NEWTON COUNTY – Newton County is taking applications from local small businesses for its Small Business Relief Grant Program.
The Small Business Relief Grant Program (SBRGP) was established in response to the economic impacts experienced by small businesses because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its lasting impacts on local small businesses.
Funding for the SBRGP is made available by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) and is designed to provide to provide financial assistance to small for-profit businesses with up to 25 employees (including the owner) at the time of application with up to $20,000 in grant funding, depending on the demonstrated pandemic impact on the business and reimbursable expenses demonstrated by the business.
To apply for SRGP, click here: https://www.co.newton.ga.us/650/Newton-County-Small-Business-GrantProgr
For a business to be eligible it must:
• be a for-profit businesses operating within Newton County, Georgia.
• have 25 or fewer employees.
• have been in operation on or before March 3, 2021, and still, be in operation currently.
• be willing to enter into a contractual relationship between the County and the business to ensure compliance with City, State, and Federal guidelines.
• possess the capacity to be successful with the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds.
• have a State Employer Number and business bank account in the name of the business.
• not currently be in bankruptcy. If the business is a sole proprietorship or a partnership, no person owning an interest in the business may currently be in bankruptcy.
• be current with property taxes and any fees collected with property taxes or has a payment plan with the tax collector.
Newton County Priority will be given to businesses located in a Qualified Census Tract. Businesses must be located and operating within Newton County to be eligible for funding.
If the business is a sole proprietorship or a partnership, each person owning an interest in the business must be at least 18 years old. If the business is a sole proprietorship, the business must have a valid occupational tax certificate consisting of the owner’s social security number. If the business is anything other than a sole proprietorship, it must have a valid occupational tax certificate containing the Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) of the business. If the business is a corporation, limited liability company, or limited partnership, it must be registered in good standing with the Secretary of State.
Certain business types are ineligible to apply, including but not limited to the following:
• Franchises
• Hotels or Motels
• Liquor Stores
• Financial / Lending Institutions
• Private Membership or Fraternal Organizations/Businesses
• Adult Oriented Businesses
• National / Regional Chain Businesses
• Bars (eligible if less than 50% of revenue is from alcohol)
• Night Clubs
• Vape Shops and Hemp Shops
• Gambling Business
• Businesses owned in part or fully by a Newton County employee or family member of those individuals. An “employee” means: All officials, officers, members, and employees, whether elected or appointed and whether paid or unpaid, of the government of the city and all of its agencies, as well as family members of those individuals.
Only expenses from March 3, 2021 and on are eligible to be used for the grant. Funds may be used for the following:
• Payroll
• Mortgages
• Rent
• Other Reasonable Business Expenses
To receive funds, businesses/applicants must submit the following documents:
• Two (2) Years of Consecutive Tax Returns (2020 & 2021) or (2021 & 2022) Form 1040/1120 or Schedule C
• Photo Identification - examples of eligible forms of ID include the following:
1. Valid Driver’s License
2. Birth Certificate
3. State-issued IdentificationCard
4. Military Identification Card
5. Passport or Passport Card
• Completed W-9
• Occupational Tax Certificate
• Business Certificate of Incorporation
• Internal Revenue Service EIN Determination Letter (sole proprietorships are exempt)
