MADISON, Wis. — Dane County is putting an additional $15 million into helping small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, County Executive Joe Parisi announced Thursday.
The money will support Dane County’s Small Business Pandemic Support Grant Program, Parisi said, and will come from the county’s allocation from the federal COVID relief package.
“These folks have been through a lot, and so they need more help,” Parisi said during a virtual press conference Thursday. “We’re fortunate that the new administration and the new Congress recently passed some real legislation that is going to help all of us and help our economy recover from the pandemic.”
The county and Dane Buy Local currently in the process of awarding $4 million in funds from the last allocation to the grant program announced in January. Parisi’s office says there were more than 2,800 applications for that second round funding, with an average request of nearly $18,000.
The hope is to have applications open for this latest round of funding sometime in mid-April, Dane Buy Local’s Colin Murray.
“There’s a lot more need than there are dollars available,” Parisi said. “We want to get this money into the community as quickly as possible to help the recovery get the boost that it needs.”
Dane Buy Local says the program has already helped save a number of businesses from closing their doors for good.
“I’ve had grown men and women literally crying on the phone when they find out this information, because it’s saving their business,” Murray said. “They’ve got their heart and soul into the efforts of their local business here in Dane County, and they’re watching it disappear and it’s not their fault.”
A total of 61% of the businesses who have received grants through the program so far have been owned by women. Peggy Henner, who owns the Nail Bar in DeForest, says she got a 5-day notice for eviction before she received a grant that saved her business — and a 32-year dream.
“We managed to hang on through it by a thread,” Henner said. “It literally saved my business because we would’ve had to shut the doors on the 19th. I have no words for how grateful we are, truly.”
A resolution to approve the $15 million in extra funds for the program will be introduced to the County Board this week. It’s expected to be approved in April.
COPYRIGHT 2021 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
Read More: Dane Co. announces additional $15 million in small business grants through