St. Pete Sets Up Fighting Chance Fund For Impacted Businesses

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — On Friday, the City of St. Petersburg announced the creation of the Fighting Chance Fund to help small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.

This emergency grant will be available to St. Pete residents who own and independently operate small businesses which have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus orders. The fund is expected to provide critical support to about 1,000 restaurant, bar, retail and service-based businesses and their more than 3,000 eligible employees.

The city's goal is to help offset the significant, temporary loss of revenue during the pandemic.

The Fighting Chance Fund provides $5,000 grants to impacted eligible businesses and $500 to impacted eligible individuals.

Eligibility is defined as small businesses, independently owned and operated within St. Pete by a resident of St. Pete that employs 25 people or less.

This includes restaurants, bars, retail and service industries. The full list available here.

Courtesy City of St. Pete

Also includes are employees who reside within the city limits who have been terminated, furloughed or whose salary has been reduced at least 50 percent from a restaurant, bar, retail or service-based business that is eligible for the business grant.

To receive funding through this program, each business will be required to clearly share how it will use city funds, in keeping with the program's eligible uses: commercial rent or mortgage payments, utilities, payroll, retention of employees or employee support programs.

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"Our locally owned businesses are the backbone of this city, and we are committed to giving them a fighting chance to survive this crisis and emerge stronger than ever," said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman.

"While public health is our first priority during this crisis, we are also focused on the future and St. Pete's economic recovery," said City Administrator and Deputy Mayor Kanika Tomalin. "The Fighting Chance Fund is a first step to help our beloved local businesses not only survive this time, but thrive when it ends."

Applications for eligible businesses and employees will be available April 9, and will be accepted until funds are exhausted. There is no deadline to apply. For more application information and full eligibility details, click here.