ROANOKE, Va.–Freedom First FCU said it is partnering with the City of Roanoke to launch a small business relief grant program utilizing Community Development Block Grant - Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) federal funding.
The program was created to assist businesses at-risk of closing or laying off employees due to COVID-19, with a goal of keeping those businesses open and retaining or creating jobs in the City of Roanoke.
To be eligible to receive a CDBG-CV Small Business Relief Grant, the business must be a for-profit small business in the City of Roanoke that will create and/or retain jobs for low-to-moderate income people in the region. CDBG-CV Small Business Relief Grants can be used to pay for a limited scope of expenses, including:
- Working capital, such as wages, utilities, rent, etc.
- Costs to comply with COVID-19 related CDC standards
- Other costs that will enable the business to reopen (as outlined in the program qualifications)
‘One-of-a-Kind Businesses’
“We are excited to partner with the City of Roanoke to distribute these grants to our local small businesses,” said Freedom First SVP of Community Development Dave Prosser. “Roanoke has a reputation for many one-of-a-kind, locally-owned small businesses, and we want to ensure they have the means to reopen and retain jobs for our workforce once lockdown restrictions have eased.”
Applications and other details are available on the Freedom First website.
The $730-million Freedom First has approximately 57,000 members.