Shawnee Forward to give additional funding to businesses
The Shawnee News-Star
After providing grants to several businesses that applied to their Small Business Relief Fund Program, Shawnee Forward has received additional funding and will provide financial aid to the remaining applicants.
According to Shawnee Forward CEO Rachel Melot, the organization received $50,000 from Pottawatomie County commissioners and $28,000 from the city of Shawnee to provide relief grants to the 31 remaining businesses that applied to the program.
Melot said it will be a few months before the other businesses receive their funding.
In addition, after 90 days, Shawnee Forward will check in with businesses that received the first round of funding in February.
The Shawnee News-Star
Shawnee Forward announced Monday in the regular Pottawatomie County Commission meeting that it has awarded grants to 33 out of 64 eligible businesses that applied to its Small Business Relief Fund Program.
According to Shawnee Forward CEO Rachel Melot, grants totaling $105,000 were awarded to 33 businesses that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and then applied for funding in December. The businesses who have been awarded the grants are excited, Melot said.
In the meeting, Melot said the county, Shawnee and Tecumseh provided the funds for the program by allocating money from their CARES Act funds.
Melot also said five people made up the task force evaluating applications and decided which businesses would receive the grants.
Pott. County residents express concerns regarding business grant program
The Shawnee News-Star
During the public comments portion of the Pottawatomie County Commissioners regular meeting Monday, residents in the area expressed their concerns regarding the Shawnee Forward, Inc. Small Business Relief fund grant program.
On Wednesday, Dec. 9, Shawnee Forward opened the application process up for local businesses in the county to apply for grants which can be used to sustain their business.
In addition, Shawnee Forward released what criteria business owners have to meet to qualify for a grant and the rubric the organization will use to determine who receives awarded funds.
Shawnee Forward: Small business Relief Fund grant applications due Dec. 23
The Shawnee News-Star
Shawnee Forward Inc, in collaboration with Pottawatomie County Commissioners, the City of Shawnee and the City of Tecumseh, have announced a Small Business Relief Fund grant program of $155,000 to help meet the urgent needs of small businesses in the county impacted by the COVID-19 virus. The deadline to apply is Dec. 23.
According to Shawnee Forward CEO Rachel Melot, Tecumseh, Shawnee and the county have allocated money from their CARES Acts funds to fund the grant program.
Melot said Shawnee Forward will be administering the grants and business owners generating less than $2 million in gross revenue in 2019 and employee under 50 full time equivalent people may be eligible.
Shawnee businesses to participate in Christmas Crawl
The Shawnee News-Star
Several Shawnee businesses will participate in the second annual and now week-long Christmas Crawl which will kick off Saturday, Dec. 12 from 6-9 p.m. with the Main Street Market at Bayly Botanicals.
According to Shawnee Forward CEO Rachel Melot, the Christmas Crawl will continue until Friday, Dec. 18 and allow shoppers a chance to visit local stores in Shawnee and have their name entered in a raffle.
Melot said every time a shopper purchases an item at participating stores, they can scan a QR code and enter their name in a chance to win a $400 Air B&B gift card, a $150 Visa gift card and a $100 gas card.