LISC Virginia and Chesterfield County are pleased to announce the launch of the Chesterfield County Microenterprise Relief Fund. This fund will provide small businesses with five or fewer employees grants up to $10,000 to pay for payroll, rent, utilities, vendor bills, and COVID-19 related expenses.
Small business owners can apply through the LISC Virginia webpage. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all the funds are disbursed. Funds will be disbursed on a first-come, first-serve basis. These grants will provide rapid relief to small businesses, helping them remain operational, retain employees and continue offering vital goods and services in their community.
“We are excited to offer a program that helps Chesterfield’s smallest businesses and their employees continue to safely work during COVID-19,” said Daniel Cohen, director of the county’s Community Enhancement Department.
This program will help business owners most unlikely to access or receive capital assistance from traditional sources. To qualify for the program, the small business must be a microenterprise with five or fewer employees, one of whom owns the business. The business owner’s household income must also be below 80 percent of the area median income (AMI). For further information about eligibility requirements, please visit www.virginialisc.org.
“At a time of great economic hardship and uncertainty, small businesses need grants to remain open, keep their employees, and continue providing goods and services to their community. LISC Virginia is committed to working with its partners at Chesterfield County to help those small businesses most in need,” said Jane Ferrara, executive director of the organization.
The fund was made available after the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved the use of federal CARES Act Community Development Block Grant funds. Chesterfield County’s block grant program is administered by the Department of Community Revitalization.
