In Lake County, leaders want more businesses to apply for grant money to get them through the pandemic. County commission chair Leslie Campione talks about the challenges facing business owners and the help that’s available.
Campione says businesses so far have claimed just $6 million dollars out of $16 million available in grants.
The County’s extended the deadline to apply for the grants until next Monday.
"It's a grant, it's not a loan, there really aren't any strings attached," says Campione.
She says a sole proprietor who can show their business has been impacted by the pandemic would qualify for a $4,000 grant; a business with more than two employees would qualify for grants ranging from $10,000 to $30,000.
So why have businesses been slow to take up the grants?
"I have a couple theories," says Campione.
"I think that one is that everybody's so immersed in just trying to survive and keep their businesses going, that it's just not something they have time to deal with. The second thing is that a lot of businesses went out and applied for the PPP loans, and it was a very time consuming process, there were a lot of hoops they had to jump through, and they're probably assuming that this will be as difficult, and it just isn't."
Businesses- and individuals can apply for help through the county's website.
Campione says another $3 million fund that paid out $3,000 grants to lenders or landlords to help people with rent or mortgages, was quickly depleted, meaning about 400 people who would have qualified missed out on funding. She says that fund will be replenished.