The Enterprise Center in Johnson County (ECJC) has been selected by Johnson County Government to be the lead agency to distribute the recently announced direct grants to small business program. This grant program is designed to address the economic hardships that Johnson County small businesses are experiencing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is open to all Johnson County small businesses with at least one and no more than 50 full-time employees, who have experienced significant economic loss. The program offers qualified recipients a one-time $10,000 grant.
“Many of Johnson County’s small businesses have limited resources and access to capital during this unprecedented time,” says Ed Eilert, Chairman, Johnson County Board of County Commissioners. “We’re hoping these grants can provide them with some immediate help for their business and their employees.”
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was established to provide aid so all states could respond to and recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of the CARES Act is the creation of the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), which allows reimbursement to local governments, agencies, non-profits, long term care facilities, and residents for approved expenditures, during the covered period. Johnson County Government created a three phased allocation plan for the more than $116 million received. As part of Phase 2, the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners approved $35,324,000 to fund 14 proposals recommended by a Community Reinvestment Committee, representing a group of nearly 80 Johnson County stakeholders who put together the plan. The BOCC approved $13,500,000 for the Direct Grants to Small Businesses proposal.
The date to apply for the program has not been announced as the Enterprise Center is currently creating the online application process.
“We’re working as quickly as we can to get an efficient, robust online application process created ,” says Jeff Shackelford, CEO, Enterprise Center in Johnson County. “We know that thousands of our county’s small businesses need immediate help and will apply for grants. It is vital we have an application process that is easy to understand and complete. We will announce the date to apply, and the necessary information needed to apply, shortly and are working with the all of the local chambers of commerce and other groups to ensure this information is communicated throughout our small business community.”
About the Enterprise Center in Johnson County
The Enterprise Center in Johnson County (ECJC) is a non-profit, economic development organization connecting entrepreneurs to the capital and support resources they need to grow and scale their businesses. Our mission is to accelerate job creation in the region. Critical support for the ECJC and its programs comes from Johnson County, the Kauffman Foundation, the Small Business Administration, the U.S. Economic Development Administration and regional philanthropic donors. The ECJC estimates the regional economic impact of ECJC-assisted companies as $3.2 billion over the past ten years. For more information, visit www.ecjc.com.
