Des Moines City Awards $1.1 Million In Coronavirus Relief For Small Businesses

Press release from the City of Des Moines:

August 27, 2020

DES MOINES, IOWA – Thursday, August 27, 2020 – Through the Small Business Recovery Grant program, the City of Des Moines earlier this month started issuing checks totaling $1,115,671 to 142 small businesses affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Erin Olson-Douglas, economic development director for the City of Des Moines said the relief grants range from $3,500 to $10,000 and were funded by the City of Des Moines, the Greater Des Moines Partnership (GDMP) through private fundraising, Polk County and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

“We have seen over the past five months the local impact of a global pandemic when hundreds of Des Moines businesses – the backbone of our local economy – felt the financial ills of the coronavirus,” said Erin Olson-Douglas. “Thanks to this collaborative effort, however, we are able to provide some much-needed financial assistance to those business owners and their employees in efforts to retain their valuable contribution to our community and our economy.”

Small Business Recovery Grant Program “By the Numbers”

Total Applications

245

Businesses Funded

142

Women-Owned Businesses Funded

51

Minority-Owned Businesses Funded

46

Individual Grant Amounts

$3,500-$10,000

Total Amount Funded

$1,115,671

The Small Business Recovery Grant program was a regional relief initiative in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and included the cities of Des Moines, West Des Moines, Johnston, Indianola, Norwalk, Clive, Windsor Heights, Carlisle and Urbandale as well as Polk County, Warren County and local corporations through private fund-raising by the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

This press release was produced by the City of Des Moines. The views expressed here are the author’s own.