APPLICATION PORTAL FOR BERGEN COUNTY CARES SMALL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM REOPENS THURSDAY, AUGUST 13^TH FOR ONE WEEK

HACKENSACK, N.J. – Due to the success of the Bergen County CARES Small Business Grant Program for non-essential Bergen County businesses, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco has extended the program and reopened the application portal for an additional week so that eligible business owners who missed the first opportunity can now apply. The application portal, which can be found at www.BergenCountyCares.org, reopens tomorrow, Thursday, August 13^th at 9 a.m., and closes Friday, August 21^st at 5p.m. The Bergen County CARES grant program was established to help provide relief to small businesses straddled with expenses related to COVID-19.

Like before, businesses deemed “non-essential” per the Governor’s Executive Orders and forced to close as a measure to stop the spread of COVID-19 are eligible to receive up to $10,000 in financial relief.

To qualify for the Bergen County CARES Small Business Grant Program businesses must fall under the following criteria:

• Businesses must have a physical location in Bergen County, NJ. This includes home-based businesses.
• Businesses must have been deemed “non-essential” within the classification of “Businesses Required to Close” as per the Governor’s Executive Order No. 104, dated March 16, 2020.
• Only businesses with 1 – 19 full-time employees qualify.
• Sole-proprietorships; LLCs; LLPs; Corporations; and S-Corporations are eligible.
• Businesses must have been open and operating on March 1, 2020.

• Businesses owned by county employees and elected officials, as well as their immediate families, are not eligible.

Priority is given to businesses that have not received any Federal grant assistance, New Jersey Economic Development Authority or US Small Business Administration grants or other grant assistance.

“By extending the program and reopening the portal with the same criteria as before, those non-essential businesses that didn’t have the opportunity to apply can now do so,” said Bergen County Executive Tedesco. “I am also happy to announce that starting August 31, Bergen County essential businesses that meet the same criteria as non-essential businesses will be eligible to apply for financial relief up to $10,000 and can submit applications and be part of the small business grant program too.”  Tedesco added that more details on the grant program for essential businesses will follow soon.

“We know that all our businesses in Bergen County are struggling to survive. Their livelihood is essential to us, and we encourage them to apply for the financial relief we are able to provide,” said Bergen County Freeholder Chairwoman Mary Amoroso.

The Bergen County CARES Small Business Grant Program is funded through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act Federal relief fund. All administrative questions can be sent to BergenCountyCares@co.bergen.nj.us.