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New Pinellas CARES Act Grant Program Overview

The Pinellas Grant program reopened as of September 4, 2020. You can find more on the Pinellas County website FAQ page. Here are the key points you should know about the program:

  • Expanded to help more small businesses suffering economic damage from business interruption since March 1, 2020, not covered by insurance or reimbursement from any federal program.
  • Available grants up to $10,000 assistance are based on a sliding scale from $2,500 to $10,000 for qualifying businesses making between $17,000 and $3 million in gross annual revenue.
  • Eligible for Pinellas CARES Local Business Grants does not extend to larger businesses and nonprofit organizations.
  • Health & Safety Matching Grants of up to $10,000 to assist Target Industry Businesses in implementing COVID-19-related upgrades and safety precautions. Note: Gross annual revenue limits do not apply to these grants.
  • Businesses less $17, 000 may qualify for Business Diversity and Arts Microgrants to help in other grant programs to strengthen their business through direct financial assistance and professional services, including help with post-COVID business planning, record-keeping and preparing documents needed to apply for grant funding.
  • Use of CARES Funds limited to losses caused by COVID-19 not paid by insurance or by another federal grant or program including employee wages, vendors, rent or other business expenses.
  • Applicants receiving first round of the Pinellas CARES Small Business Grants grant awards will have the initial $5,000 grant deducted from this second grant, if they qualify.
  • This second round of business funding will generally only benefit prior awardees if the business’s 2019 revenues (as documented within 2019 Business Tax Return) were greater than $250,000.
  • Qualifying businesses applying without a 2019 Tax Return or Tax Extension will be referred to the applicable microgrant program for consideration. Under the microgrant programs, applicants may be eligible for a Microgrant awards

Which businesses qualify to apply?

  • Businesses must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for assistance.
  • Principal business address is physically located in Pinellas County
  • Operating since at least Oct. 1, 2019 and in operation as of Feb. 29, 2020
  • Not a publicly traded company or a nonprofit 501(c) organization
  • Expected to be fully operational after local/state emergency guidelines are rolled back
  • No unpaid code enforcement or other liens or court fees
  • No owner, officer, partner, or principal actor of the business has a felony conviction for financial mismanagement within the last two years for which he or she is still serving a sentence (including prison, parole, and probation)
  • Is not operating in violation of any state, federal or local laws.
  • Suffered economic damages from business interruption caused by COVID-19 since March 1, 2020, excluding those covered by insurance or reimbursement from any federal program

For assistance: