35 Businesses Pocket Coronavirus Relief From Aurora Downtown

AURORA, IL — Nearly three dozen businesses are getting a helping hand from the Aurora Downtown nonprofit amid the state’s coronavirus lockdown. Aurora Downtown, a group of business and property owners, awarded $350 grants to 35 businesses Tuesday from its COVID-19 Response Fund.

Aurora Downtown’s Business Attraction and Retention funded all of the grant applications it received from businesses in Aurora’s Special Service Area 1. The downtown district extends from Lincoln Avenue west to Lake Street and from Spring Street between Spring and Clark streets on the east side of Stolp Island and between Spruce and Benton streets on the west side of the island.

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The grants, which total $12,250, are meant to help business owners with rent or other operating expenses, but they are flexible in nature, according to a news release. Businesses that were awarded Aurora Downtown grants must remain open for at least eight weeks, according to the grant application.

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“During these challenging times, we are excited that Aurora Downtown had the ability to award funding in a timely fashion to businesses in need,” said Brian Failing, chair of the BAR committee chair and executive director of Aurora Regional Fire Museum. “We were able to fund 35 applicants that represent a diverse cross section of businesses located in downtown Aurora.”

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