Collin County

Collin CARES Small Business Grant Program

Program Purpose: Utilizing CARES Act funds, Collin County is launching the Collin CARES Small Business Grant Program for businesses located within Collin County, exclusive of the City of Dallas. Up to a $25,000 grant per business will be awarded for eligible businesses that have experienced a gross revenue loss of greater than 15% due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualified businesses will receive up to $5,000 for eligible reimbursable expenses, unless satisfactory additional documentation is provided showing actual incurred costs of up to the $25,000 maximum. Per Internal Revenue Service guidance, these grants are taxable.

Application Dates: The application will open at 12 pm on September 4, 2020 and close on 12pm on September 25, 2020.

Link to the Application: https://zoomgrants.com/gprop.asp?donorid=2355&limited=3059

Funding: $15,000,000 of Coronavirus Relief Fund funding (as provided by the CARES Act)

Definition of small business: Business with less than 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees and gross revenue under $5 million.

Type of assistance: Grant

Maximum grant amount: up to $25,000

• Up to $5,000 for eligible reimbursable expenses, unless satisfactory additional documentation is provided showing actual incurred costs of up to the $25,000 maximum. The amount of the grant will be based on eligible expenses, prior receipt of CARES Act funds and the applicant’s grant use description. Collin County, its agents and representatives will make the sole and final determination of program requirements and grant awards.

• Any CARES Act small business funding previously received by the applicant from Collin County or its cities will reduce the amount of the applicant’s maximum grant award under this program. Additionally, if a business owner or a member of their household received funding for housing/living expenses under the Collin CARES Emergency Housing & Living Assistance Program (EHLA), the applicant’s maximum grant award under this program may be reduced.

• Any previously received PPP or EIDL funding will not reduce the amount of the applicant’s maximum grant award under this program.

Maximum grant calculation: Expenses eligible for reimbursement include the following actual costs incurred from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020:
• Payroll (gross payroll, retirement costs, health insurance)
• Fixed Overhead Costs
• Rent, lease or mortgage for real business property paid to an unaffiliated, unrelated third party
• Rent, lease or purchase payment for business property (e.g., delivery vehicle, kitchen equipment, furniture, technology, payment and communications systems)
• Property/General Liability insurance, excluding costs of a personal residence
• Utilities, excluding personal residence
• Contract Labor
• Supplier/Material Payments, including COVID-19 related personal protection equipment and sanitation supplies
• COVID-19 related business improvements (e.g., Sanitation equipment, touchless technology, etc.)

Eligible geographic area: Collin County, exclusive of the City of Dallas

General requirements:
• Business must have experienced a gross revenue loss of greater than 15% due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Business must have been located continuously within the eligible geographic area for 6 months prior to March 1, 2020.
• Business owner can apply for up to 3 businesses having common ownership located within the eligible geographic area.
• Business owner must provide a description on how the grant dollars will be used.
• Business owner must be willing to certify their intention to remain in business at least 90 days subsequent to disbursement of grant funds.
• Business owner must disclose any funds applied for or received from the SBA, FEMA, or other federal, state or local assistance programs

General ineligibility:
• Businesses located within the City of Dallas or outside of Collin County
• Businesses who previously received other government assistance for the same expenses for the same time period
• Businesses with outstanding financial obligations to the County
• Businesses without a Certificate of Occupancy (if required), or businesses with past due taxes owed to federal, state or local government entities, unless an approved and current payment plan exists
• Businesses not in full compliance with county and local ordinances
• Businesses in default or arrears on past or current federal or state financing or funding programs
• Businesses in bankruptcy or have filed for bankruptcy within the last 12 months
• Businesses ineligible or precluded from receiving federal or State of Texas funding due to federal laws, including, but not limited to, the CARES Act
• Persons or businesses with a conflict of interest, including Collin County elected officials and full-time Collin County employees

Excluded businesses:
• Non-Profit organizations
• Lobbying and political organizations
• Government / Taxing agencies
• Franchises which are not responsible on a local level for all revenues and expenses or are not eligible to obtain SBA loans per the SBA Franchise list
• Banks, Lending and Financial Institutions, including pay day and title loan businesses
• Businesses involved or affiliated with personal or corporate indictment, or the arraignment or conviction of criminal offenses
• Businesses whose primary income is derived from rental/income-producing properties
• Pawn Shops
• Medical Providers
• Businesses that operate as an age-restricted business, except for firearm dealers

Required documents:
• All pages of either a signed 2019 Schedule C or business tax return
• Signed, year-to-date month-by-month profit & loss statement
• Business bank statements*
• Business formation documentation or a DBA
• Signed W-9
• Documentation of incurred expenses
• Valid Texas driver’s license or other valid form of government-issued documentation
• Signed Q1 2020 IRS 941 (if business has employees)
• Any other information necessary to determine the business’s eligibility for a grant.

*Businesses that are seeking up to a $5000 grant will not be required to provide business bank statements. Expenses will be verified via the signed year-to-date profit & loss statement.

Status of program: The application will open at 12pm on September 4, 2020 and will close at 12pm on September 25, 2020.

Email: ntxsmallbiz@ndconline.org

RESOURCE DOCUMENTS & VIDEOS:

– Collin CARES Small Business Grant Program Guidelines
– Collin County W-9 Instructional Video, Link Below: