Pittsfield’s Small Business Recovery Grant Program Round 2

Up to $10,000 is available to eligible small businesses within the City of Pittsfield that experienced significant business disruption due to COVID-19. This funding is intended to help businesses remain open, as well as helping them pivot their business during the pandemic. The grant funds will assist small businesses in the City of Pittsfield cover wages, rent, loss of inventory and other fixed costs.

Download COVID Small Business Grant Application here

Completed application forms and all attachments should be sent via email to [email protected].

DESCARGAR FOLLETO

RECUPERACIÓN DE PEQUEÑAS EMPRESAS PROGRAMA DE AYUDA ECONÓMICA COVID-19

SOLICITUD DE SUBVENCIÓN DE RECUPERACIÓN PARA PEQUEÑAS EMPRESAS COVID-19

Eligibility
Your business can either be a:

1. Micro-enterprise, under the CDBG program, is defined as a commercial enterprise that has five or fewer employees, one of whom owns the business, and the owner is LMI; or

2. You as the business owner (not low income), will commit to either retain employees who are LMI or you will create a job available to LMI residents of Pittsfield.

• Retention of an existing job is defined as a job, currently held by a LMI employee who is a resident of Pittsfield, would be lost without the assistance or:

• Creation of new jobs (or rehiring former jobs) is defined as a job, that is known to be held by a LMI person and steps will be taken to ensure that the job will be filled or made available to a LMI person who is a resident of Pittsfield.

In an effort to ensure the funding reaches the most vulnerable businesses in our city, special consideration will be given to micro-enterprises and Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), women, veterans and LGBTQIA owned businesses.

• You could qualify for up to $10,000, if you are a qualified business and your business has not received previous funding from the city.

• You could qualify for up to $10,000, if you are a micro-enterprise and your business has received previous funding from the city.

• You could qualify for up to $5,000, if you are a qualified business and received prior funding from the city in the amount of $10,000.

• You could qualify and be placed on a list for consideration, if you are a qualified business and received prior funding from the city in the amount of $15,000.

To be eligible, the small business must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be located in the City of Pittsfield

• Be a micro-enterprise and meets the guidelines or the business owner (not low income) must be committed to retaining or creating a job for a LMI person who lives in Pittsfield

• Have been in operation since January 2019

• The business must be able to document a loss of gross income due to the Covid-19 pandemic since February 29, 2020, (priority will be given to businesses who show a loss of 50% or more)

• The business must be in good standing with state and the city. Be current on all local taxes, have valid state licenses and local permitting, have no outstanding local, state or federal tax liens or legal judgments, or unresolved non-compliance status for previous CDBG assistance.

Business owners can check income eligibility using the HUD Income Guideline chart below. This is based on total gross family income for the last 12 months. Is it less than or equal to the amount indicated for the size of your household? (Please be sure to include all sources of family income).

1 person $50,900

2 person $58,200

3 person $65,450

4 person $78,550

5 person $72,700

6 person $84,350

7 person $90,150

8 person $96,000
Funding Uses
Eligible uses for the funding include the following:

• Payroll

• Rent, mortgage and/or utilities

• Acquisition of inventory, materials, supplies, (for restaurants, funding can be used for equipment needed for outdoor dining)

• Payment for professional services addressing, but not limited to: business reorganization, accounting, cash flow management, bookkeeping, and/or marketing-related activities including website improvements

• Business costs pertaining to COVID-19 supplies.
How To Apply
Download COVID Small Business Grant Application here

Be sure to submit your completed application and all attachments should be sent via email to [email protected].

The Department of Community Development will administer the program by accepting applications, determining eligibility, preparing the grant agreement and disbursing the funds. At the request of the Department, the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation (PERC) will review applications and make funding recommendations to the Department.

Please note that funds are available on a first come, first eligible, completed application basis, subject to the availability of funding; although in awarding funds, priority will be given to:

• Businesses who have not received Covid-19 funding from the City of Pittsfield – Micro-enterprises

• BIPOC, women, veteran, LBGTQIA owned businesses

The application should clearly define the intended use of the grant and how these funds will help the business survive and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Completed applications should be accompanied by documentation supporting the request, which should include, as applicable:

• A description of business, current status, and intended use of grant funds, including the number of employees as of February 29, 2020, and the current number of employees

• A proposed budget for the use of the funds, including Price Quote(s) if appropriate

• A timetable for use of the grant

• Copies of the business’ balance sheet and profit and loss statements for calendar years 2019 and 2020 and YTD monthly for 2021

• Latest tax return for business and/or for the business owner for (income verification) if the business is owned by a low or moderate-income Pittsfield resident

• Documentation of the efforts taken to date to adapt to the impacts of COVID-19 on the business, including but not limited to applying for funding from state and/or federal relief programs.

• And other supporting documentation, as appropriate

If you have any questions about the application requirements or have any issues with submitting any of the documents, please email [email protected] and someone will assist you.

Applications are available in English and Spanish. The City of Pittsfield does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of age, color, gender expression/identity, genetic formation, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status, as applicable.
Funds May Not Be Used For
Funds from this program may not be used for:

• General promotion of the community

• Franchises

• Real Estate Sales and Rentals

• Cannabis related business

• Weapons and Firearms dealers

• Assistance to professional sports teams

• Assistance to privately owned recreational facilities

• Acquisition of land or building
Sources of Funding
The source of funding for this program is the Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) HUD acknowledges that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s Order closing or limiting business operations is sufficient documentation of the need for CDBG assistance to small businesses. At the same time, CDBG funding is intended to assist low and moderate-income (LMI) residents. As a result, the funding being provided is tied to job retention or creation of jobs held by low and moderate-income persons. Therefore, the City must demonstrate to HUD that this funding is aiding:

• Businesses owned by low or moderate-income residents; and/or

• In the:

· Retention of existing jobs that are:

Currently held by a low or moderate-income employee; or

Can reasonably be expected to turn over within the following two years and steps will be taken to ensure that the job will be filled by, or made available to, an LMI person; or

· Creation of new jobs (or filling former jobs) and that steps will be taken to ensure that the job will be filled by or made available to an LMI person.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I have questions or need help with the application, where do I call?

The Department of Community Development staff will answer any questions. Specific questions may be emailed to [email protected] and staff will respond to you.

Once an application is submitted, how long does the review process take, and who makes the decision?

Your application will be reviewed by the Dept. of Community Development staff for eligibility, use of funds, and benefit. Then it will be referred to members of the PERC Board and Finance Committee for review. We anticipate this could take 2-3 weeks.

What is the timeline to expend this funding?

The funds must be used by December 31, 2021.

Do I have to pay this funding back?

The grant will require repayment only if the terms of grant agreement are not met. Terms of the grant include documentation of the product or service that was purchased with the funds.

This grant is administered on a reimbursement basis or two-party checks can be issued. You will submit invoices for acceptable expenditures requested and approved in your grant. Invoices submitted must be dated after the signed Agreement date of the grant. Grant funds must be expended by December 31, 2021.

Why am I expected to disclose my entire household income, as that does not relate to my business?

This is per federal regulations under HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Program and will help the City determine the best source of funds to use to help your business.

What documentation will I need to apply?
If the business owner, you will need to submit your business or personal tax returns for calendar years 2019 and 2020 as well as profit and loss statements for the business for 2019 and 2020. If your business files taxes, you will not need to provide proof of income but will be required to answer questions about your income and sign a certification stating that all the information provided in the application and attachments is true.

Can the funds be used for services, equipment, machinery, inventory, supplies or materials that I have already purchased?

No, the funds can’t be used for any item or service that you have already purchased. The date of purchase must be no sooner than your grant agreement date.

Do I need to supply proof of purchases?

Yes, you will need to supply receipts for any items or services purchased with the grant funds.

Will I be asked about my employees?

You will only be asked about detailed employee information if your income as the business owner or the income of your household is higher than shown on the table for low and moderate-income households, and are submitting an application on the basis that at least 51% of your existing employees, employees to be rehired, or new employees to be hired are or will be low/moderate income. If you are provided funding from the federal CDBG program, you will be required to provide each employee’s name (or in another way agreed to by the City to identify each individual employee), annual income, and job title. You do not need to get your employee’s household incomes. 1099 employees do not need to be included.

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Call Us Now.

We’ll Help You Get Started.

Michael Coakley
Business Development Manager
[email protected]
1-413-499-9368

Brandon Gill
Community Development Specialist
[email protected]
1-413-499-9378

Amber Spring
Permitting Coordinator
[email protected]
1-413-448-9673

1 person	$50,900
2 person	$58,200
3 person	$65,450
4 person	$78,550
5 person	$72,700
6 person	$84,350
7 person	$90,150
8 person	$96,000