BANGOR, Maine — COVID relief grants are on the horizon for some of the smallest businesses in Bangor that have been hit hard by the pandemic.
This new round of money targets 'micro' businesses, which means they have five or fewer full-time employees.
To qualify a 'micro' business in Bangor, must have:
- Primary operating facility must be located in Bangor
- 5 or fewer full-time equivalent employees
- Business owners income is lower than 80% of area median income relative to household size
- Must prove a 15% decline in revenue when comparing February, March, April of 2021 to the average monthly revenue for each month of 2019
- Cannabis businesses, nonprofits, and City department heads, and City Council and their immediate family members are not eligible
- Other required exhibits found in program guidelines
Those businesses can apply for up to $5,000 in relief and must meet the city's qualifications.
Business owners can use the money to pay rent, employee wages and benefits, utilities, supplies, taxes, and mortgage payments.
Bangor's Community and Economic Development Officer Tyler Collins says the city hopes to give out about 30 grants.
"Every business in Bangor is eligible if you have five or fewer employees and meet the other criteria," said Collins.
"To keep small businesses open, mom and pop shops in Bangor are getting a second chance to apply for grants of up to $5,000 to help them get back on their feet," said Collins.
Roxanne Munksgaard is co-owner of Maine Jewelry & Art; she says that business at her store in downtown Bangor was down 50% at the peak of the pandemic.
"We really were looking at shutting down," said Munksgaard. "People couldn't come in our store, we brought the store to people, and if you go on our website there's a 'shop now'."
Munksgaard applied and got a $4,500 covid relief grant from the City of Bangor to keep paying the store's rent, utilities, and employee wages.
Maine Jewelry & Art revitalized its website so that customers could easily shop online throughout the beginning of the pandemic when the storefront was closed.
James Gallagher is the owner at Bangin' Whoopie in downtown Bangor.
"When the pandemic first hit, we started doing bingo every single night and giving away a dozen whoopie pies," said Gallagher.
"We just need to make sure that our funding is not being used for expenses that have been covered under other programs," said Tyler.
Gallagher also relates to having a strong down-fall of up to 50% fewer sales when the pandemic hit. He says the first round of relief from the city helped him keep his business up and running.
"It definitely helped kind of bridge what we were missing with the tourist season last summer," said Gallagher.
"We just want to make sure that those small vulnerable businesses are taken care of," said Collins. "Anyone can apply, that's received any covid funding, but we just need to make sure that our funding is not being used for expenses that have been covered under other programs."
The deadline to apply for the grants is June 11th. I
To apply for funding, click here.