Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to execute a grant agreement with SID Public Services Association dba Capital Crossroads and Discovery SIDs in an amount up to $2,000,000.00 for the purpose of deploying grants to Columbus area small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Downtown and the Short North business districts as part of the department’s COVID-19 Small Business Response and Recovery Program.
To assist Columbus area small businesses in retooling from the economic impact of COVID-19, the department’s COVID-19 Small Business and Recovery Program will assist Downtown and Short North small businesses by offering grants to assist small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. SID Public Services Association will administer the program in close coordination with the Short North Alliance and will deploy grant dollars to Downtown and Short North small businesses who have not previously benefited from the Citywide COVID-19 Small Business Response and Recovery Program. SID Public Services Association will use no more than $25,000.00 of this funding for administration of this program.
This initiative will forward the Columbus Small Business Agenda by providing immediate financial assistance to businesses that have been significantly adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to the disruption of their customer base of commercial office workers who have largely remained at home throughout the pandemic.
The services included in this agreement cannot be provided by existing city employees because these services are beyond the City’s current staffing capacity to provide.
Emergency legislation is requested in order to encumber funds in a timely manner so the SID Public Services Association can expend the funds before the end of the year.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 002160 and contract compliance expires February 13, 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is provided to the...
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