Sponsoring Agency: City of Cambridge
Type of Fund: Grant
Deadline Available: Available
Deadline Date (mm/dd/yyyy): 05/07/2021
Size of the Fund: Less than USD $50,000
The City of Cambridge announced the availability of $600,000 in grants for Cambridge small businesses through the Mayor’s Disaster Relief Fund (MDRF) and the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority (CRA).
The temporary emergency public health orders that were issued by City of Cambridge and other such orders that were issued by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to combat the COVID-19 Pandemic had an immediate negative economic impact on Cambridge’s small business community. This has presented an unprecedented urgent need to which the Cambridge community must respond with swift, decisive, and immediate investment directly in most vulnerable small businesses. The Cambridge community must do everything possible to keep small businesses operational.
The MDRF and CRA are both contributing funds for the Small Business Grants. The MDRF is contributing $400,000 and the CRA is contributing $200,000, and the Small Business Grants will be awarded from this combined source of funds. Grant determinations will be made by the MDRF Committee. By combining funding for this program and awarding funding through one application process, the MDRF and CRA are able to maximize available funds and resources and assist small businesses
Funding Information
The maximum grant/loan amount for each business is $6,000. Allowable business expenses may include the person protective equipment, average rent, salaries, utilities, cost of goods, and outdoor dining infrastructure costs not covered by other programs.
Funding Priorities & Policies (20 Points for Each Item Achieved)
• Small businesses who have not received any funding from other COVID-19 relief programs, including the City’s Small Business Relief, Recovery, and Winter grant, the CRA’s Small Business Grant program, the CRA’s Loan program, State’s MGCC program and the SBA EIDL or PPP programs.
• Small businesses who make or have (and retain) employees who make less than $75,000.
• The grant and will promote small business activity owned by one of the following – Cambridge resident, Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), Women (WBE), Service-Disabled Veteran (SDVOBE), Veteran (VBE), Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender (LGBTQ) and Disabled-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) (status in these categories must be documented with evidence of proper certification).
Business Operation Considerations (5 Points for Each Item Achieved)
• Small businesses that had 2019 and 2020 gross operating revenues of less than $1,000,000.
• Small businesses that have been in operation for at least three years.
• Small businesses that have brick and mortar retail, restaurant or personal service operations.
• Small businesses that employ at least one Cambridge resident.
• Small businesses employing disabled veterans.
Eligibility Exclusions
• A chain business that is not locally franchised.
• Businesses and owners/operators whose businesses have delinquent invoices due to the City of Cambridge other than FY2021.
• Restaurants that have an outstanding health code violation issued against them by the City of Cambridge.
• Cambridge residents with businesses located outside the City of Cambridge.
• Non-profit organizations.
• Applicants who are not in compliance with any federal, state or local laws or regulations, including those pertaining to zoning and licensing.
• Incomplete applications.
More information at: https://www.cambridgema.gov/covid19/mayorsfundbusinesses
