If you’re a business owner who’s been struggling during this difficult time and you’re looking for assistance programs, the Toledo Lucas County Public Library’s business specialists are here to help! We can assist you in finding grant opportunities and also support your business through our wealth of services, resources and our network of fellow business service partners.

Please reach out to us by telephone at (419) 259-5244 ; by e-mail at business@toledolibrary.org and online at www.toledolibrary.org/business .

The following list includes active grants, designed to support Ohio businesses, and also includes links to ongoing business support programs:

City of Toledo’s Emergency Microenterprise Recovery Grant

Who can apply – Small businesses with 5 or fewer employees including the owner; for-profit; is in good standing with government entities; said business is in a low-to-moderate income census tract.

What support is available – Up to $5,000 for eligible operating expenses, to help for-profit microenterprises maintain or restart operations and retain jobs.

Deadline – The grant process opened on October 19th and is ongoing until all funds are used.

Ohio Development Services Agency’s “In this Together Ohio” Programs:

Small Business Relief Grant

Who can apply – For-profit entities that have been harmed by the effects of COVID-19. The company may have no more than 25 total or full-time equivalent Ohio employees as of Jan. 1, 2020 and it must have a physical location in Ohio and earn at least 90% of annual revenue from activities based in Ohio.

What support is available – $10,000 grants to small businesses to be used toward: personal protective equipment (PPE) and other measures to protect employees, customers or clients from COVID-19; mortgage or rent payments for business premises; utility payments; salaries, wages or compensation paid to contractors or employees; and business supplies or equipment.

Deadline – The program, which began accepting applications November 2, 2020, will provide grants to 50 businesses in each county (88) in Ohio and these will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis.

Bar and Restaurant Assistance Fund

Who can apply – The Bar and Restaurant Assistance Fund is designed to assist Ohio’s on-premise liquor permit holders also with funding from the CARES Act and will provide $2,500 assistance payments to on-premise liquor permit holders per unique location.

What support is available – The Ohio Department of Administrative Services will send checks to permit holders as soon as applications are processed. Funds cannot be distributed after Dec. 31, 2020.

Deadline- The application opened on November 2^nd and the Ohio Department of Administrative Services will send checks to permit holders as soon as applications are processed. Funds cannot be distributed after Dec. 31, 2020.

Rural Relief Small Business Grants

Who can apply – Small businesses located in rural communities (defined as communities with a population of 50,000 or less).

What support is available – Up to $20,000 for businesses affected by COVID-19.

Deadline – Next rounds of application periods are from: November 26 – December 2, 2020; December 29, 2020 – January 5, 2021; and January 26 – February 2, 2021.

Lucas County Small Business Stabilization Grant

(Note – while this program just opened on Tuesday, October 27^th, the application portal recently closed due to the volume of applications. Please contact the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce at businessgrant@toledochamber.com for more information.)

Who can apply – Businesses and not-for-profit entities with 50 or fewer employees are eligible.

What support is available – Businesses with 1-20 employees are eligible for grants up to $10,000; businesses with 21-50 employees are eligible for grants up to $25,000; Not-for-profit entities with 50 or fewer employees are eligible for grants up to $25,000.

Deadline – While the deadline was slated to be in December, the application portal recently closed due to the overwhelming response. Please inquire with the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce at businessgrant@toledochamber.com to see if this opportunity is still available.

Additional grant and loan program resources for small businesses:

Best Small Business Grants for 2020

JumpStart’s COVID-19 Resource and Assistance Guide

Small Business Administration’s Coronavirus Resources Page (including the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans programs)

Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Coronavirus Resources Page

U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Coronavirus Small Business Resources Guide

COVID-19 Q&A SESSIONS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES
The City of Toledo Economic Development Department, JumpStart Inc., the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, and the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce will conduct three virtual meetings to discuss COVID-19 with businesses. These sessions will be streamed live on the city’s Facebook page- on Nov. 12, Dec. 3, and Dec. 17- and are designed to help business owners and operators plan for the future, ask questions about available grant programs, and learn how to keep customers and employees safe.