Sponsoring Agency: City of Helotes Economic Development Corporation (EDC)
Type of Fund: Grant
Deadline Available: Available
Deadline Date (mm/dd/yyyy): 04/23/2021
Size of the Fund: Less than USD $50,000
The Helotes Economic Development Corporation is funding $425,000 to provide rapid financial assistance to small businesses located in the City of Helotes that have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and require financial assistance to meet all of their business needs. Local Helotes small businesses and non-profits may be eligible to obtain grant funds up $25,000 of emergency relief to be used for business continuity.
The City of Helotes has partnered with economic development nonprofit organization BCL to administer the grants. BCL will be responsible for collection of applicant documents, ensuring applicant eligibility, and securing verification/records to demonstrate a need for funding.
Eligible Businesses
Eligible businesses must have a physical address and operate in the City of Helotes. A small business or small nonprofit must satisfy the following criteria to be eligible to receive a grant award:
• Must meet the definition of an “eligible small business”.
• Businesses must currently be operating
• Business must be impacted by COVID-19 and the health and safety restrictions, such as business interruptions or business closures incurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Business must be able to provide organizing documents including 2018 or 2019 tax returns or Form 990s, copy of official filing with the Texas Secretary of State, if applicable, or local municipality for the business such as one of the following: Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of Organization, Fictitious Name of Registration, or Government-Issued Business License.
• Applicant must be able to provide acceptable form of government-issued photo ID.
• Applicants with multiple business entities, franchises, locations, etc. are not eligible for multiple grants and are only allowed to apply once using their eligible small business with the highest revenue.
Ineligible Businesses
• Businesses without a physical location in the City of Helotes
• Nonprofit businesses not registered as either a 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(6), or 501(c)(19)
• Government entities or elected official offices
• Businesses primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities (regardless of whether such entities qualify as an eligible small nonprofit)
• Passive businesses, investment companies, and investors who file a Schedule E on their personal tax returns
• Churches and other religious institutions (regardless of whether such entities qualify as an eligible small nonprofit)
• Financial businesses primarily engaged in the business of lending, such as banks, finance companies, and factoring companies
• Businesses engaged in any activity that is illegal under federal, state, or local law
• Businesses of professional services such as physicians, clinics, dentists, attorneys, engineers, architects, insurance agencies, vacation and long-term rentals, and sexually oriented businesses
• Businesses engaged in any socially undesirable activity or activity that maybe considered predatory in nature such as rent-to-own businesses and check cashing businesses
• Businesses that restrict patronage for any reason other than capacity
• Speculative businesses
• Businesses of which any owner of greater than 20% of the equity interest in it (i) has within the prior three-years been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against such owner, or has had commenced any form of parole or probation (including probation before judgment), for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (federal, state, or local) transaction or contract under a public transaction; violation of federal or state anti-trust or procurement statutes or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property, or (ii) is presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a government entity, (federal, state or local) with commission of any of the offenses enumerated in subparagraph (i) above
• “Affiliated” companies (as such term is defined in 13C.F.R.§121.103)
• Multiple business entities, franchises, locations, etc. are not eligible for multiple grants and are only allowed to apply once using their eligible small business with the highest revenue
• Business who received more than $20,000 from previous Helotes EDC, Bexar County, or LiftFund COVID-19 grant funds
Uses of Funds
Only those costs incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the health and safety restrictions such as business interruptions or business closures incurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following are the eligible uses of grant funds:
• All employee expenses including payroll costs, healthcare benefits, paid sick, medical, or family leave, and insurance premiums
• Working capital, overhead (including rent, utilities, mortgage principal and interest payments (excluding mortgage prepayments), debt obligations (principal and interest) incurred before March 1,2020
• Costs associated with re-opening business operations after being fully or partially closed due to state-mandated COVID-19 health and safety restrictions and business closures
• Costs associated with complying with COVID-19 federal, state, or local guidelines for reopening with required safety protocols, including but not limited to equipment, plexiglass barriers, outdoor dining, PPE supplies, testing, and employee training expenses
• Any other COVID-19 related expenses not already covered (for the same period) through grants, forgivable loans, or other relief through federal, state, county, or city programs.
More information at: https://www.helotesedc.com/helotesgrant2/
