Fifty-two small businesses in Orange County received $5,000 grants in the second round of pandemic-related emergency financial assistance approved by the Orange County Board of Commissioners.
“Small businesses are struggling during this unprecedented time,” said Penny Rich, Chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners. “These jobs are important to our local economy, and we are committed to doing whatever we can to help as many of our local companies survive this pandemic.”
According to Orange County Economic Development Director Steve Brantley, 118 companies applied for the program. Forty-two were eliminated because they did not meet requirements. Businesses that had already received COVID-related assistance from another program, such as the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) were ineligible, and only companies located in Orange County were eligible.
A committee appointed by the Board of Commissioners reviewed the remaining applicants and found 53 companies that met the requirements for the grant and provided the necessary documentation. One subsequently withdrew its application after it received assistance through the PPP program.
Brantley said businesses can use the grant for expenses incurred as a result of a need to expand, preserve jobs or to accommodate required social distancing.
Brantley said the county emphasized outreach to women and minority-owned businesses through economic development partners in the municipalities and The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Of the 52 companies receiving funds, 25 are women owned and 10 are either minority owned or minority and women owned. Fifteen recipients did not provide the data, so the final numbers may be higher, Brantley said.
According to Brantley, restaurants, retail stores, service companies, technology firms, agricultural operations, personal care and many other kinds of businesses located throughout the county received funding.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support we received from Orange County Economic Development,” said Daniel Cowan of Red Tail Grains, a small farm and mill in Mebane that grows specialty grains and legumes. “We are definitely in need of funds during this time and this is going to help us get through. We want to give a big shout out and thank you to all of you for continuing to support us and, in turn, hopefully we can help to support others.”
To date, Orange County’s total pandemic-related emergency financial assistance for both Round 1 (loans and grants) and Round 2 (grants) programs represents 78 separate awards totaling $520,131 for the benefit of small business and agricultural ventures.
A reserve of approximately $194,869 remains available for additional emergency small business and agricultural assistance for use later in the year, Brantley said.
Below is a list of the companies that received grants.
Town of Carrboro:
- Carrboro Massage Therapy, Inc.
- Flow Beauty, LLC
- Kate Kager Smith Massager Therapy
- Mel’s Commissary LLC
- Spira Pilates Studio LLC
- Tejase Healing Arts
- Thirteen West
- Vanessa Gibbs (Vanessa Adams)
- Wooden Shoe Investments(UPS Store 3651)
Town of Chapel Hill:
- Ai Software Corporation
- Best of M, LLC
- Blue Dogwood L.L.C. (Blue Dogwood Public Market)
- Bring & Tiwari, LLC (Rasa Restaurant)
- Brother Sister Co.
- Burning Sphinx Studio, LLC (Glimmerfae Creations)
- Carols Electric
- CF Cleaners (Cedar Falls Cleaners)
- Classic (Dhruva Chellani)
- Country Inn Kennel and Cattery Inc.
- Dentinger Chiropractic & Wellness (Connect Chiropractic)
- E&I international (Avis & Budget Rent A Car)
- Hannah’s Home Health & Care Consulting
- Heartwood Holistic Health
- Honey Magpie
- Immersion Island
- JEROME ENTERPRISES (Might as Well Bar & Grill)
- KC Travel (KC Unlimited)
- Learning Well L.L.C.
- Maitland & English Law Firm
- Metropolis
- Queen’s Hair Design
- Restoring Balance
- Rolling Hills Stables
- Sara Roscoe (Little Owl’s Nest)
- Simandhar Inc (Franklin Mart)
- Stratus TMS, Inc.
- The Balance Point Acupuncture
- Todrin Fine Woodwork
- Triangle Yoga
- VIBEHOUSE405
- Woodbrew LLC (Four Corners)
Town of Hillsborough
- Bread & Circuses (Yonder: Southern Cocktails and Brew)
- Cabana Boy BBQ
- Don Lee Salon
- EVERLY’S
- Shekinah Wear (Tara E. Harper)
- Southern Vintage Table
- Tiger Cleaning
Hurdle Mills
- Get Lit Special Event Lighting, L.L.C.
City of Mebane - Orange County
- Mark DeWeese (Midsouth Motox)
- Red Tail Grains LLC
Rougemont
- Pro Video (Matthew Trae Howerton)