Middlesex County will award grants to 51 local businesses – a total of $1,200,450 – as part of the Small Business Grant program which utilizes federal Community Development Block Grant COVID-19 (CDBG-CV) CARES Act funding. The grants will be distributed in the forthcoming weeks to recipients negatively impacted by COVID-19.
Recipients of this federal funding include restaurants, hair salons, retail, childcare facilities, healthcare offices, manufacturing, construction, auto repair shops, and many others, according to information provided by the Middlesex County Office of Communication. To be eligible for the grants, these businesses had to employ less than 10 employees, be located in one of the 19 municipalities covered under the county’s CDBG program, and hire or retain employees from low to moderate-income households.
This economic development program was created under HUD (United States Department of Housing and Urban Development) guidelines and administered through the Middlesex County Department of Community Services. The overall goal of the program is to prepare, prevent, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to develop viable communities through the provision of housing, living environments, and the expansion of economic opportunities, particularly for those in low and moderate-income households, according to the statement.
“COVID-19 has affected all aspects of daily life, particularly our nation’s economy with small businesses impacted the most,” Middlesex County Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios said in the statement. “During this challenging time, we’re proud to be able to assist a wide array of our county’s employers and workers to get them back on track.”
CDBG-CV grants will be awarded to the following number of businesses, by municipality:
- Carteret: 5 businesses
- Cranbury: 2 businesses
- Dunellen: 1 business
- East Brunswick: 6 businesses
- Helmetta: 1 business
- Highland Park: 5 businesses
- Jamesburg: 1 business
- Metuchen: 6 businesses
- Middlesex: 2 businesses
- Monroe: 2 businesses
- North Brunswick: 5 businesses
- Piscataway: 3 businesses
- South Amboy: 3 businesses
- South Brunswick: 2 businesses
- South Plainfield: 3 businesses
- South River: 3 businesses
- Spotswood: 1 business
The CDBG-CV grant announcement was made official at the Aug. 6 meeting of the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
For more information on helping your business during COVID-19, visit https://discovermiddlesex.com/covid19/ and view the list of business assistance resources under the “Resources” section.