CARES Act Round 2 Funding Available for Qualifying Small Businesses

To stimulate the local economy, Governor Ron DeSantis has awarded Citrus County $6,528,498 in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES Act) funds. The County has already awarded over $2 million of these funds to date. The Citrus County CARES Small Business Grant Program Round 2, approved by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on Tuesday, August 25, 2020, will provide recovery grants to eligible small businesses adversely impacted by the COVID�€��19 Pandemic. The intent of the grant is to offset the temporary loss of revenue and assist these businesses in their efforts to recover in the aftermath of this historic global pandemic.

The program offers a grant to qualifying small businesses to cover expenses such as employee wages, vendor bills and rent. The emergency relief is specifically targeted to help local businesses most impacted, with a commercial location within Citrus County, to cover immediate financial needs. Grants are strictly limited to businesses located physically within Citrus County.

CARES Act Round 2 eligibility:

To be eligible you must be one of the following qualified categories: A. $3,000 with current TBR on March 1, 2020 or $2,000 if TBR has been made current after March 1, 2020. Hairstylists, Beauticians, Barbers, Massage Therapists, Nail Technicians (excludes applicants awarded in Phase 1) must be located in a commercial space. B. $7,500 - Retail Non-Profit must be located in a commercial space. C. $2,000 - Food Trucks, not in commercial location (owner must be a Citrus County resident) D. $4,000 - A business that was otherwise eligible from Phase I but with delinquent Business Tax Receipt and the delinquency has been resolved. D. $3,000 - Manatee and Dive Tour Captains shut down by government action with a current BTR on March 1, 2020.

The business must be located within the boundaries of Citrus County. Business suffered from business interruption caused by required closures resulting from the COVID-19 public health emergency. Business suffered economic damages from business interruption caused by COVID-19 since March 1, 2020, excluding those covered by insurance or reimbursement from any federal program. Business employed 35 full-time equivalent employees or fewer (less than or equivalent to 1,400 total average weekly hours for all employees) as of February 29, 2020. Business must demonstrate ongoing business operations as of February 29, 2020. Business is expected to be fully operational after local and state emergency guidelines are rolled back.

“We are living in unprecedented times. While everyone has been impacted, we want to assist small businesses that have been impacted the most,” said County Administrator Randy Oliver. “We recognize that the road to recovery is challenging and this Cares Act Small Business Grant Program is one way local government can offer assistance.”

The Citrus County CARES Small Business Grant Program Round 2 begins Tuesday, September 1 at 8:00am through Wednesday, September 30 at 5pm. Applications will be electronic only at, www.citrusbocc.com/cares. The on-line application will take approximately ten minutes and is simple to