The City of Powder Springs issued a press release announcing that grants of up to $5,000 are available to small businesses and non-profits to offset the impact of COVID-19.

The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Oct. 1, 2020, and will be reviewed by city staff and awarded based on need and availability of funds.

The program is open to businesses and non-profits with less than $1 million in estimated annual gross receipts.

To be eligible an organization must demonstrate that the pandemic resulted in a 25 percent or higher financial disruption to the company, and must explain how the grant funds would be used to allow the organization to continue to operate.

The business or non-profit is required to have its primary location or headquarters within the Powder Springs city limits, and to have the necessary licenses and permits to do business in the city.

Eligible organizations must have at least one year of continuous operation prior to March 1 of this year.

Both home-based businesses and those with commercial locations are eligible for the grants.

Powder Springs allocated $400,000 from the approximately $805,000 the county set aside for the city from CARES Act funds.

The county will provide over $10.3 million of its total CARES Act money to distribute to the six cities in Cobb based on each city’s population.

According to the press release:

As the city is using federal CARES Act funding for the grant, all operating assistance must be compliant with federal regulations. Grant funds may be used for:* Rent/leases/equipment rental* Utility payments* Marketing* PPE and other supplies/costs to ensure employee and customer safety* Rehiring and/or maintaining full time W-2 or 1099 employees 

Businesses may apply for the Powder Springs Small Business Grant program even if they have received CARES Act funds through other programs, including the U.S. Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program or the SelectCobb Small Business Grant program. However, if awarded, recipients may not use grant funds for expenses that have already been covered through other programs.

The remainder of the city’s CARES Act funding will be put to a variety of uses, including rent and utility assistance and wi-fi hotspots for students at local schools.

For more information, and application instructions, visit cityofpowdersprings.org.