$20M In Grants Now Available For Camden County Businesses

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — Applications are now open for the Camden County CARES Small Business Grant Program, officials announced Thursday morning. The county has received federal funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to assist struggling businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We hope to process these applications and get money into the hands of Camden County’s small business owners quickly so that these funds can immediately be used to maintain and stabilize their operations,” Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said. “Small business proprietors and principals who have not yet applied should head to camdencountycares.com to complete their application as soon as possible while funds are still available. We expect to see significant interest in this program due to the pandemic’s widespread impact on the local economy.”

Applicants can apply directly on www.camdencountycares.com or by calling 833-487-0462. As of 10 a.m., just two hours after launch, 721 businesses had already submitted their applications. Applications will remain open until all funds have been awarded. Funding is available on a first come, first served basis, and operations which have not received federal support will be prioritized.

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In order to qualify for a Camden County CARES Small Business Grant, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

• Business revenue has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
• The business has been located in Camden County since January 1, 2019 or earlier
• The business employed 25 or fewer employees as of March 1, 2020
• The business earned $5 million or less in total revenue during 2019

The business must not operate in any of the following categories:

• Banks or other financial institutions
• E-Commerce
• Businesses where the primary products or services are oriented to specific ages (vaping, liquor stores, etc.)
• Franchises, except for those franchises which are completely locally-owned and operated

"The CARES Act has delivered critical federal resources to local governments, and I applaud Camden County's innovation in creating this grant program to help small businesses who need it most," Rep. Donald Norcross (D-1) said. "These grants will provide vital funding to the small businesses that power our local economy and that need our support during the ongoing public health crisis."

The grant awards are built on businesses’ total 2019 revenue. Those that earned less than $25,000 could see grants up to $2,500 and those with revenue between $25,000 and $50,000 are eligible for grants up to $5,000. Businesses with revenue between $50,000 and $100,000 can receive up to $7,500. The maximum allocation for those that collected more than $100,000 in 2019 is $10,000.

"We know that our members are going through one of the toughest times in the modern era when it comes to running and operating a small business," South Jersey Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Christina Renna said. "That said, we are proud to partner with Camden County as they get much needed federal grant funds out to the business community during this time of significant need."

"I want to thank Camden County for getting this money out to main street and ensuring that minority owned businesses will benefit from the funding during these tough times," Camden Business Association Vice President Nichelle Pace said. "Small businesses are facing some of their largest challenges since the great depression, including a large disparity gap within the minority and women-owned business community. The Camden Business Association is proud to partner with the Board to get the word out to the Camden business community, so they can access these funds."

Yolanda Deaver, owner of Prissy Chic Salon in Camden City, highlighted the impact this support will have on her business immediately.

“Big companies might be able to sustain a prolonged downturn, but small businesses like mine cannot. This grant has the potential to level the playing field for entrepreneurs like me,” Deaver said. “We’ve had to limit the number of customers we see in a day, and people are still afraid to go outside and get sick. This funding could be the difference between whether my business stays open or not. Thank you to Camden County for supporting small businesses, and especially businesses in the City of Camden where we are critical to our community’s health and prosperity.’

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