In another step toward assisting small businesses that suffer losses related to the COVID-19 health emergency, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is creating a program to provide grants to targeted businesses throughout the state, WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes announced.
The WEDC Board of Directors on Tuesday approved $5 million in funding for the program, which will be known as Small Business 20/20 (SB20/20). SB20/20 will provide grants of up to $20,000 to targeted businesses with no more than 20 employees to cover rent and to meet payroll expenses, including paid leave (including sick, family and other leave related to COVID-19).
“This is an important first step by WEDC in helping small businesses in our state and their employees who are facing lost revenues, missed paychecks and other uncertainty due to COVID-19,” said Governor Tony Evers. “As the impacts of COVID-19 continue to be felt, we will be relying on WEDC to develop additional innovative programs to meet the needs of our state.”
“This is a program targeted at some of the ‘smallest of the small’ businesses that are vital to their communities. Many of these businesses, especially retailers, restaurants and small service providers, typically operate on the narrowest of margins,” said Hughes. “Many don’t have the cash reserves needed to survive a substantial loss of revenue, which can happen with a prolonged emergency. SB20/20 will help put cash in the pockets of these businesses and their employees when they need it most.”
“We understand that this is just a start, and WEDC is working to develop additional programming to help get resources out to the communities and increase eligibility for participation. We will be looking for additional solutions in the coming days as we learn more in this evolving situation.”
The grants will be deployed by partnering with state’s 23 community development financial institutions (CDFIs). Because the CDFIs have pre-existing relationships with many of these small businesses, CDFIs will be able to provide the grants quickly and directly to their clients.
CDFIs are specialized community-based financial institutions with a primary mission to promote economic development by providing financial products and services to people and communities underserved by traditional financial institutions, particularly in low income communities. CDFIs include community development banks, credit unions and non-regulated institutions such as nonprofit loan funds or venture capital funds.
WEDC is encouraging CDFIs with a minimum organizational loan portfolio of at least $4 million to participate in SB20/20. In addition, smaller CDFIs are encouraged to work together and apply as part of a collaborative with a combined organizational loan portfolio of at least $4 million, designating one CDFI as the lead applicant/recipient of funds. CDFIs that don’t meet the minimum portfolio size are also encouraged to collaborate with the larger CDFIs to serve their clients.
More information about the program is available at wedc.org/sb2020. Applications for business assistance must be processed through the CDFIs and not WEDC. WEDC plans to identify the participating CDFIs within the next two weeks.