The Commissioners Court voted unanimously at its June 14 meeting to approve the Small Business Workforce Recovery Grant Program. Funds will help businesses with workforce recovery, retention, recruitment, training and development, according to a county news release.
“We know that small businesses continue to bear the brunt of the economic impacts of the pandemic,” Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said in the release. “These funds will help more local businesses stay open, keep their employees, grow their success and continue to be a strong force in our county.”
The grant application process will open at noon July 11. Grants of up to $27,500 will be awarded to businesses and nonprofits based on eligibility and the number of employees.
Businesses may have no more than 50 employees as of the first quarter of 2020, according to program requirements. They must also be located in Tarrant County.
The grant program will run until Aug. 31 or until funds are depleted, according to the county. Applications will be processed in the order they are received.
Eligible businesses must also fall into one of the following industries:
- tourism, travel and hospitality (travel services, hotels and motels, event and entertainment venues, sporting facilities, convention and visitors bureaus, outdoor plazas and markets);
- nonprofit service providers;
- arts and culture (theater, dance, music, artists);
- food service (restaurants, caterers, bars, lounges, taverns, mobile food trucks);
- construction and landscaping (planning and services);
- gym/fitness;
- health care (acute, primary and rehabilitation centers);
- mortuary services;
- manufacturing;
- personal care services (hair, tanning and nail salons, barbers, estheticians, spas, massage, tattoo parlors); and
- retail stores that do not sell essential household goods.
Child care businesses are not eligible for this program but may be eligible for assistance through a separate Child Care Relief Fund offered through the Texas Workforce Commission.
More details about the Small Business Workforce Recovery Grant Program will be posted in the coming weeks at www.tarrantcounty.com/recovery.
