Supporting Businesses During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Council has provided more than $60 million toward business assistance programs in response to the uneven impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. These new programs were funded and administered by the County and numerous partner organizations working to support County businesses.
These are a few of the most prominent business assistance programs that supported County businesses during this challenging time.
- The Public Health Emergency Grant (PHEG) Program was the first emergency relief program for employers and businesses created in response to the pandemic. It allocated $25 million to provide up to $75,000 for small businesses suffering from financial loss due to the pandemic and micro-grants to assist with the transitioning to telework.
- The Reopen Montgomery Business Assistance Program provided an additional $14 million in assistance for County businesses and non-profit organizations to cover reopening expenses with funding from Public Health Emergency Grant funds and the federal CARES Act.
- The Restaurant Relief Program , allocated $7.9 million in funding to stabilize the restaurant and hospitality industry in the County and the Tourism Anchor Institution Grant Program provided $5 million in grants to support eligible tourism businesses.
- The Medical and Dental Practices Grant Program allocated $2.5 million to support independent primary care medical and dental practices. The Telework Assistance Program allocated $1.5 million to support businesses implementing the transition to telework.