Community partnership establishes grant-making initiative to help small employers recover from the impact of COVID-19
Montgomery, Ala. – May 20, 2020 – Today a coalition of Montgomery community partners announced that is has created the Recover Together Small Business Relief Fund, a grant-making initiative that will help small businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund is the most recent of several initiatives that have resulted from the collaboration of public and private sector partners that are part of Mayor Steven L. Reed’s Economic Impact Task Force which is Co-Chaired by County Commission Chairman Elton Dean and City Council President Charles Jinright. The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation (Chamber Foundation) will administer the Small Business Relief Fund in conjunction with its community partners and has provided the initial seed funding
The Small Business Relief Fund will provide flexible, one-time grants of between $1,000 and $7,500 with a cap of $7,500 per award to provide working capital for small businesses in the Montgomery area as they continue or resume operations following COVID-19-related impacts. The Small Business Relief Fund will accept grant applications online via www.recovermgm.com starting June 1 through June 15 and will award grants on a rolling basis as funds remain available.
Individual or corporate donations can be made online at www.recovermgm.com or via check made payable to the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation. If contributing via check, donors should indicate that the contribution is intended for the “Small Business Relief Fund” in the memo field and mail to P.O. Box 79, Montgomery, AL 36101. All contributions are tax deductible.
“Through collaboration with the Chamber, the City Council, Montgomery County, our business community, and other community partners, our goal with the creation of our Economic Impact Task Force has been to chart an effective path forward for Montgomery’s economy and the businesses who have made this region what it was prior the COVID-19 outbreak. Small businesses make up the very fabric of our community and the Small Business Relief Fund, led by the Chamber Foundation, is the next critical step in Montgomery’s effort to not only recover together, but to emerge from this crisis with even more momentum than before," said Mayor Steven L. Reed, whose office has also pledged funding for this initiative
“Montgomery’s small businesses are in desperate need of this kind of assistance. Collaboration like this across many partners has always been the strength of our economic development strategy and will be what brings us all together to be even stronger and more resilient in the future,” said Montgomery County Commission Chairman and task force Co-Chair Elton Dean.
“We are all in this together. Small businesses are the heart of our community and the backbone of our local economy. These businesses are facing unprecedented challenges each day as they work to maintain operations, serve their customers, and support their employees. It is our hope to assist as many of these businesses as we can as our community works to recover from this crisis,” said Chamber Foundation Chairman Willie Durham.
Like the Recover Together Small Business Hub, launched on April 29, the fund provides an avenue for multiple community partners to work together to support our small businesses during these difficult and uncertain times. Small businesses in need of direct assistance may contact the hub at any time by calling 334-226-7529 or visiting recovermgm.com.
For more information about growing a business in Montgomery, visit www.montgomerychamber.com.
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ABOUT THE MONTGOMERY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
With a mission to create jobs and a better quality of life in Montgomery and the River Region,
the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce is a full spectrum economic development corporation representing 1,700 organizations and business and more than 80,000 employees throughout Montgomery and the River Region. The Montgomery Chamber is an innovative, consolidated organization that addresses destination tourism, economic development, business development, workforce development, and community strategies under one umbrella, linking the public and private sector around a shared vision and providing tremendous value to its investors.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Meg Lewis
Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce
mlewis@montgomerychamber.com
(334) 261-1104
