On Oct. 15, 2020, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz announced that the second round of the Emergency Microenterprise Recovery Grant (EMRG) would begin to accept new applications at 9 a.m. on Oct. 19. The first round of the grant opened May 11 and closed May 24, and the second round will be the final round of the EMRG. A deadline for the application period has not been announced.
“There is $250,000 remaining, so we will be able to help about 50 additional businesses,” the mayor said. “The first round of this program was a great success and helped a lot of small businesses in Toledo. We established the Emergency Microenterprise Recovery Grant to aid in the economic recovery of microenterprises negatively impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Microenterprises, the smallest businesses in our city, contribute greatly to the vitality of our neighborhoods, support families, create jobs, and are essential to the economic health of our city. We will process applications during this final round of the program until the funds are exhausted.”
A microenterprise is defined on the City of Toledo website as a small-scale business with five or fewer employees, including the owners. Applicants must meet all of the following criteria, which is laid out on the EMRG website.
The following are not eligible for the second round of EMRG:
“Each business receiving funding is located in a low-to-moderate income census tract, or is owned by a member of a low-to-moderate income household,” said Sandy Spang, commissioner of business services. “The business types are strongly representative of sectors most severely impacted by mandatory closures and loss of revenue, including salons and barbershops, daycares, restaurants, retailers, and other service providers.”
The City of Toledo established the EMRG to assist microenterprises in their economic recovery following the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant is designed to assist for-profit microenterprises in maintaining or restarting operations and retaining jobs through providing up to $5,000 for eligible operating expenses incurred between March 1, 2020, and June 30, 2020.
According to the City of Toledo, 303 applications were received during the first round of EMRG, and 195 microenterprises have been awarded grants totaling $750,000.
For questions about the EMRG, please email emrg@toledo.oh.gov. For assistance for your microenterprise or small business, please contact the Toledo Small Business Development Center at 419.241-8302 or at jill.badger@toledochamber.com. To read more about the second round of the Emergency Microenterprise Recovery Grant, please click here (opens .pdf file in new window).
A microenterprise is defined on the City of Toledo website as a small-scale business with five or fewer employees, including the owners. Applicants must meet all of the following criteria, which is laid out on the EMRG website.
- For-profit businesses located in the City of Toledo
- Has an active registration with the City of Toledo, Division of Taxation
- Applicant is 51%+ majority owner of the business
- Applicant is 18 years or older
- Business has been in operation since January 1, 2020.
- Business has five or fewer full-time employees or their equivalent as of February 15, 2020.
- Applicant and business are in good standing with governmental entities.
- Applicant meets one U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) eligibility requirement (owns a business located in a low-to-moderate income census tract in Toledo; OR business owner’s household income does not exceed 80% of HUD area median income).
The following are not eligible for the second round of EMRG:
- Landlords
- Realtors
- 501(c)(3) organizations
- Social service agencies
- Religious institutions
- Lobbying organizations
- Applicant, and any owners thereof, who are employed by the city of Toledo
- Other ineligible businesses include payday loan businesses, liquor and tobacco stores, pawn shops, firearm or other weapons dealers, adult entertainment, passive real estate investments, or home-based businesses operating without appropriate zoning and/or permits.
“Each business receiving funding is located in a low-to-moderate income census tract, or is owned by a member of a low-to-moderate income household,” said Sandy Spang, commissioner of business services. “The business types are strongly representative of sectors most severely impacted by mandatory closures and loss of revenue, including salons and barbershops, daycares, restaurants, retailers, and other service providers.”
The City of Toledo established the EMRG to assist microenterprises in their economic recovery following the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant is designed to assist for-profit microenterprises in maintaining or restarting operations and retaining jobs through providing up to $5,000 for eligible operating expenses incurred between March 1, 2020, and June 30, 2020.
According to the City of Toledo, 303 applications were received during the first round of EMRG, and 195 microenterprises have been awarded grants totaling $750,000.
For questions about the EMRG, please email emrg@toledo.oh.gov. For assistance for your microenterprise or small business, please contact the Toledo Small Business Development Center at 419.241-8302 or at jill.badger@toledochamber.com. To read more about the second round of the Emergency Microenterprise Recovery Grant, please click here (opens .pdf file in new window).
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