Partnership Offers Grants To Locally Owned Downtown Businesses

TAMPA, FL — The Tampa Downtown Partnership is unveiling a grant program to help businesses in the Downtown Tampa Special Services District impacted by the coronavirus.

A total of $50,000 will be given out under what is being called Tampa's Downtown Reinvestment and Relief Fund (REfund) Grant Program.

"These grants will not have to be repaid, and our goal is to help ensure locally owned restaurants, art galleries, retail stores and others survive this pandemic," said the partnership's President and CEO Lynda Remund. "These small businesses are part of the fabric of what has become a work, play, live neighborhood, and we believe it's important we support them during this difficult time."

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The grants will be for $1,000 each. The money can be used for lease or mortgage payments, utilities, supplies and administrative expenses deemed critical for business operations and for equipment or programs needed to assist the business with a transition to temporary digital services.

Grants applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis and distributed until the funds are depleted.

Eligibility requirements include:

• Business must be located within the Downtown Tampa SSD boundary
• Applicant must be the owner of the business
• Business owners with multiple locations within the SSD may submit one application for each site. A separate application must be submitted for each location
• Business must be locally owned and operated
• Small business sectors whose operations are reduced or closed by state or local order beginning March 20:
  • Restaurant and café
  • Retail soft goods
  • Grocery, floral market and general merchandise
  • Personal care services
  • Art galleries
  • Live music, theater and other performing arts venues
  • Bars, pubs and nightlife establishments
• Must be an established business with more than 12 months of operations

For information on how to apply visit the Tampa Downtown Partnership website.

Tampa Downtown Partnership is a private, membership-basedm not-for-profit 501(c)(6) comprised of companies, organizations and individuals with a common goal of advancing Tampa's Downtown.

Tampa Downtown Partnership

The area outlined in yellow is eligible for funding.

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