Small Biz Grant Available For Main Street Businesses

A new grant opportunity is available for Cookeville small businesses in need of COVID relief.

The HartBeat of Main Street grant seeks to help small business owners adapt to the pandemic. The grant will also help to revitalize and strengthen historic downtown commercial districts. Cookeville Cityscape Director Holly Freeman said recipients could receive up to $15,000.

“The grant is really to help find solutions, operational solutions, to adapt to the COVID pandemic,” Freeman said. “So [for example] if you don’t have a website and you really need to sell online, that grant fund could go toward a website.”

Freeman said businesses could use the funds to purchase safety necessities like PPE equipment and shields that they may not have been able to afford yet.

Qualifying factors include being in good standing with the state; have a brick and mortar location in a Main Street district; have 20 or fewer employees; and be in business since January 1 2019. Businesses have until August 23 or when Main Street America receives 500 applications.

“We do expect this program to be very popular, so we encourage any businesses who are interested in this program to go ahead and apply early to make sure you’re under that 500,” Freeman said. “They do expect to hold subsequent grant rounds throughout the summer, but we want to be sure that our Cookeville businesses get in and get in early.”

As part of the application process, businesses need a written recommendation. Freeman said Cityscape is happy to cooperate and provide anything useful. Businesses can contact Cityscape for any questions and apply at the Main Street America website.

The HartBeat of Main Street grant is a partnership between Main Street of America and The Hartford.