OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Individuals and small businesses in Overland Park and Grandview now have new ways to get financial help as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the economic situation for thousands of people.
Both cities are using money sent to them through the CARES Act to set up grant programs. Each city has a program for individuals and a program for small businesses.
Overland Park
Monday, city council members in Overland Park agreed to set aside roughly $380,000 and create the Overland Park Small Business Recovery Program. Eligible small businesses can receive grants of up to $5,000 to pay for rent and mortgage through the program.
For information on eligibility and how to apply, visit their website
The city partnered with Community Capital Fund (CCF) to administer the program. CCF will host a virtual information session on the program Friday, October 23 at 12 noon. Anyone interested can register online for the session. The city will post the video online once the session is complete.
Julie Smith is the grants program coordinator for the city. She said it’s important to stabilize small businesses through a grant program.
”Small businesses are our friends, our neighbors, they might have sponsored one of our children’s sports teams, they also support our economy through the jobs they provide to our residents,” Smith pointed out. “We want to be sure to support these small businesses because they really are the fabric of our community.”
The deadline to apply for the small business grant program is Nov. 9 at 5 p.m.
Overland Park also set aside $80,000 for individual assistance. Residents of Overland Park struggling to pay rent, mortgage or their utilities because of the pandemic are eligible for grants to help cover those costs.
The city is partnering with organizations like The Salvation Army, United Way and Safehome to distribute those funds.
“It’s the priority of the city to make sure our community is healthy and keeping people safe and in their homes is very important to us,” Smith said.
The city anticipates receiving roughly $750,000 more from the federal government, which it can put toward a second round of grants for individuals and small businesses.
Grandview
This month, aldermen in Grandview decided to set aside $100,000 of the CARES Act funding it received from Jackson County for a “Small Business Interruption Assistance Program.”
Small businesses in the city can qualify for grants of $2,500 or $5,000. Businesses can use the grants to pay for rent, mortgage, utilities, payroll, personal protection equipment and a variety of other uses.
The city partnered with the Grandview Chamber of Commerce to roll out the program and distribute the funds.
The chamber president said small businesses create jobs in Grandview and keep the economy moving positively.
“Those businesses are supplying jobs so our locals, or people who live around here, can make an income, buy groceries, go to the restaurants to eat out, go to the grocery stores. It’s very important. We wouldn’t exist without small business,” Kim Curtis explained.
The deadline to apply for a small business grant in Grandview is 5 p.m. on Nov. 20. The chamber hopes to distribute funds to all recipients by Dec. 1. Visit the city website for information on eligibility and how to apply.
The city also set aside $50,000 from CARES Act funding for a “COVID-19 Community Assistance Program.” The Grandview Assistance Program (GAP) is handling the distribution of those funds.
Case manager Charlie Jennings said GAP has already pledged money to families who’ve applied for help.
“Everybody really appreciates it and we love to do it because we know we’re helping great people who are having a little bit of a struggle right now,” Jennings said.
For information on the individual rent and utility assistance program, visit the GAP website. There is no deadline to apply, but the program will end when the $50,000 is completely distributed.
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