2020 City of Dixon/LCIDA Small Business Stabilization Grant Program
Serving Dixon and Lee County Illinois
Guidelines and Application
Grant Extended for Month of May
The City of Dixon, LCIDA, and Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street have made the decision to extend the small business stabilization grant for the month of May. This grant helps cover expenses related rent or mortgage or utilities for qualifying “non-essential” small businesses. To date, the program has helped 72 small businesses in Dixon and Lee County with a total of $128,019 in grant funding.
A Grant Committee will review applications and award grants based on the availability of funding and evaluation of the eligibility criteria and required submissions set out below. Please complete the entire application.
Program Overview
The purpose of the (CDLSBG) is to help small businesses deemed “non-essential” pursuant to Governor Pritzker’s “Stay at Home” executive order that are located within Dixon and Lee County to remain viable during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dixon City Council has partnered with Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street and the Lee County Industrial Development Association (LCIDA) to fund this grant. This team believes small, “non-essential” businesses are, in fact, an essential part of our business and culture community and realizes the significant financial impact COVID-19 has had on them. Simply put, they are our most vulnerable businesses and in need of financial assistance.
This grant is intended to pay for qualifying expenses not covered by the federal government’s “Paycheck Protection Program” or other sources of State or Federal COVID-19 relief funding. The maximum award a business can received is $5,000 for one-month of qualifying expenses. The Dixon City Council and LCIDA may extend this grant program by one (1) month if the economic circumstances surrounding COVID-19 deem it necessary.
Definitions
Non-essential businesses: Business determined “non-essential” by Governor Pritzker’s “Stay at Home” executive order.
Small business: Generally, a small business is defined as a business who employs less than 12 full-time employees or the equivalent weekly hours of 12 full-time employees.
Brick and Mortar: A physical business address that is a separate location than the primary residence of the business owner.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the (CDSBG) program, a business (profit or non-profit) must meet the following criteria:
- Deemed a “non-essential” business under the “Stay Home” order or a restaurant that is now limited to serving food for consumption off-premises.
- Operate out of a brick-and-mortar location and the business is not able to pay for rent, mortgage or utilities. One grant per brick and mortar location.
- Meet the definition of small business.
- Must be legally capable of entering into a binding contract. A Grant Agreement with Recapture will be required that will obligate the business to repay the grant if program rules are not followed.
- Must remain open for one-year following the grant award.
- If a business qualifies for the federal “Paycheck Protection Program,” the business owner must have applied for a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program.
- The Grant Committee will consider, in appropriate cases, the applications of businesses for which the Paycheck Protection Program is impractical or in the event of the illiquidity or termination of the Paycheck Protection Program. Such businesses are encouraged to contact the City of Dixon or Dixon Chamber of Commerce & Main Street prior to applying.
Qualifying Expenses
- Rent or mortgage
- Utilities
- Electric
- Gas
- Telephone
- Internet
- Water service
- Garbage service
Funding
- A grant in the maximum amount of $5,000 may be awarded to pay one month of qualifying expenses that are not anticipated to be covered by a Paycheck Protection Program loan, or other sources of State or Federal COVID-19 relief funding, during the 8-week “covered period” under the Paycheck Protection Program guidelines.
- The grant is intended to be funding of last resort. An applicant’s other sources State or Federal COVID-19 relief funding, such as a grant received pursuant to the Illinois Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program, will be evaluated.
Funding Sources
- The City of Dixon is allocating $200,000.00 to this grant. By law, these funds may only be allocated to businesses located within the corporate city limits of Dixon.
- LCIDA is allocating $100,000.00 to this grant. These funds may be used for any business in Lee County.
Grant Committee
The Grant Review Committee will consist of two (2) City Council members, the Dixon City Manager, Dixon Assistant City Manager, the Dixon Finance Director, two (2) Board Members of the Lee County Industrial Development Association and the Executive Director of Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street. Grant applications must meet the “eligibility” requirements and receive a majority “yes” vote from the committee. Grants will be awarded on a first-come basis until the total grant fund allocation is gone.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION and TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:
For businesses in Dixon, please contact Jeremy Englund of the Dixon Chamber of Commerce & Main Street; or Heather McCarter of the City of Dixon;
For businesses in Lee County, please contact Kevin Marx of LCIDA; .
2020 City of Dixon LCIDA Small Business Stabilization Grant Program EXTENSION