New coronavirus business grant program targets hotels, restaurants

Owners and operators of hotels, restaurants, and other entertainment–style businesses are eligible for a series of new grants to be administered by the Stafford County Economic Development Authority.

More in a press release:

Stafford County remains focused on providing support to our businesses as we continue to recover from the Coronavirus pandemic. As part of that continued support, the Stafford County Economic Development Authority (EDA) is launching three new small business assistance grants: Stay, Sleep, and Safe in Stafford Business Grant(s). These grant programs are funded using $2.357M in federal CARES Act funds provided by the County of Stafford and administered by the Stafford County EDA.

Available to qualifying Stafford small businesses, the programs will provide direct financial assistance to those businesses impacted directly by the COVID-19 pandemic. General program eligibility requirements include, though are not limited to; businesses that are physically located within Stafford County, have between 1-50 full-time equivalent W-2 employees, currently registered and current with the Stafford County Commissioner of the Revenue, and able to demonstrate at least a 25 percent loss in revenue attributed to COVID-19.

Program Overviews:
Stay in Stafford: Open to Stafford-based small businesses, the program provides a grant of up to $10,000. Grant awards are calculated and based on the business’s lease or mortgage payments for up to three (3) months. Small businesses in the Food and Beverage, Entertainment, and Retail Trade industries will be given preference.

Safe in Stafford: Open to all Stafford-based small businesses and non-profit organizations, the program provides a reimbursable grant of up to $5,000, for the direct costs of PPE or other COVID-19 related equipment. Priority will be given to those applicants that have invested in technology to facilitate e-commerce and/or virtual business operations, professional services, as well as the actual costs for alterations of technology changes or improvements that the business made (purchased) to respond to COVID-19.

Sleep in Stafford: Open to all Stafford-based lodging establishments (Airbnb and/or similar type individual rentals are not eligible), the program provides a grant of up to $30,000. Grant award amounts are based on the establishment’s documented number of guest rooms.

“With the support of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, we are humbled to launch a third round of business recovery grants for our community,” stated Joel Griffin, Chairman of the Stafford County Economic Development Authority.

Detailed grant guidelines, eligibility, frequently asked questions, are all available at GoStaffordVA.com/Coronavirus starting Friday, August 7th at 9:00am. The EDA will begin accepting applications on Monday, August 17th at 9:00am and close on Wednesday, August 26st at 4:00pm.