A coalition of Montgomery community partners announced it has created the Recover Together Small Business Relief Fund, a grant-making initiative to help small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund is the most recent initiative from the collaboration of public and private sector partners that are part of Mayor Steven Reed’s Economic Impact Task Force. The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation (Chamber Foundation) will administer the Small Business Relief Fund and has provided initial seed funding.
The Small Business Relief Fund will provide flexible, one-time grants of $3,000 to $5,000 for small businesses as they continue or resume operations following COVID-19-related impacts. The Chamber Foundation will accept applications online at www.recovermgm.com June 1 through June 15 and will award grants on a rolling basis as funds remain available.
“Through collaboration with the chamber, the City Council, Montgomery County, our business community and other community partners, our goal with the creation of our Economic Impact Task Force has been to chart an effective path forward for Montgomery’s economy and the businesses who have made this region what it was prior the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Reed, whose office has pledged funding. “Small businesses make up the very fabric of our community and the Small Business Relief Fund, led by the Chamber Foundation, is the next critical step in Montgomery’s effort to not only recover together, but to emerge from this crisis with even more momentum than before.”
“Montgomery’s small businesses are in desperate need of this kind of assistance,” said Montgomery County Commission Chairman and task force Co-Chair Elton Dean. “Collaboration like this across many partners has always been the strength of our economic development strategy and will be what brings us all together to be even stronger and more resilient in the future.”
Like the Recover Together Small Business Hub launched April 29, the fund provides an avenue for multiple community partners to support small businesses during the pandemic. Small businesses in need of direct assistance may contact the hub at any time by calling 334-226-7529 or visiting recovermgm.com.
“We are all in this together,” said Chamber Foundation Chairman Willie Durham. “Small businesses are the heart of our community and the backbone of our local economy. These businesses are facing unprecedented challenges each day as they work to maintain operations, serve their customers and support their employees. It is our hope to assist as many of these businesses as we can as our community works to recover from this crisis.”
Individual or corporate donations can be made online at www.recovermgm.com or via check made payable to the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation. If contributing via check, donors should indicate that the contribution is intended for the “Small Business Relief Fund” in the memo field and mail to P.O. Box 79, Montgomery, AL 36101. All contributions are tax-deductible.
For more information about growing a business in Montgomery, visit www.montgomerychamber.com.
