Town of Normal SBRProgram | McLean County SBDC

Town of Normal

Update as of 1/25/21: Per the Town of Normal's website, the grant program application window has closed. Awards will be announced in December.

Original post 11/30/20:

The following key points have been provided by the Town of Normal:

To assist small businesses significantly impacted by COVID-19, the Town of Normal developed the Town of Normal Small Business Relief Program (SBRP) with money granted through the Local CURE ES Program (Local Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency).
The Town of Normal received $450,000 from the Local CURE ES Program, a federally funded effort from the Coronavirus Relief Fund which uses dollars allocated to Illinois through the CARES Act.
See full details, eligible expenses, required documents, grant eligibility requirements, and a sample application on the Town of Normal's website.

The SBRP will provide eligible businesses with funds up to $15,000, divided into equal opportunities for grants of $5,000 in three broad categories:

Operational Assistance Grant – up to $5,000 for expenses related to sustaining business operations. (e.g., rent, mortgage or utilities)
Digital and Marketing Support Grant – up to $5,000 for efforts related to enhancing their digital footprint. (e.g., social media marketing, point of sale systems, website enhancements)
Business Modification Grant – up to $5,000 in reimbursement for COVID-19-related physical improvements/modifications made to ensure continued service. (e.g., building modifications, additional cleaning supplies)
Eligible businesses must meet several requirements, including the following:
Have a physical presence/location within the boundaries of the Town of Normal
50 full-time employee equivalents (FTE) or fewer
Be operational as of Jan. 1, 2020
Show a demonstrated impact/loss of revenue due to COVID-19
Up-to-date on all local and State of Illinois tax obligations
To determine eligibility, businesses can use a pre-qualification form at www.normal.org/SBRPprequalification. This pre-qualification form outlines all eligibility requirements.

A secure portal for submitting applications will be available on the Town’s website beginning Dec. 1 through an online portal.

The submittal deadline is Dec. 8 at 5 p.m. CST.
In the meantime, business owners are encouraged to visit www.normal.org/SBRP to learn more about the application process and begin compiling documentation needed for the application.
Applications will be taken beginning Dec. 1 and will be considered until all funds are depleted.
Funds awarded to local businesses are taxable.