Small business owners are so close to receiving resiliency grant money, they can almost taste it. Or at the very least, spend it.
At the Rosenberg City Council meeting Tuesday, council members will consider funding the $250,000 program through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES Act.
This proposal is two months in the making.
The resiliency grant program was initially brought to the Rosenberg Development Corp. in April, but board members voted 4-2 to turn down the creation of the grant program to assist small, locally owned businesses within the city limits.
Despite being defunded by the RDC, council approved the program without having a source of funding.
And that is where the CARES Act comes in.
The city of Rosenberg has received $2.1 million of the $134 million in federal CARES Act funds allocated to Fort Bend County.
The grant award would range from $1,000 to $6,000 per eligible business and would be determined by the number of people employed.
Council member Steven DeGregorio said small businesses account for 44% of economic activity in Rosenberg.
According to city staff, there are approximately 1,400 businesses in Rosenberg. Upwards of 70 businesses could see relief through this program.