Middletown Businesses: Apply By Nov. 9 For COVID Relief Money

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — If you own a business located in Middletown — with fewer than 40 employees — you can now apply for Middletown's Economic Relief Program (MERP).

The program uses federal CARES Act funding to provide financial assistance to local businesses that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, Oct. 30 the town announced the application process is now officially open. Apply here: https://www.middletownnj.org/F...

Each eligible business in town can receive up to $15,000. As long as your business remains open and does not lay off any employees for the next year, you do not have to pay back the funds. The deadline to apply is Monday, November 9.

Middletown-based businesses and non-profit organizations that fit this criteria are encouraged to apply:

1. Your business/non-profit organization is located in Middletown Township.
2. Your business/non-profit organization has between 3-40 employees.
3. At least 51 percent of your business’s employees fall at or below designated regional income standards.

Businesses that are NOT eligible include:

1. Governmental or quasi-governmental employees such as branches of the United States Post Office.
2. Banks and other financial or lending institutions with more than 1 branch or office.
3. Real estate agencies or brokerages.
4. Businesses with any elected official ownership stake.

Middletown was able to launch the MERP program after learning — as Patch reported back in September — that the town received more than $400,000 through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The money was distributed through HUD.

“As soon as we learned that the Township would be receiving aid through the CARES Act, we swiftly created this program to provide a financial lifeline to our small-business owners,” said Mayor Perry, who also serves on the board of the Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce. “We understand the emotional and financial burden this pandemic has had on our business owners and want to be able to give something back since they all bring so much to our community.”

It was an Oct. 15 press conference where Mayor Perry and the Township Committee first announced the launch of MERP, joined by the area's local Congressman Chris Smith, Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Middletown Economic Development Committee Chairman Abe Littenberg.

When applying, please keep in mind that any business that participates in this program and receives and uses funds must sign an agreement to remain open and not lay off any employees in place at the time of grant approval for 12 months from the date of the receipt of the fund.

If a business does not adhere to this, then it will be required to return a monthly prorated share of the full awarded grant amount. This does NOT apply in the event of a government-mandated shutdown.

Visit www.middletownnj.org/merp for additional information about the program and to complete the application. All applications must be submitted through the Township’s website. If you do not have access to a computer/scanner and need assistance with submitting the application, you can stop by the Reference Desk at the Middletown Township Public Library (55 New Monmouth Road) during regular business hours for help.

The deadline to apply is Monday, November 9, 2020 by 11:59 p.m. Applications received after that time will not be considered.

Pictured above are: Middletown Township Committeeman Rick Hibell, Deputy Mayor Tony Fiore, Mayor Tony Perry, Middletown Economic Development Committee Chairman Abe Littenberg and Committeewoman Pat Snell at the Thursday, Oct. 15 press conference announcing MERP held in the courtyard outside Nana’s Kitchen in Fountain Ridge Plaza on Route 35.

Here is where the money is coming from: Middletown Will Receive $400K In CARES Act Funding (Sept. 14)