County Supervisors Allocate $250,000 to the Nevada County Relief Fund for Third Round of Grants to Small Businesses and “Safety-net” Nonprofits
Round 3 Grant Applications due August 21st; Apply online at https://www.nevcorelief.org/apply/
Pre-application workshop this Wednesday, August 12th at 3:00PM on Zoom; Please register in advance for this meeting: https://norcalsbdc.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJItfuirrzMpE9AeMlwzc18QEgEhsJg0YKce
Nevada City, CA – In mid-July, the Board of Supervisors allocated $250,000 in State Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) to the Nevada County Relief Fund, part of the $3 Million total set aside to support small businesses and nonprofits hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
These new monies will fund a third grant cycle with $125,000 reserved for eligible small businesses throughout the County, $100,000 for safety-net nonprofits in western Nevada County, and $25,000 to the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation to assist nonprofits serving eastern Nevada County. The Relief Fund’s third round of grantmaking opens August 10th through August 21st, with awards announcement expected by September 3rd.
Since its launch three months ago with a $100,000 “challenge grant” from the County of Nevada, the community-based, public-private partnership has raised over $462,000 and provided grants to 53 small businesses and 21 nonprofits. With its original $500,000 goal in sight, and re-energized by this latest infusion of State dollars, the Relief Fund set a new goal to collect $1 Million by the end of the year.
“We applaud the Supervisors’ commitment to getting these vital funds out quickly to our community, which is really struggling right now. We see that the need hasn’t gone away, so I am confident that everyone will step up generously once again, to give hope and comfort to our community,” said Sherry Bartolucci, the Relief Fund’s co-chair.
New for Round 3 is added focus on services to families and children
“The Relief Fund remains committed to safety-net services but has expanded the scope to include child care and other educational support services for children that allow parents to return to work despite school being primarily or entirely online,” said Phebe Bell, County of Nevada Director of Behavioral Health, who also chairs the Relief Fund’s seven-member Nonprofit “Safety Net” Grants Team.
Grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 will be made to nonprofits focused on the rapid deployment of services for seniors, people who are homeless, people with disabilities, youth who are at-risk, families or individuals struggling to find access to food, shelter, childcare, mental health services, and other critical needs. Together with the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, which serves eastern Nevada County, these efforts boost nonprofit capacity and strengthen the “safety-net” for the region’s most vulnerable citizens.
New for Round 3 Small Business “Micro-Grants” originally capped at $5,000, now upped to $10,000
The Relief Fund raised its $5,000 cap on micro-grants. Small business owners and nonprofits countywide struggling to survive may now apply for amounts up to $10,000. Prior awardees are eligible to apply again in Round 3, though combined awards may not exceed $10,000. These grants will continue to be managed by the Sierra Business Council, who provide awardees with one-on-one business counseling through its Small Business Development Center.
Round 3 will be entirely funded with State of California Coronavirus Relief Funds
In total, the Board of Supervisors allocated $3 Million in CRF monies to support economic and community resiliency, and offset COVID-19 related economic hardships and disruptions to local businesses. This represents thirty percent of the $10 Million of State CRF for Nevada County. In addition to the $250,000 to the Relief Fund, the Board approved $1.5 Million for the “Economic & Community Resiliency” grant program, $1 Million to expand rural broadband, and the balance to support local law enforcement.
“These funds will be used to expand critically needed community broadband access so our residents can work and study from home. It will augment the Nevada County Relief Fund, which has done a great job getting private and public dollars where they are needed most,” said County CEO Alison Lehman.
Eligible uses of CRF monies include costs of business interruption caused by required closures due to the COVID-19 public health emergency and any necessary expenditures incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 30, 2020 and in accordance with federal guidance, as specified here:
https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Coronavirus-Relief-Fund-Guidance-for-State-Territorial-Local-and-Tribal-Governments.pdf
https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Coronavirus-Relief-Fund-Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf
Expenses must be directly due to the mandated closures caused by COVID-19 and may include general operating expenses that needed to be paid to maintain business during the mandated closures, Personal Protective Equipment, sanitizing products or other equipment purchased to maintain or shift business processes and procedures.
The Relief Fund requires all grant awardees to adhere to the orders and guidance pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic issued by the Governor of California, the State Public Health Officer, County Public Health Officer, and/or the Nevada County Director of Environmental Health
About the Nevada County Relief Fund
The Nevada County Relief Fund was created through a partnership between the County of Nevada, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation (the Fund’s fiscal sponsor), Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, the Sierra Business Council, Center for Nonprofit Leadership, and the Economic Resource Council. In conjunction with Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation’s Emergency Response Fund, the purpose of this effort is to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis by directing vital resources to our most vulnerable neighbors, and support our small, rural businesses.
The Fund was established in April 2020 with a $100,000 “challenge grant” from the Nevada County Board of Supervisors. Since then, it has gained traction as a reliable way to give back to our unique small businesses and nonprofits that have been stretched to meet extreme community needs.
Please consider making a tax-deductible gift today that goes directly to assist Nevada County’s invaluable nonprofits and small businesses. For more information and to make a gift, please visit, www.nevcorelief.org
List of awardees from Round One and Two: https://www.nevcorelief.org/our-awardees/