Application period opens for ARPA Small Business Grants

Last October, Nye County commissioners approved a policy to guide how the county will utilize $9 million that was allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act and it is now officially ready to start accepting applications.

Small businesses that may need a little help bouncing back from the pandemic and organizations focused on providing assistance to the community both have the opportunity to take advantage of the county’s newest COVID-related grant programs.

“Nye County is now accepting applications for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Small Business Grant Program,” Nye County Public Information Officer Arnold Knightly said in an email on Monday. “For fiscal year 2023 (ending June 30, 2023), Nye County has allocated $2,000,000 in ARPA funds to assist local small businesses adversely impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency.”

The ARPA Small Business Grant Program is open to all independently owned and operated small businesses and nonprofit organizations with fewer than 30 employees.

“The Small Business Grant Program grants funds to small businesses that attest they had financial losses incurred due to COVID. The program will provide assistance to applicants with various business expenses,” information on the county’s website states. “This can include but is not limited to rent, utilities, inventory [with some exclusions], payroll, PPE (personal protective equipment) and licensing fees.”

The most important thing for applicants to note is that this grant program is reimbursement-based. Rather than awarding funds to an applicant and later collecting documentation to prove how the funds were spent, the county is requiring applicants provide proof of their expenses beforehand.

Applicants must provide the business name, address and point of contact, as well as the business owners’ identification. If the business is incorporated, a copy of the partnership agreement or articles of organization will be needed, along with business W-9 or similar documentation providing employer identification number, tax identification number or Social Security number. All applicants must provide their Nevada state business license number and if the applicant’s business is in Pahrump, a town of Pahrump business license is required. Last year’s tax return and payroll records to validate employee count are also necessary.

As detailed on the county’s website, all grant funds must be used for costs incurred starting Jan. 1, 2022. The deadline to submit an application for the grant program is Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023. Applications can be found online at www.NyeCountyNV.gov

The county has also created the ARPA Public Health Assistance Grant Program, which offers grant funding to entities that work toward bettering their communities in various ways.

This program is specific to funding for activities such mental health initiatives and public homeless assistance, as well as for providing affordable housing grants. With the need so obvious and the resources so few and far between, Nye County has decided to include programs that support increasing child care options in Tonopah in the Public Health Assistance Grant Program, too.

Organizations interested in applying for the Public Health Assistance Grant Program must contact the Nye County Grants Administrator directly at GrantsAdministrator@co.nye.nv.us

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com