NJEDA Board approves rules in support of small businesses

by PDM NEWS STAFF

| Photo by Jay Wennington on Unsplash

TRENTON, NJ – The rules for the Main Street Recovery Program, a $100 million small business support program to fund multiple financial assistance products to support the growth and success of small businesses in New Jersey, have been approved, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) has announced.

The approved rules create two grant products funded by the Main Street Recovery Program: the Small Business Lease Assistance Grant and the Small Business Improvement Grant.

The Main Street Recovery Program is part of a suite of programs created or expanded under the ERA that includes tax credits to incentivize job creation, new construction, and revitalization of brownfields and historic properties; financial resources for small businesses; support for new supermarkets and healthy food retailers in food desert communities; new funding opportunities for early-stage companies in New Jersey; and support for the growing film and digital media industry. The NJEDA will continue to engage the public as new programs and rules are developed.

According to a news release, the program aligns with Governor Murphy’s commitment to a stronger, fairer recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty percent of all Main Street Recovery Program funds are reserved for businesses located in census tracts that were eligible to be designated as Opportunity Zones. Providing dedicated funding for these census tracts helps to ensure equitable access to resources for communities and businesses that have historically struggled to access resources.

The Small Business Lease Assistance Grant is a $10 million program that will provide grants to businesses entering new or amended leases with at least five-year terms that include at least 250 square feet of street-level space. This grant funding will offset a portion of annual lease payments for two years.

The Small Business Improvement Grant is a $15 million program that will grant up to $50,000 to reimburse businesses for a portion of costs associated with improvements and/or the purchase or installation of furniture, fixtures, and equipment since March 9, 2020.

Applications for these programs are currently under development. The NJEDA will announce the application timeline for both programs soon.

“Supporting small businesses is the centerpiece of Governor Phil Murphy’s plan for a stronger, fairer recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “The Main Street Recovery Program approved today will build on the NJEDA’s successful COVID-19 relief programs to provide new resources tailored specifically to help business owners recover from the impacts of the pandemic and prepare for long-term success.”

In addition to the Small Business Lease Assistance Grant and the Small Business Improvement Grant, the NJEDA said it intends to pilot additional products funded through the Main Street Recovery Program. The Authority anticipates these pilot programs will include financing to help micro business lenders provide more low-cost loans and technical assistance for microbusinesses and expand the NJEDA’s existing Micro Business Loan Program. The Authority will provide low-cost financing directly to eligible microbusinesses.

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