City of Boca Raton announces Small Business Recovery Relief Grant Program

Applications for the Small Business Recovery Relief Grant Program will be accepted beginning Monday, June 1st at 8AM.

Submissions will be accepted on a first come-first eligibly served basis until the total amount of program funding is awarded. 

Applicants must have a business located within the city limits of Boca Raton. 

Small Business Recovery Relief Grant Program

Purpose

The Grant Program is designed to support local small retail, restaurant and retail service businesses that are located within the City and have experienced financial loss as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Grant Program Funding

The City will designate up to $500,000 from the reserves in the City’s Economic Development Fund.

Amount of Grants

The Grant Program is intended to provide eligible that submit an application, meet the Grant Program criteria and are selected for a grant award one-time grants of up to $5,000.

Grant Awards

Grants will be awarded to eligible businesses on a first come-first eligibly served basis, until the total amount of program funding is committed/awarded.

Eligible Businesses (Criteria)

Businesses meeting the following criteria will be eligible to participate in the Grant Program:

Types of Businesses:  Businesses must be for-profit, and must qualify as a restaurant, retail or retail service business with a physical location within the City customarily open for customers/patrons.

Closure:  The physical location of the business must have been closed as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency (except for delivery, curbside pick-up and related activities).

Multiple businesses:  Owner(s) of more than one business may apply for a grant for each business, provided that each business has a separate Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued by the Internal Revenue Service and meets the criteria of the Grant Program.

Other Funding:  Businesses may not have received funds from the Paycheck Protection Program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act established by the federal government (PPP) or other COVID-19 government relief funding.

Business History: Businesses must have been in business in the City for at least one year prior to March 1, 2020.

Business Tax License:  Businesses must have a current City business tax license.

Number of Employees: Each business must have employed at least three employees and no more than 25 employees as of March 1, 2020.

Sales: Businesses must have had annual average sales prior to March 1, 2020 of less than $1 million.

Sales Reduction: Businesses must have experienced at least a 50% reduction in revenue as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Grant Use

The funds from the Grant Program may only be used for the following business expenses:

Payroll – Rent – Utility Payments – Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Grant funds must be used within sixty (60) days of receipt.

Evidence/documentation of the proper use of the grant funds must be submitted to the City within 6 months of receipt of the grant funds.

In the event the City determines, in its sole discretion, the grant funds were not used for the above-identified business expenses, the business will be required to repay the City all funds received under the Grant Program.

PLEASE NOTE: If the business receives grant funds from another government relief program after receiving grant funds from the City, the business may be required to repay the City all grant funds received under the Grant Program.

Application Process

Only one application may be submitted for each business.

Eligible businesses are required to complete and electronically submit an application, including detailed business information such as: 

Business location
Type of business
Number of employees
Length of time in business in the City
Annual sales
Certification of loss of business
A description of how the grant funds are proposed to be used
Other requested information
Documentation confirming the business satisfies the program criteria is required to be uploaded and included as part of the application. The application must be completed by a principal or director of the business.

Applications are required to be submitted in an electronic format (including all required documents). Mailed or hand delivered applications will not be considered.

The application forms will be available on the City’s website prior to the application submittal period opening. 

Applicants can refer questions regarding the application forms to smallbusinessrelief@myboca.us. 

Electronic applications will be accepted by the City beginning Monday, June 1st at 8AM. 

Applications will not be accepted before that time.

The time and date of each submitted application will be recorded upon receipt by the City. 

The City will review submitted applications in order of receipt. 

The City will, in its sole discretion, determine which businesses satisfy the Grant Program criteria and will be awarded grants. 

Any application deemed by the City, in its sole discretion, to be incomplete, inaccurate, untruthful, and/or that does not meet the Grant Program criteria, will be rejected and not be considered for award.

The applications will continue to be reviewed and eligibility/qualification for a grant determined in order of receipt until the total amount of Program Funding is committed/awarded. 

Grant Payments

The City will notify all businesses that apply for and are awarded a grant. Businesses awarded grant funds will be required to complete/fulfill the City’s accounts payable/vendor requirements before grant funds will be paid to the business by the City. 

Privacy Statement/Public Records Disclaimer

Florida has a broad public records law. All submitted applications, correspondence, documentation (including financial documentation), and/or data or information provided to the City of Boca Raton as part of an application, regardless of the media used to provide the information, may be subject to disclosure by the City to third parties as a public record.

City Responsibility and Disclaimer

The processing and review of applications, and determinations regarding awards and payments of grants, under the City’s Small Business Recovery Relief Grant Program are subject to the sole and absolute discretion of the City of Boca Raton. 

Applicants must acknowledge that grant funds will be awarded by the City in its sole discretion and without recourse to the City regarding any determinations, funding decisions, awards, payments, or other matters related to or arising out of the City’s Small Business Recovery Relief Grant Program, and applications will include a waiver and hold harmless/indemnity provision.

The City reserves the right to modify, suspend or terminate the Grant Program at any time.

Required Documents (Files must be in PDF format)

Required documents to upload in application include (files must be PDF):

Copy of the business’s current and previous City of Boca Raton Business Tax License
Copy of the business’s state business license receipt (Sunbiz)
Copy of the business’s Sales and Use Tax Returns submitted to the Florida Department of Revenue for the six months prior to March 2020
Copy of the business’s IRS Form 941 or other payroll form submitted to the IRS for the 4th quarter of 2019
W-9 form

For more information about the City of Boca Raton Small Business Recovery Relief Grant Program, email smallbusinessrelief@myboca.us or call 561.367.7031 (Monday – Friday 8AM – 5PM). 

Applications will not be accepted through email.

The application link will go live beginning Monday, June 1st at 8AM.

If you use assistive technology and are unable to access any material on the city site, email smallbusinessrelief@myboca.us or call 561.367.7031 (Monday – Friday 8AM – 5PM).

The online application can be found at myBoca.us/SmallBusinessGrant.