Blair, Bedford Counties Offer COVID-19 Grant Programs for Small Business

Blair and Bedford counties are offering grant programs designed to help local small businesses recover from COVID-19 related problems and losses.

County commissioners in both counties voted in late August to create the programs, which require that the business complete an application.

Deadlines to apply for both programs are Sept. 11. Information about each program is below.

Bedford County

On Aug. 28, the Bedford County Board of Commissioners established a new grant program, the Bedford County Governmental COVlD-19 Relief Grant Program.

According to the commissioners, the Bedford County Governmental COYID-19 Relief Grant Program was established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is “creating significant economic hardship for municipalities across Bedford County.”

The primary purpose of the program is to provide immediate relief to governmental entities within Bedford County affected by COYID-19. The Bedford County commissioners hope to provide support to governmental entities within Bedford County in recovering from and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The grants can be used to help cover the cost of a variety of eligible expenditures incurred by the government related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the purchase of personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies or services.

The Bedford County program will be funded using federal CARES Act funds provided to the county by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania under the Dept. of Community and Economic Development (DCED) COVID-19 county relief block grant.

The amount made available under the program will be based on the availability of funds and the overall needs of the county, governments within the county, small businesses, local tourism, and nonprofit organizations within Bedford County.

Detailed eligibility requirements and specific information regarding the application process, including deadlines, are available on the Bedford County website at http://www.bedfordcountypa.org/covid-19 funding portal/

The deadline to apply is Sept. 11, 2020.

Blair County

At a special meeting Wednesday, Aug. 26, the Blair County Board of Commissioners established a new grant program, the Blair CARES Small Business, Tourism, and Nonprofit Support Grant Program, to assist small businesses, local tourism, and nonprofits affected by COVID-19.

The program will be funded using federal CARES Act funds provided to the county by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania under the COVID-19 County Relief Block Grant. Blair County will make available a minimum of $1.2 million.

The primary purpose of the program is to provide immediate relief to small businesses, local tourism and nonprofits affected by COVID-19. Blair County “hopes to help eligible industries and organizations stay in business through the COVID-19 pandemic, retain employees and be prepared to grow in the future.”

In the first round of funding, the county will distribute funds to eligible industries and organizations that are vital to sustaining the economy of Blair County, according to the county’s news release about the program.

“Blair County’s economy has been significantly damaged by COVID-19. The Board of Commissioners is committed to providing support and assistance for our local businesses and nonprofit organizations. We strongly urge all eligible entities to apply for these grants.” Commissioner Bruce Erb said.

The grants can be used to help cover business interruption losses including loss of fundraising revenues for eligible nonprofits. Preference will be given to those applicants that did not receive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or Economic Injury Disaster Loan Funds (EIDL).

Application submission for the program will be open until 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11.

For detailed program eligibility requirements and specific information regarding the application process, including deadlines and submission instructions, please visit the Blair County website at http://www.blairco.org.