New LDDA grant established to help small businesses in Longmont reopen The Longmont Leader

Following the economic upheaval caused by COVID-19, many businesses in Longmont have struggled to reopen. A new grant offered by the Longmont Downtown Development Authority, or LDDA, aims to alleviate some of the pressure business owners are feeling and to help them safely reopen.

The Downtown Longmont COVID-19 Safe Reopening Business Grant is part of $260,000 the LDDA board allocated to improving the resiliency of businesses downtown, according to a news release.

“Our goal is to provide near-term financial relief for locally-owned storefront businesses most impacted by Covid-19, with the priority for businesses that have frequent and/or close contact with customers,” Kimberlee McKee, executive director of LDDA, said in the release.

The grant aims to fulfill two main goals, according to the release:

Host a diverse mix of land uses, including both non-residential and residential. This entails targeting incentives and tools to help foster land uses needed to achieve a variety of common goals.
Retain and attract vital retail shops in downtown Longmont. From Smoking Bowls to Magic Fairy Candles, a lack of patronage in recent months has impacted businesses of all types. By keeping Main Street vibrant and alive, the entire city will benefit.

To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, establishments — particularly restaurants — have been tasked with introducing new structures and systems to keep customers safe. The changes have been costly, which is why grant funding up to $3,500 can be used to offset expenses that are incurred to reopen under new COVID-19 regulations, according to LDDA.

Expenses eligible for reimbursement must follow local, state, and federal regulations related to COVID-19 public safety standards. For instance, funds can be used for:

Developing infrastructure, such as plexiglass.
Personal protective equipment, or PPE, for employees, such as gloves and masks.
Graphics, signs or decals that will help customers safely navigate their experiences.
Health items, such as thermometers and alcohol swabs.
Technology that can allow a business to keep its physical locations more accessible, safe or touch-free (reservation systems, online ordering, curbside takeout).
Investing in new equipment for outdoor dining or sales.

Grant applications will be reviewed by a committee of LDDA board and community members and if clarification is needed, follow-up questions could be asked. The LDDA board of directors has the final decision-making authority on grants. The submission of an application does not guarantee funding. The status of applicants is expected to be shared in late June.

Businesses that meet the following requirements are eligible to apply for grants:

Establishments located within LDDA boundaries
Locally owned and operated
Retail, restaurant and bars, craft beverage, personal service businesses
Independently owned franchises
In good standing with any city permits, licenses, fees, or taxes as of April 1.
Have been operational since Sept. 1 or earlier
Were forced to temporarily close, dramatically reduce operations or experienced a loss of revenue due to the COVID-19 public health crisis
Are now required to have a significant level of PPE and/or other safety measures for reopening, as well as setting up new business practices (outdoor dining, touchless payment, reservation system)
Have completed the city of Longmont Business Needs Assessment (*Note: this only needs to be submitted once).
Complete cash projections for business recovery (12 to 18 months)
- See resources here (Download template and change first date to June 2020. It should update automatically. Save document as a .pdf to upload)
- If you have trouble uploading the document, you can email it.