay Region. Through the support of its investors, Bay Future is working to execute Bay Future: Drive. Forward., a five-year plan to drive existing business and entrepreneur development, new business recruitment and job growth, workforce initiatives, market available “shovel ready” locations and sites, and both local and regional communication and collaboration. These strategies are all in an effort to create quality jobs for community residents.