The City of Paducah is thrilled to announce the distribution of the first round of checks from the Small Business Relief Fund. Applications for the Relief Fund program have been reviewed for eligibility with a few applications still in the document submittal process. Checks for 72 small businesses will be mailed today. Each of these small businesses approved in this round of funding will be receiving a $2000 check.
List of 75 Businesses
Frequently Asked Questions for Small Business Relief Fund
The City approved providing $150,000 to be distributed among 75 businesses in this first round of funding through the Small Business Relief Fund Program. The application period was April 1 through April 10.
Mayor Brandi Harless says, “As a small business owner who is feeling the effects of the pandemic and the required business closures and reduction in services, I know first-hand the struggles and fears our small businesses are facing. But I also know that businesses are resilient as long as they receive community support and financial help. I applaud the City team and our partners for being nimble in quickly coordinating this assistance program that will keep several of our local businesses afloat, and I'm deeply grateful for the continued contributions from our community as we continue to work to raise funds for a second round."
The City of Paducah also received notification that Computer Services Inc. (CSI) is donating $10,000 to the Small Business Relief Fund. CSI’s donation will be matched by the City of Paducah for the second round of funding.
A statement from CSI reads, “At CSI, we know small businesses play a critical role in Paducah. We are committed to showing our support to small businesses during this challenging time. We are proud to partner with the City of Paducah through our donation to the Small Business Relief Program.”
A second round of funding will be opened at a later date with funding based upon the amount of donations to the Community Foundation which will be matched by the City of Paducah up to $100,000.
Small for-profit businesses, that are not a franchise or franchise-affiliated, with 25 or fewer employees and a brick-and-mortar presence within the Paducah city limits were eligible to apply for the funds. The funds must be used for expenses limited to rent, mortgage, payroll, and utilities with required documentation to prove the expenditures provided to the City of Paducah by September 1, 2020.
Businesses that have questions about the Small Business Relief Fund should contact City of Paducah Grants Administrator Ty Wilson at 270-444-8509 or by email at twilsonpaducahky.gov.
To donate to the Small Business Relief Fund, visit the Community Foundation’s website at https://www.cfwestky.org/, call 270-442-8622, or mail your donation to Community Foundation of West KY, Attention: Small Business Relief Fund, P.O. Box 7, Paducah, KY 42001.
The Small Business Relief Fund is a partnership among the City of Paducah, West Kentucky Community & Technical College, and the Community Foundation of West Kentucky.
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