COVID-19 Local Help for Small Businesses

St. Petersburg, FL - Fighting Chance Fund

Many local governments are offering additional support to businesses impacted by the coronavirus. The city of St. Petersburg, Florida recently established the Fighting Chance Fund – an emergency grant for locally owned and independently operated small businesses. The fund will provide financial assistance to 1,000 restaurant, bar, retail, and service-based businesses and their more than 3,000 eligible employees to mitigate a decline in revenue created by the coronavirus pandemic.

Eligible businesses may receive up to $5000 and employees, $500.

SMALL BUSINESSES

Applicants must meet the below criteria:

• Local owned and independently operated

• Physically established in the city of St. Petersburg (Check if your business address meets eligibility)

• Must be at least 50% locally owned by residents of St. Pete

• Must be operating within the defined impacted eligible industries*

• Have 25 employees or fewer

• Affirm a loss of revenue due to COVID-19

• Must be able to demonstrate working capital for business operations as of February 28, 2020 (as demonstrated in the Balance Sheet or other documentation deemed acceptable by the City)

ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES - INDIVIDUALS

Applicants must meet the below requirements:

• Currently or formerly an employee at a local owned and independently operated small business physically located in the city of St. Petersburg with 25 employees or fewer  (Check if your employer's business address meets eligibility)

• Be an employee residing in St. Pete

• Terminated, furloughed or experienced a salary reduction of at least 50% after March 17, 2020

• Must be/have been an employee of a business operating within the defined impacted eligible industries*

The City has allocated $6.8 million for this fund and applications will be accepted until funds are exhausted.  Applicants can find more information and apply at: http://www.stpete.org/assistance/fighting_chance_fund.php

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#St. Pete, Florida

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