The Warren Sun

Small businesses in Macomb County will receive a total of $20 million from the federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act for assistance amid the COVID-19 fallout. The county announced the news on the Macomb County website on June 11. 

County Executive Mark A. Hackel said Macomb County Planning and Economic Development (MCPED) will oversee the grant, which is included in a $70 million Macomb County CARES for Small Business Program. That funding comes from $152 million in funding from the CARES Act for the county.

Hackel explained that the $20 million grant is a way to support small businesses that have stepped up during the nationwide pandemic. “The business community in Macomb County has helped us respond to this public health crisis in so many ways,” he said, according to the Macomb County website. “Our small business sustainability grant will aid us in reacting to the economic crisis we now face. Our objective is to inject much-needed resources into our economy by supporting local companies.”

A total of 4,000 businesses will benefit from the grant, receiving $5,000 each, according to the Macomb County website.

MCPED Director Vicky Rad added, based on the county site, “This type of funding may not cover all of the losses our businesses have incurred, but it will have a definite impact. Our grant can help them pay employees, cover rent and utilities, and purchase supplies and materials that are essential for operating. Our goal is to aid in recovery in any way we can.”

Businesses had until June 25 to apply for the grant. Some of the qualifications include: having no more than 49 employees, having been in operation for at least a year, showing they have a need for the grant from rent and utility costs to payroll, and showing that the coronavirus pandemic has caused them to lose income and revenue.