The Ingham County took action to assist small businesses negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by approving an $11 million Small Business Rescue Grant Program resolution to be administered by the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP). The funding for the Program will come from Ingham County’s $56.7 million allocation from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act.
“We are really excited to partner with LEAP on the Small Business Rescue Grant Program,” Commissioner Emily Stivers said. “Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and providing this much-needed support could be critical to the survival of our businesses and the communities they support.”
Ingham County will receive the $56.7 million in ARP funds in two separate tranches (payments). The First Tranche Amount, 50 percent of the funds, will be allocated within 60 days of the bill being signed into law (March 11, 2021) and the Second Tranche Amount, the remaining 50 percent not earlier than 12 months after the date of the First Tranche Amount payment.
Eligible uses of the ARP funds include addressing the economic impacts of COVID-19 on households, small businesses, nonprofits, and impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality. The Ingham County Board of Commissioners realize that those economically impacted by COVID-19 are in need of assistance immediately so the bulk of the First Tranche amount will be focused on providing assistance to households and small businesses, with a concerted effort to get these funds out as quickly as possible.
In addition to the Small Business Rescue Grant Program resolution, Ingham County also passed a resolution to provide lost revenue to the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (GLCVB) through the ARP funds for tourism-related targeted marketing campaigns, promotion of businesses that make up Ingham County’s visitor economy and to encourage residents and visitors to explore Ingham County. GLCVB receives a majority of its funding through Ingham County hotel/motel tax receipts that have been down dramatically during COVID-19.
Ingham County also plans to partner with Capital Area Community Services and Capital Area Housing Partnership to begin distributing ARP funds to households and residents negatively affected by COVID-19. “Our community partners are developing strategies to provide support to our residents during this difficult time,” Board of Commissioners Chair Bryan Crenshaw said. “The ARP dollars will provide us with opportunities to fund transformative change for many of our residents that were hardest hit by this pandemic.”
For more information on Ingham County’s proposed use of ARP funds, contact Controller Gregg Todd at (517) 676-7203 or e-mail [email protected].