Update October 2020: The CARES Act Osceola County Emergency Grant Program has doubled the amounts awarded to each business category. The new grant tiers are as follows:
Businesses that have already applied and received grant money can fill out a supplemental request form to double what they already received.
The window of time for eligible reimbursements has also increased. Applicants may now apply for grant funds to offset a portion of operational costs incurred between March 1 and September 30, 2020. New applications are due by 5:00 pm on October 30, 2020.
The City of Kissimmee's grant program is also still open for applications.
Update August 2020: The CARES Act Osceola County Emergency Grant Program will re-open to application submissions on September 1. The City of St. Cloud COVID-19 Economic Recovery & Stimulus Plan Small Business Grant and Non-Profit Assistance Grant are still open. The City of Kissimmee Business Assistance Grant will re-open once current applicants processed. Read below to be prepared to apply when these grants are again available.
Osceola County and the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud have all recently launched grant programs for Osceola-based businesses and nonprofits. Read below to find a grant that works for your business or organization and see the chart for a comparison of the various programs. Links are provided for more information and to access applications.
CARES Act Osceola County Emergency Grant Program
Osceola County has received $16 million of a potential $65 million in CARES Act funding from the State of Florida. They have dedicated 70% ($11 million) of that to rental assistance, 20% ($3.2 million) to business assistance, and 10% ($1.6 million) to food assistance. Their CARES Act Osceola County Emergency Grant Program launched on June 29 and will remain open until July 27 at 5:00 pm.
This grant offers reimbursements totaling up to $10,000 (depending on business size) for expenses incurred between February 1 and May 31 that have not already been covered by PPP or EIDL funds. Applicants must be located in Osceola County (including within the St. Cloud or Kissimmee city limits) and at least 51% of ownership must belong to Florida residents. This grant is available to both commercial businesses and nonprofits (including 501(c)(6)s), and can be applied for at weveopenedsafely.com. In addition, applicants are required to register with weveopenedsafely.com and complete the Economic Damage Assessment Survey at floridadisaster.biz. Applicants must also be current on all County taxes, assessments, and fees and have no outstanding code enforcement violations.
Kissimmee Business Assistance Grant
The City of Kissimmee is using $213, 304 in Commuity Development Block Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the CARES Act. The application period for this grant opened at 8:00 am on July 15 and will close one week later on July 21 at 5:00 pm. After the application period closes, completed applications will be randomly selected for processing and funding until funds are exhausted.
There are two levels of grant available: The Micro-Enterprise Business Assistance Program and the Small Business Assistance Program. The Micro Business Grant is available to companies with one to five employees and maxes out at $5,000 per grant. The Small Business Grant is available to companies with 6 to 75 employees and maxes out at $10,000. These grants are available to businesses located within the Kissimmee City Limits as direct payments to cover expenses such as rent/mortgage, utilities, and payroll incurred in the month of June or later. If you are unsure if your business lies within the city limits of Kissimmee, it will be determined for you as part of the application process. To apply for this grant, visit kissimmeeresponds.com/business-assistance.
Of note, this grant must aid in the creation or retention of a job, and employees hired or retained must be considered Low/Moderate Income and maintain employment for at least six months. While businesses who previously received PPP or EIDL funding are welcome to apply, an applicant may have also not received any other funding for the same period to which they wish to apply these grant funds.
City of St. Cloud COVID-19 Non-Profit Assistance Grant
The City of St. Cloud opened a grant designed specifically for nonprofits on May 29 and it will remain open until its $50,000 in funds are exhausted. Interested nonprofits must be located within the geographic boundaries of St. Cloud, or serve 51% of the St. Cloud population. This grant is designed to offset the loss, due to COVID-19, of income to nonprofits that would be used for a wide range of human services initiatives.
The application for this grant can be accessed at stcloud.org/businessrecoveryresources and must be submitted as a PDF with supporting documents to economicdevelopment@stcloud.org or via mail. Applications will be evaluated by the Office of Economic Development and awards will be authorized by the St. Cloud City Manager and approved by the St. Cloud City Council. Award recipients will then be subject to quarterly reporting and a final annual report on the progress of their grant-funded programs.
City of St. Cloud COVID-19 Economic Recovery & Stimulus Plan Small Business Grant
The City of St. Cloud also launched a Small Business Grant on May 29 and it too will remain open until the $200,000 of allotted funds are exhausted. The maximum grant amount available to any one business is $10,000, and funds will go directly to the business. However, the City requires recipients of these grants to provide post-award reports at the six month and one year point that will include evidence of use of funds, sales data, and job creation/retention.
Eligible businesses must be located within the geographic boundaries of St. Cloud, licensed and registered in St. Cloud, and have no outstanding debts to the city. Recipients of this grant may not have received PPP or EIDL loans, or benefited from any SBA debt relief programs under the CARES Act. Applications will be assessed and scored by an evaluation committee in the order received. Applications may accessed at stcloud.org/businessrecoveryresources and submitted as a PDF with supporting documentation to economicdevelopment@stcloud.org or via mail.
Comparison of Available Business Grant Grograms within Osceola County
Below please find a comparison of the grant programs currently available from the County and two cities, as well as a quick guide of acceptable uses.
Early this year the Celebration Area Council began planning a Town Hall event at which they hoped to bring the community's questions to the candidates for Osceola County Commission, District 1. This hotly contested race will be decided in the August 18 primary this year between four Democratic candidates.
With the arrival of COVID-19, the CAC worked to find a new way to bring the candidates' message to those who will vote for them. Today, the Council will share candid conversations between CAC Chair Amy Buehler and the candidates framed around the following six questions.
In addition to addressing these key points of interest, Mayor Alvarez was quick to point out his successes with the City of Kissimmee over the past eight years. Likewise, the incumbent, Commissioner Choudhry shared many of her highpoint as a County Commissioner over the past four years. We must note that the other two candidates for the District 1 seat, Michael Harford and Janette Martinez declined the invitation to participate.
As you prepare to vote in the primary on August 18, check out the CAC's interviews below to learn more about the candidates. Also, look out for the Chamber's Virtual Hob Nob which will launch on our website later this month.
Celebration Area Council Chairman Amy Buehler and Vice Chairman Charles Castellon interview Osceola County Commission District 1 candidate Kissimmee Mayor Jose Alvarez
Question Timestamps:
2:42 - Available office space along West 192
4:50 - Economic impact of the pandemic
9:18 - Working with the County or new & emerging businesses
13:54 Potential future tax increases for transportation
19:20 - Rent control 21:48 - Pandemic-related moratorium on evictions
Celebration Area Council Chairman Amy Buehler and Vice Chairman Charles Castellon interview Osceola County Commission District 1 incumbent candidate Commissioner Peggy Choudhry
Question Timestamps:
4:28 - Available office space along West 192
7:48 - Economic impact of the pandemic
13:37 - Working with the County for new & emerging businesses
18:49 - Potential future tax increases for transportation
24:20 - Rent control
30:38 - Pandemic-related moratorium on evictions
On July 8, the Poinciana Area Council held their first virtual PAC Lunch. Guests were invited to partake in their own lunch while enjoying an educational and informative topic from the safe comfort of their home or office.
The topic of the day was "The Benefits of Halo (Salt) Therapy," presented by Crystal Bethea of Riviera Spa Massage. Interestingly, Salt Therapy can have positive effects on the respiratory system, as well as the skin and overall well-being - both mentally and physically - of a body. While Crystal was quick to point out that salt therapy is not intended as a "cure" or replacement for any kind of medication, and that anyone seeking any new kind of treatment for a particular condition should first consult with their doctor, she also conceded that the benefits of salt therapy that she has witnessed in her practice and in her personal life could be a welcome lifestyle addition now amidst the pandemic.
Crystal began by explaining how the sensory experience of sound, salt, and light that is part of a salt booth or salt room session can have a positive effect on bringing the body, mind, and spirit into a state of balance. She then explained the science behind how halo therapy, which make use of pharmaceutical grade salt, works. She offered a bit of information on how salt therapy might be beneficial to those wishing to ward off coronavirus. While coronavirus has no vaccine or cure at this time, salt therapy is a proactive action to guard the respiratory system that the virus seems to so aggressively attack.
Crystal also discussed salt therapy's benefits for the skin, and ways it can positively impact sleeping problems, snoring, anxiety, stress, and mental fatigue. Finally, she covered some basic FAQs and then took questions from our attendees.
If you would like to view Crystal's presentation, it is available below.
Keep up with the Poinciana Area Council on Facebook. They will announce an August "luncheon" event very soon. If you are a member who is interested in attending one of their virtual board meetings, contact us at cpilkington@theosceolachamber.com.
