State preps businesses and nonprofits for coronavirus grant program

The Wyoming Business Council aims to begin taking online applications during the week of Aug. 3 from businesses and nonprofits seeking grants of up to $300,000 to mitigate pandemic losses and extra costs.

The Relief Fund grants will be available to businesses with 100 or fewer full-time employees and nonprofits that have at least one full-time employee and don’t spend more than 50% of their time on lobbying.

Council officials suggest that businesses and nonprofits not delay applying once they’re allowed to because there is only $175 million in the Relief Fund. (There is also a separate $50 million Mitigation Fund for grants of up to $500,000 for businesses and nonprofits of any size to pay for COVID-19 health and safety expenses.)

Calculations for the Relief Fund grants will take into account revenue losses and COVID-19-related expenses March 13 to the application date, which might tempt some people to wait so they can factor in more losses and expenses and get a bigger payment.

But Business Council CEO Josh Dorrell warned that it will be first come, first served, and there’s no telling how quickly the fund will run dry.

“Once it’s gone it’s gone, and we don’t know if we’ll be getting any more,” he said during a webinar Thursday.

The new Wyoming business and nonprofit assistance programs were created by the state Legislature with $325 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funds.

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