City of Crystal Lake issued the following announcement on Dec 4.
The City of Crystal Lake announced today that the City will be providing up to $750,000 in grants to sales-tax generating businesses that have suffered revenue loss due to COVID mitigation restrictions. On November 3, 2020, the City Council approved a COVID-19 Impacted Business Relief Grant Program and an expansion of the City’s existing Business Transition Grant Program to help businesses recover more quickly from the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The City received 29 applications during the first round application period and a second round for applications begins on December 5th.
Utilizing the State’s Local Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency (CURE) funding through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), the City will administer the Impact Business Relief Grant Program funds with the goal of:
- Providing financial assistance to assist businesses to help keep them open and operating within our community and help reduce the number of business closures.
- Minimizing retail and restaurant vacancies to help maintain Crystal Lake’s vibrant and successful business community.
Impacted Business Relief Grant Program Parameters
- Must be a sales tax generating business with annual sales not exceeding $4 million.
- Business must generate walk-in traffic.
- Franchise businesses, home-based businesses, home occupation businesses, professional and medical businesses and businesses with more than 3 business units do not qualify.
- Any prior recipients of the State’s Business Interruption Grant (BIG) are ineligible.
- Award amount is determined on the submitted IDOR sales tax figures from March 1 through September 30 2020, as compared to the same time period in 2019.
- Businesses that experienced less than a 50% revenue loss would be awarded $5,000,
- Businesses that experienced a 50% - 75% revenue loss would be awarded $10,000, and
- Businesses that experienced greater than a 75% revenue loss would be eligible to receive $15,000.
The second grant program, the Business Transition Grant program was expanded to allow for up to $1,000 for the reimbursement of not only protective enhancements like plexi-glass, masks, and sanitizer but also for heaters, tents and electrical improvements required for the addition of outdoor heating elements to assist restaurants with the new COVID regulations. Restaurants are currently permitted to have outside dining (physical distancing and other restrictions will apply). The City of Crystal Lake is encouraging any restaurants interested in adding outdoor seating to their location to please contact the Community Development Department (815) 356-3605 to approve an outdoor seating layout for your restaurant location.
Business Transition Grant Program Parameters
- Must be a tax generating business with annual sales not exceeding $4 million.
- Business must generate walk-in traffic.
- Reimbursement for capital improvements for physical distancing, sanitation, and outdoor dining furniture, outdoor enclosures, and heating appliances due to COVID-19 up to $1,000 per applicant.
- Franchise businesses, home-based businesses, home occupation businesses and businesses with more than 3 business units do not qualify.
Examples of Protective Enhancements Include:
- Plexiglass Enhancements
- Sanitation Stations
- Walk-up Windows
- Separations for Entrance/Exits
- Face Coverings
- Signage for Traffic Flow or Distance Dots
- Outdoor dining furniture
- Outdoor enclosures (tents, igloos)
- Outdoor heating appliances
For more information, contact Heather Maieritsch, Economic Development Manager, at economicdevelopment@crystallake.org.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up