presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance July 2nd, 2021
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LI Main Street Alliance Members Gather on Reopening and NYS Grant Program
Long Island Main Street Alliance members, representing thirty-seven downtowns, met for a virtual meeting on Wednesday, June 23rd, to discuss ways of bringing resources and growth to their downtown business districts and New York State’s recent $800-million-dollar grant program. Eric Alexander, Director of Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance, welcomed Alliance members and thanked those on the call who participated in Vision’s 20th Annual Smart Growth Awards. Representatives from the offices of Governor Cuomo and Senator Kaplan joined in on the call, as did Mayor Mary Adams, Village of Babylon, Mayor Ralph Ekstrand, Village of Farmingdale, Mayor Michael McGinty, Island Park, and Trustee Clariona Griffith, Village of Hempstead. The featured presentation focused on New York State Empire State Development’s recent $800 million grant program, allocated to help local small businesses. The guest speaker, Huey Min Chuang, Senior Director, Business & Economic Development, Empire State Development, walked participants through the program guidelines and shared information on how to apply. Highlights of the program, which opened June 10th, include: Grants will be for a minimum award of $5,000 and a maximum award of $50,000 and will be calculated based on a New York State business' annual gross receipts for 2019. Reimbursable COVID-19 related expenses must have been incurred between March 1, 2020 and April 1, 2021 and can include: • Payroll costs Over 330,000 small and micro businesses are potentially eligible for this program, including 57 percent of the State's certified Minority/Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs). Eligible Applicants include: Small businesses, micro-businesses, and for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations that are currently viable and have begun operation on or before March 1, 2019, and continue to be in operation as of the date of application, however may be shuttered due to COVID restrictions. Eligible applicants are required to show loss of gross receipts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols which resulted in business modifications, interruptions, or closures. Ineligible businesses include: All non-profits, churches and other religious institutions; government-owned entities or elected official offices; businesses primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities; businesses that received awards from the SBA Restaurant Revitalization Grant Program; landlords and passive real estate businesses. Eligible applicants will be required to show loss of gross receipts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols which resulted in business modifications, interruptions, or closures. Due to a limited amount of funding and the high volume of requests expected, business type, geography and industry may factor into the ability to receive a grant. You can find more information here or call 877-721-0097. The program guide is available in twelve languages. Various elected officials and members of the community provided updates on what is going on across Long Island. The Main Street Alliance was happy to see that progress is still moving forward in spite of all the troubles from the past year, and look forward to seeing what is coming next. Thanking everyone for their participation, Mr. Alexander concluded, “We are looking forward to connecting and promise an in-person meeting in September!” The LI Main Street Alliance is convened by Vision Long Island to create a unified public voice to bring attention and resources to the 40 Long Island communities that have downtown revitalization plans and programs. NYMTC Taking Public Comments on Regional Transportation Plan
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) invites residents to review and comment on the draft of Moving Forward, its next Regional Transportation Plan. Also available for comment will be the draft of its next Congestion Management Process Status Report. The comment period is open from June 28th through July 27th, 2021. NYMTC is holding a series of virtual public review sessions: Thursday July 8th, 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM-OR- 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM; Wednesday, July 14th, 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM-OR- 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM; or Thursday July 22nd, 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM-OR- 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Each public session will provide an overview of the draft Plan. Commentary will be taken from participants. All sessions will be recorded, and recordings will be available on the Moving Forward website. About the Draft The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) has developed its next regional transportation plan, Moving Forward, Your Region Connected (Moving Forward or the Plan). The Plan covers all modes of surface transportation from a regional perspective including highways, streets, public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, goods movement, and special needs transportation. In addition, it addresses key transportation activities such as operations and management of the transportation system, safety, security, and regional finances. Moving Forward recommends short- and medium-term strategies and actions within the context of the Shared Vision for Regional Mobility. Specifically, the Plan assesses recent trends, current conditions, and existing initiatives for each Vision Goal and corresponding objectives, as a basis for recommended approaches and actions. The following are a sampling of categories of recommended short and medium-range strategies and actions: 1. Safety and Security • Assess safety and security needs in the suburban subareas modelled after the process used in New York City 2. Reliable and Easy Travel • Assess transit services throughout the planning area to identify opportunities for increased service frequency and/or reliability 3. Planning for Changing Demand • Benchmark techniques to address fare issues for lower income riders and seniors across all transit services 4. Reducing Environmental Impacts • Use the results of the inventory of freight-related land uses to identify opportunities for rail freight and intermodal capacity expansion 5. Resiliency • Identify resources and funding sources Moving Forward recommends numerous projects, programs, and studies to improve the movement of people and goods. These recommended improvements and actions fall into two distinct categories: programmed projects that are in the Plan’s fiscally constrained element and aspirational projects, proposals, and studies that are in the Plan’s vision element. Public input is encouraged. Visit www.nymtc.org/Planmovingforward to view summary information, the draft documents, and to provide commentary. Visit https://nymtcmovingforwardpublicworkshop.eventbrite.com to register for one of the virtual public review sessions. Suffolk Chambers Honors Toys for Tots
The Suffolk County Chamber of Commerce and others held a massive toy drive alongside their quarterly meeting. Major Chuck Kilbride from Toys for Tots and Bobby Kalotee presented certificates in support of the Toys for Tots initiative. John Durso from the LI Federation of Labor introduced the Lt. Governor by video and provided an update on NYS efforts post pandemic. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran thanked Toys for Tots for their work in Nassau County. Suffolk County Presiding Officer Rob Calarco offered his help with the Toys for Tots effort as well. Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone spoke about their post pandemic recovery efforts and the work done by County Agencies. He also introduced acting Suffolk County Police Commissioner Stuart Cameron. Nassau County Police Commissioner Pat Ryder was also in attendance. A very timely presentation was made from LIPA CEO Tom Falcone given the agreement with PSEG-LI for continued management of our energy grid. Members of the LI Main Street Alliance joined the Suffolk Chambers in support of the effort by the US Marines Toys for Tots programs as well. A rousing rendition of America the Beautiful ended the session. Attendees were enlisted to act as ambassadors for the Toys for a Tots toy drive throughout the balance of the year and given certificates. |
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Suffolk County Legislature Extends Kings Park Sewer District
Vision Long Island attended the Suffolk County Legislature General Meeting held on June 22nd to support the extension of Sewer District No. 6 – Kings Park to further the progress of the revitalization of Kings Park’s downtown. While other nearby downtowns, such as Northport, have become economic centers with dining and entertainment, Kings Park has remained quiet, with numerous vacancies along Main Street. In 2016, the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce and Kings Park Civic Association came together in an effort to bring vitality to downtown Kings Park. Kings Park residents were invited to a series of visioning meetings, sponsored by the Civic Association and the Chamber, in order to provide input to Vision Long Island to assist in the development of a Kings Park Downtown Revitalization Plan. With interest and enthusiasm, a substantial number of residents attended and participated in the visioning process. This resulted in the completion of a final visioning plan, which has been accepted by the Town of Smithtown. In 2017, Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature awarded Kings Park a $20 million grant from the New York State Transformative Investment Program (TIP) to fully fund the sewer expansion project necessary to begin the revitalization. At the close of the public hearing on June 22nd, and after Vision Long Island expressed support, the Suffolk County Legislature approved the resolution making findings and determinations and authorizing the extension of District No. 6 to include the Kings Park Business District. This is another step in the process of advancing this long-awaited project. It has been shown that downtowns become healthier when transit-oriented development is embraced. Therefore, Kings Park’s downtown area is the focus of revitalization efforts. The plan includes parts of Main Street, Pulaski Road, Indian Head Road and Meadow Road West, focusing on the portions of the commercial district that are walkable to the train station and Main Street buildings. The next step is the hopeful approval by voters in the extension area of a ballot proposition at the next General Election on November 2nd. Help Finalize the NYS DOT Land Transfer in Huntington Station
Local efforts are again underway to help Huntington Station move forward with the long-awaited artist lofts and hotel projects. The transfer of 4.16 acres of land on New York Avenue from the New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT) to the Town of Huntington is key to Huntington Station’s redevelopment plans. The properties include a portion of the lot next to the Community First Aid Squad on Railroad Street where there are plans to build a hotel, and the linear lot between Railroad and Church streets where artist lofts are proposed. Since this development strategy was approved, Renaissance Downtowns and the Town of Huntington have been working on a two-prong approach to move revitalization forward in Huntington Station. First, development and groundbreaking for the immediate opportunity sites, and second, working with the Town of Huntington to collaborate with Suffolk County on ways to bring sewer infrastructure to unsewered commercial corridors in Huntington Station. In 2015, over 500 residents sent a clear message asking the NYS DOT to transfer this property back to the Town of Huntington. This land was taken from Huntington Station during Urban Renewal in the 1960s. The land transfer process was legislated in 2018, but has yet to be finalized. The goal is to get a minimum of 1000 signatures on a petition by August 1st 2021, which will then be sent to the necessary officials who are integral to helping achieve these goals. You can access the petition and find more information here. Roundabout Work Expected to Begin in Greenport Next Year
A proposed roundabout at the intersection of Route 48 and Main Street in Greenport is being studied on the state level with three other safety improvement projects, including one in Calverton and two in East Hampton, The Suffolk Times reports. These projects call for: • Widening the intersection and adding turn lanes and Route 25 at Edwards Avenue in Calverton, in the Town of Riverhead According to the DOT’s project description, these enhancements will provide a better traffic flow through the intersections and therefore decrease the accident rate at each location. The project is in its development stage, with the bid opening expected to begin in the Fall of 2022 and construction expected to begin in Winter 2022/2023. Construction is expected to be completed in the Fall of 2023. The intersection in Greenport currently has a blinking caution light for east and west-bound traffic and a blinking stop light and a stop sign for traffic heading north out of Greenport, The Suffolk Times describes. The cost of all four projects is estimated at approximately $5,300,000 and is projected to be state and federally funded. You can view DOT project information here. You can read more at the Suffolk Times. "Alive on 25" Returns To Riverhead This Summer
The “Alive on 25” street festival, hosted by the Town of Riverhead and the Riverhead Business Improvement District, is returning to Riverhead this summer. These free festivals are held on Main Street in downtown Riverhead and feature live music, artists, street performers, vendors, local craft beverages and wine, and activities for all ages. The 2021 Schedule: • July 15th with Fireworks at 9:15 PM “Alive on 25” is held from 5 PM to 9:30 PM along Main Street in Downtown Riverhead, from Griffing Avenue to McDermott Avenue. These are free events, with multiple stages lining Main Street with live music provided by craft brewers and local restaurants. There are plenty of great food options, with vendors offering everything from pizza to gyros, fresh-squeezed lemonade to burgers. Main Street restaurants are open for sit-down dining. So, bring a lawn chair and blankets to relax and eat along the riverfront, in Grangebel Park or on the grounds of East End Arts. You can find more information here. High School Seniors Hold Prom on Patchogue Village Main Street
High School Senior Prom is often one of the most memorable experiences students take away after they graduate. With the difficulties and restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, this memory was in jeopardy, but the Patchogue-Medford High School Class of 2021 got imaginative. Beginning in November, the senior class, along with school advisors, began planning a way to have prom while following COVID-19 guidelines. What they came up with was a plan that not only helped the students enjoy prom, but also helped the downtown business community which also suffered from consequences of the pandemic. The plan – hold the senior prom on Main Street in Patchogue Village. And that plan came together, very successfully, on June 21st. The prom festivities kicked off at Memorial Park in Medford for a mixer before the students arrived to the village in coach buses for a red carpet walk alongside Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts. From there, they dined and danced into the nighttime hours on East Main Street, with local restaurants providing the food, and the theater and PeraBell Food Bar providing the staging areas, Greater Patchogue reports. Main Street from Ocean Avenue to Maple Avenue was shut down to traffic and the streets were lined with games, food and a DJ. Owners of local hair salons and clothing stores even offered to do hair styling for and give dresses to students in need. "They deserve something, they lost out on prom last year. We couldn't let that happen again," David Kennedy of the Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce told ABC 7. "They missed everything from homecoming to every other event that typically happens in senior year," Patchogue Village Mayor Paul Pontieri told ABC. "So, we want to end the year with something for them to remember." And that the students did. Local news organization GreaterPatchogue.com, along with the Greater Patchogue Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce, teamed up to help coordinate fundraising efforts. A gofundme site raised $10,000. You can read GreaterPatchogue’s coverage and view photographs of the night’s events here. ABC 7’s coverage of the prom can be read here. |
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Live Music Returns to the Glen Cove Village Square
The Glen Cove Downtown Sounds committee has announced its annual concert series will take place live this summer with a diverse array of artists scheduled to perform on nine Friday evenings in July and August. Beginning July 2nd, bands will be performing in person on the Village Square stage. Produced by the Glen Cove Business Improvement District (BID), Downtown Sounds began in 1997 with local jazz musicians playing at the intersection of Glen and School Streets. “After two years, the Glen Cove BID and the Downtown Sounds Concert Committee are thrilled to be able to present live music for the enjoyment of our community and benefit of our businesses,” said Patricia Holman, Executive Director of the BID. “This year more than ever, we have a diverse lineup that will appeal to a wide range of musical tastes.” This year’s artists will be performing on the Downtown Sounds stage, as opposed to the show mobile that has been used in recent years. In addition to better sound quality, restoration of the stage presentation increases the space available for dancing. The program includes: Downtown Sounds 2021 will be live in-person concerts, but will still be live-streamed through Facebook Live, and broadcast on large screen TVs throughout downtown. Concerts start at 7 PM. You can find more information here. Free Outdoor Concert Series in Westbury
Thursday Nights in the Piazza! Westbury Arts is launching its free outdoor summer concert series, with live, in-person concerts held in the village’s central plaza: The Piazza Ernesto Strada located at 200 Post Avenue in Westbury. All the concerts are held on Thursdays from 7 to 9 pm. Here is the line-up: July 8 - Soul Purpose (disco, funk, soul) In case of rain, concerts will be held at the Westbury Community/Senior Center at 360 Post Avenue in Westbury. For more information, contact info@westburyarts.org or 516-400-ARTS (2787) LICH to Host Blood Drive on July 12th
The Long Island Coalition for the Homeless (LICH) is hosting a blood drive on July 12th from 2 PM to 8 PM at 600 Albany Avenue, Amityville. Long Island is currently experiencing a blood shortage and donations will be incredibly impactful, As an extra incentive, a T-shirt for this drive will be given. Please take the time to register at the link below in order to maintain social distancing, and ensure that there is enough help for the day. LICH was originally founded in 1985 as a grassroots local advocacy effort to bring non-profits and other community partners together to unite around the cause of homelessness, seeking to expand and enhance services to meet local needs. Thank you in advance. You can register here. Learn more about the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless here. Upcoming Workshops
The SBA will be offering several Workshops in the upcoming weeks Lead by SBA’s Economic Development Specialist Elaine Powell-Belnavis, these workshops will cover the following: • Latest updates of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and PPP Forgiveness. You can register for each of the workshops at the below links: Thurs. July 15, 2021 at 9:30am (SBA and York College SBDC) Tue. July 20, 2021 at 7:00pm (SBA and Finkelstein Memorial Library) East End Arts to Hold Annual Street Painting Festival September 5th
East End Arts’ 25th Annual Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival will be held Sunday, September 5th, from 12 PM to 5 PM throughout downtown Riverhead and on the green at East End Arts at 133 E. Main Street, Riverhead. Since 1972, East End Arts has been enriching communities through the arts by way of creating a vibrant arts community on the East End which enhances individual and professional artistic development, stimulates community enrichment, economic development, and cultural tourism while encouraging a wide range of artistic expression through education, exhibition and performance, and collaboration across the community. Artists, musicians, and lovers of the arts, young and old, will gather along the Peconic River for this day-long celebration of the arts, centering around the Street Painting Festival, fashioned after the Italian street painters "Il Madonnari", a street chalk art form dating back to the 16th century, as well as activities and entertainment for everyone. Street painting squares sponsored by businesses, families, and individuals are used as a canvas for inspirations in chalk. Happenings include: • Street Painting For more information, contact Monique Parsons at mparsons@eastendarts.org or 631-727-0900 x303. You can find more information East End Arts here. Registration is now open for vendors, sponsors, & artist squares. Rain date is Monday, September 6th, from 2 PM to 5 PM. |
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The NYS Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) Opened June 1, 2021
The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) provides economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance. Seven communities that received funding for emergency rental assistance directly from the federal government opted to administer their own programs. Residents of the Towns of Hempstead, Islip and Oyster Bay must apply with their local programs for emergency rental assistance and are ineligible for assistance from the state-administered Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Town of Hempstead: https://www.lihp.org/herapintake.html Eligibility: New York residents are eligible for ERAP if they meet all of the following criteria: • Household gross income is at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). These income limits differ by county and household size. A household may qualify based on current income or calendar year 2020 income that is at or below 80 percent AMI. There are no immigration status requirements to qualify for the program. Households eligible for rental arrears may also be eligible for help paying utility arrears at the same rental unit. Priority Applications: For the first 30 days of the program, priority will be given to households in the following order: 1.Households with income at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) that also include a household member who: • Is currently unemployed for at least 90 days; or 2. Households with income at or below 50 percent AMI 3. Households with income at or below 80 percent AMI that also include a household member who: • Is currently unemployed for at least 90 days; or 4. Households with income at or below 80 percent AMI After the first 30 days, applications for all eligible households will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, as long as funds remain available. Benefits: Households approved for ERAP may receive: • Up to 12 months of rental arrears payments for rents accrued on or after March 13, 2020. Payments will be made directly to the landlord/property owner and utility company on behalf of the tenant. Tenant applicants will be notified of the amounts paid on their behalf. If a landlord is difficult to locate or does not otherwise provide information needed to complete the application, funds will be held for up to 180 days to allow sufficient time to locate the landlord and collect required information as well as to provide tenant protections and maximize landlord participation. Please note: Once the application is started, all questions must be answered and the application signed and saved to submit the application. There currently is no way to save a partially completed application. Applicants are encouraged to gather all the information needed before starting an application including income of household members and rental amounts. NYS Coronavirus Relief Grant Program Opens for Small Businesses
The NYS Legislature has approved $800 million in grants for small businesses across New York. Applications are now open for anyone who is eligible to apply. The following is from New York State’s website: The New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program was created to provide flexible grant assistance to currently viable small businesses, micro-businesses and for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations in the State of New York who have experienced economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant awards will be calculated based on a business’s annual gross receipts for 2019 (see below for more information). Grant amounts and calculations are subject to change by Empire State Development. Annual gross receipts: $25,000 – $49,999.99: Award is $5,000 / business Small businesses, Micro-businesses, and For-profit independent arts and cultural organizations (collectively, “Eligible Applicants”) must be currently viable and have begun operation on or before March 1, 2019, and continue to be in operation as of the date of application (maybe shuttered due to COVID restrictions). See the FAQ section below for definitions of business categories above. Eligible Applicants will be required to show loss of gross receipts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols which resulted in business modifications, interruptions, or closures. Small businesses and Micro-businesses must: 1. Have 2019 or 2020 Gross Receipts of between $25,000 and $500,000 per annum More information on the grants as well as a guide on how to apply is available here. The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Offering Four Rounds of Grants
Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued and expanded to the present day, NYSCA will make available $105 million in critical arts and cultural funding. The grants will aid in the arts sector's multi-year recovery from COVID-19 and spur the revitalization of New York's creative economy, which fosters $123 billion annually in economic activity and supports more than 500,000 jobs statewide. There will be four rounds of funding, with $20 million already committed to multi-year awards in the first round. Each round is designed to address the most urgent needs of organizations and artists within New York's nonprofit creative sector. Restart NY: Rapid Live Performance Grants ($10 million): Support will directly address the area of the arts sector hardest hit by COVID-19, and reinvigorate near term, in-person performance opportunities. This funding will prioritize the recovery of New York's unparalleled performance organizations, venues, artists, and groups. This $10 million opportunity offers both direct support from NYSCA and regrant support through NYSCA's Partnerships and Statewide Community Regrants program. Grants of $5,000 and $10,000 will be available for eligible performing arts organizations for planned performance programming in 2021. Support provided through the Community Regrants Program, which will focus on reviving performance on a very local level, will be administered by NYSCA partners statewide. The goal of this regrant support is to reach small, local organizations that do not receive direct grants from NYSCA. Round 1 guidelines and portal for direct NYSCA Rapid Live Performance Grants will open on June 16. Application portal will close July 1. Expanded Access to Funding ($15 million): Support will expand NYSCA's current network of valued regrant partners to reach New York's vast and diverse community of artists and organizations. Funding will be distributed through NYSCA Partnerships and Statewide Community Regrants. Increased support at the local level will ensure more communities, organizations, and individuals will have access to NYSCA funding. Round 2 guidelines will be posted June 16, 2021. Application portal will open on July 19 and close August 2. Organizational and Individual Artist Recovery ($40 million): Support will broaden individual artist assistance and deliver extremely flexible funding for organizations through a streamlined application experience. Grants offered in this round will greatly expand eligibility and encourage new applicants across a wide spectrum of artistic and cultural practices. Priority will be given to applicants that serve historically underrepresented communities. Round 3 guidelines will be posted on June 16. Application portal will open July 19 and close September. Capital Funding for the Arts ($20 million): Support will assist organizations in making improvements to address health and safety issues in their spaces and venues among other needs. Any New York State nonprofit arts and culture organization is encouraged to apply. Round 4 guidelines and application portal will open in September. You can find more information here. Nassau County Reopens Restaurant Recovery Grant Program
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran is pleased to reopen the portal below to accept more applications for the Restaurant Recovery Grant Program (RRGP). The program is intended to support full-service restaurants – the industry hit hardest by the pandemic – during the winter months when outdoor dining is limited and as restaurants adjust to New York State’s COVID-19 safety restrictions and new mandates. Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) are encouraged to apply. Nassau County is using funding made available through the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to provide grants to restaurants. Grant funds are valued at either $5,000 or $10,000 depending on the number of employees. If you have not already begun the application process and would like to APPLY, click here: https://zoomgrants.tools/zgf/nassaurestaurantrecovery Eligible businesses that have been APPROVED to receive Restaurant Recovery Grant Program (RRGP) funding are shown in the list at this link. These businesses will receive a direct email from the Restaurant Recovery team this week, requesting confirmation of bank details so that the grant can be disbursed. Please watch for the email from nassaurestaurants@ndconline.org. Restaurants that have applied to the RRGP but do NOT see their business on the list at the above link must get in touch with the Restaurant Recovery team immediately to complete their applications at nassaurestaurants@ndconline.org and 1-646-825-9617. For any questions, please contact the Restaurant Recovery team at nassaurestaurants@ndconline.org and 1-646-825-9617. Questions? Please email any RRGP questions to the Restaurant Recovery team at mailto:nassaurestaurants@ndconline.org. Check back to this webpage for any RRGP updates! Program Eligibility Criteria Eligible Businesses • Full-Service Restaurants (NAICS code 722511) engaged in providing food services and meals prepared on-premises to patrons who traditionally order and are served while seated (i.e., waiter/waitress service) General Eligibility • Located in Nassau County Eligible Expenses • Grant funds to cover working capital and operating expenses including: Ineligible Businesses • Non-profit organizations Keep an eye on the restaurant recovery page on Nassau County’s website for more information and to apply once the grant program becomes available. PSEG LI is Helping the Local Economy Weather COVID
PSEG Long Island is proud to announce funding for the Outdoor Spaces program has been renewed for a limited time. More than $2 million in grants and discounts were provided last year to help more than 1,000 local businesses and organizations meet the ever-evolving challenges of COVID-19 and continue to thrive. “PSEG Long Island knows that small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our communities and our local economy,” said John Keating, manager of Economic and Community Development at PSEG Long Island. “Even before the pandemic transformed all of our lives, we were offering grants and discounts to encourage foot traffic in downtown commercial districts and bring businesses into empty storefronts. We evolved our programs to address the new realities our commercial customers are seeing, and the response has been enormous.” PSEG continues to offer Main Street Revitalization grants and Vacant Storefront discounts to businesses. In 2020, the company also began offering “Outdoor Spaces” grants to local chambers of commerce to help transform sidewalk areas and plazas with the seating, lighting and heating needed to keep customers dining and shopping locally. Limited funding for this grant program will be renewed for 2021 on a first come, first served basis. The program will offer funding of up to $5,000 to a Chamber of Commerce or Business Improvement District. Applications will be accepted until June 1, 2021. Here is a breakdown of PSEG Long Island’s 2020 support of local businesses: Small Business First • Supplemented PSEG Long Island’s already significant energy efficiency rebates with $1.8 million in PSEG Long Island Economic Development funding, allowing most projects to be done with no customer cost. Outdoor Spaces • PSEG Long Island approved 29 applications, representing a total of more than $125,000. Main Street Revitalization • More than $254,000 was provided to businesses and organizations through standard Main Street Revitalization grants in 2020, supporting upgrades and projects at restaurants, arts centers, breweries and more. To learn more about all the programs PSEG Long Island offers to support local businesses, please visit this site. SBA Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Applications
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has a splash page for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) application portal in anticipation of opening applications for the much-anticipated critical economic relief program on Thursday, April 8, 2021. “Help is here for venue operators hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA has worked diligently to build the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program from the ground up to assist and address the diverse eligibility requirements of each type of applicant and we will open for applications on April 8th.” SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman said. “This vital economic aid will provide a much-needed lifeline for live venues, museums, movie theatres and many more.” The SVOG program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act, which appropriated $15 billion for it. The American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, appropriated an additional $1.25 billion, bringing the program funding to a total of $16.25 billion, with more than $16 billion allocated for grants. To ensure eligible venues do not miss a window to receive assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program, the American Rescue Plan Act also amended the SVOG program so entities that apply for a PPP loan after Dec. 27, 2020, can also apply for an SVOG, with the eligible entity’s SVOG to be reduced by the PPP loan amount. The PPP loan applications have been updated to reflect this. For more information, click here for the dedicated SBA SVOG portal: https://www.svograntportal.sba.gov/s/ NY Forward Loan Fund
New York State has opened pre-applications for the New York Forward Loan Fund. Loans from this fund are available to small businesses, nonprofits, and small landlords in New York State. New York Forward loans must be fully repaid over a 5-year term with fixed annual interest rates of 3 percent for small businesses and landlords. Small businesses may apply for the lesser of $100,000 or up to 100% of the average monthly revenues in any 3-month period from 2019 or the first quarter of 2020. This loan can be paid back over five years with first year being interest only. However, if small businesses have received either a PPP loan or an EIDL loan from SBA, they would not be eligible to apply. NYS has set a goal of 18% of total funds under this Program for Long Island Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as industries and regions reopen however, priority for New York Forward Loans will be given to industries and regions that have been reopened. Resources are available to assist in preparing applications for small businesses, landlords and nonprofits in industries and regions that have not yet reopened. To view more details, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, click here: If you need technical assistance through this process, please contact an Entrepreneurial Assistance Center near you and inform the counselor that you need help for the NY Forward Loan application. You can find your closest contact center here. |
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