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Gulf Power Donates $300K For Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grants; Application Deadline Is Friday

A second round of grants from the Florida SBDC at UWF will be available for eligible businesses impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to an additional $300,000 contribution from Gulf Power through its economic development fund. The Northwest Florida Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program assists for-profit businesses in Northwest Florida with their immediate cash flow needs as a result of a demonstrated economic impact due to COVID-19.

“Once again we are grateful for Gulf Power’s support to continue this grant program that will benefit small businesses,” said Kelly Massey, Regional Director of the Florida SBDC at UWF. “We know that many businesses across Northwest Florida continue to suffer, and a grant program like this can help a local small business make it through these challenging times.”

Gulf Power initially contributed $250,000 earlier this spring, which provided 50 local businesses with grants of up to $5,000. The application period for the second round of grants opens next week.

“We are honored to be able to provide additional assistance to our local businesses as we continue to navigate this pandemic together,” said Gulf Power President Marlene Santos. “Gulf Power is dedicated to continuing to find innovative ways to support our customers and our communities during these unprecedented times.”

The application period for the second round of grants will be open until 5 p.m. Friday, June 12. Only grant applications submitted during this timeframe will be eligible for review. Grant awards will be up to $5,000, and some of the eligibility requirements include:

• Must be a for-profit, privately held small businesses established on or before January. 1, 2019.
• Must maintain a place of business, including a physical location (commercial building), within eligible Northwest Florida counties (Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Jackson, Washington, Calhoun and Bay).
• Must have 11 to 29 employees.
• Must have a demonstrated reduction in sales revenues of 25% or more due to the loss of business income related to COVID-19.
• Can’t have been awarded another recent local grant facilitated by the Florida SBDC at UWF (Such as the Escambia County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant)

The Florida SBDC at UWF will receive these applications, and send eligible applications to a third-party review board created to approve the award of grant funding to each applicant on a case-by-case basis. UWF will distribute the appropriate funds to businesses who have been awarded grant funds.

The full list of eligibility requirements, steps to apply, and grant application can be found by scrolling down to the grant information link found at https://sbdc.uwf.edu/