The Northampton County Courthouse in Easton (FILE PHOTO)
If you own a local small business that has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, you should know that Northampton County is once again offering financial assistance in the form of grants of up to $15,000 to businesses that qualify.
Northampton County Council recently approved the reopening of the county’s COVID-19 Relief Small Business Grant Program in partnership with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, which will help market the program and assist eligible small businesses with applying for grants. The program will distribute $1.3 million dollars of CARES Act funds to Northampton County small businesses with 100 or fewer employees.
“My administration will continue to prioritize supporting small businesses during these uncertain and challenging economic times,” said Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure in a Nov. 20 letter announcing the program. “Please remember that we are all in this together and together we can make sure Northampton County comes back strong!”
The relief grants are available to eligible businesses that have not previously received a Northampton County COVID-19 Relief Small Business Grant. Click here to review the complete eligibility guidelines and to apply. The deadline to apply is Friday, Dec. 4, 2020.
Several businesses in the Saucon Valley area have closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a pet supply store, two dry cleaners and a sports bar.
Certain types of businesses continue to operate under restrictions to help mitigate the spread of the disease, including restaurants, which must maintain reduced capacity for dine-in customers, and bars, which can only operate if they serve food along with drinks.
Last week, the city of Philadelphia imposed further restrictions on restaurants, shutting down all inside dining as a result of a fall surge in new COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania.
Also closed by Philadelphia health officials were gyms, bowling alleys and other types of businesses deemed especially unsafe due to the kinds of activities that occur within them.
