Williamson County Commissioners Court created Wilco Forward grant program under the federal coronavirus relief package to help small businesses in the county that suffered financial losses as a result of COVID-19.

As a way to provide assistance to local small businesses, the program will allow business with fewer than 100 employees and the sole proprietors to receive up to $30,000 in aid. The program is making use of $25 million of the $93 million the county received in federal aid.

“The Commissioners Court felt very strongly about getting assistance to our small businesses as quickly as possible to help them recover from the effects of the coronavirus restrictions,” Commissioner Valerie Covey said in a news release. “We will be processing applications as soon as they come in so that business owners can quickly receive Wilco Forward grant funds.”

Businesses who were completely closed due to COVID-19 are eligible for 100% of the calculated grant amount; businesses that were partially opened are eligible for 75% of the calculated grant amount; and businesses who were significantly affected are eligible for 50% of the calculated grant amount.

Businesses must have opened by Feb. 15, and the funding must be used between March 27-Sept. 30, officials said. Additionally, both for-profit businesses and nonprofits based or headquartered in Williamson County can apply.


Businesses can receive funding to support payroll or one month’s income or a fixed-rate funding to cover rent, lease or mortgage payments, property taxes and utility costs as a single installment of two times the total, fixed cost.

Applications can be submitted online at www.wilco.org/forward beginning at 5:30 p.m. May 6. While business owners have until June 30 to apply, officials recommend an early start, as applications will be processed in a first-come, first-served fashion until funding runs out.

County officials said they hope to start cutting checks by Friday to be received by businesses early next week.

“Our team worked with business and community leaders from across Williamson County to develop the Wilco Forward grant program,” County Treasurer Scott Heselmeyer said in the release. “We specifically made the application process as simple as possible to encourage businesses to apply.”


After reviewing the information, anyone with questions can email those to [email protected]. Additional criteria and restrictions are available at www.wilco.org/forward.