ST. LOUIS — The city is launching a grant program to help small businesses recover from the pandemic, officials announced Tuesday.
The program will offer up to 900 St. Louis-based businesses $5,000 in grants, paid on a first-come, first-served basis through state coronavirus stimulus funds.
“St. Louis cannot get through the pandemic if we leave our entrepreneurs and small business owners behind,” Mayor Tishaura Jones said in a statement.
Applicants must have 25 employees or fewer, have all city taxes up to date, and have proof of COVID-19 hardship. City employees and their immediate family members are not allowed to apply, officials said.
“These grants will give business owners the opportunity to support their employees, better serve their customers and contribute to the economic growth of the neighborhoods in which they operate,” said Neal Richardson, executive director of St. Louis Development Corp., the city agency who oversees the scholarship program.
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Owners can apply either in person or online from 8am on April 14th. The city has posted a full list of eligibility requirements on its website.
SLDC is hosting a virtual town hall on the application process on Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.