Morris County Small Business Grant Program to Open Valentine's Day for On-line Applications

Jan. 28, 2021 - For Immediate Release - The Morris County Small Business Grant Program will begin accepting on-line applications at 8 a.m. on Feb. 14, 2022, Valentine’s Day, to aid local small companies, entrepreneurs and non-profits impacted by the pandemic.  Details may be found at morriscountysmallbusinessgrant.com on eligibility guidelines, supporting documents required to submit an application and more. The webpage contains a countdown clock to when the application portal will open, and applicants will find the application portal on the same webpage when the system is activated at 8 a.m. Feb. 14.
 
The program will provide grants of up to $15,000 to reimburse small businesses and non-profit organizations for specific pandemic recovery expenses incurred on or after March 3, 2021 – a timeline established under the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which is the source of the funding.

“We have committed $5 million in ARPA dollars to this program to help small businesses, which are critical to the character, vitality and economy of every town in Morris County. We also want to help the non-profit organizations that do so much to inspire civic engagement, enrich our culture and provide shelter, food, counseling and comfort to our most vulnerable populations. We would not be able to continue as a community without them,” said Tayfun Selen, Director of the Morris County Board of County Commissioners.
 
The Small Business Grant Program eligibility requirements include:

• Available to businesses with 25 or fewer full time employees (or equivalent)
• In operation since Jan. 1, 2019
• Located within Morris County
• Less than $5 million in sales/revenue
• Proof of a decline in sales/increased expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic

 
The Morris County Chamber of Commerce will be coordinating outreach to potentially eligible businesses, including those who may not have traditionally sought government grant funding in the past.
 
“We will be working with the Morris County Commissioners to connect qualifying small businesses throughout the county with this grant program. It offers an opportunity for some of them to cover costs they incurred trying to stay open or reopen while struggling to keep their employees working and meet the needs of  their customers,” said Meghan Hunscher, President and CEO of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation.
 
“This grant will give the small businesses of Morris County some much needed financial relief. The Chamber of Commerce truly appreciates the Morris County Commissioners’ commitment to the success of our small businesses,” said Michael Stanzilis, Morris County Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Membership and Government Affairs.

​Media Contact: 
Brian T. Murray
Director of Communications
County of Morris
(973) 285-6015
Btmurray@co.morris.nj.us