The Tarrant County Small Business Assistance Grant Program has been established by the Tarrant County Commissioners Court to utilize $30 million in CARES Act funding to provide grants to Tarrant County small businesses who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency, with $6 million (20%) of this funding allocated for businesses with 51% Minority, Woman or Veteran ownership. The dollar amount of individual grants will be determined by the information provided, the number of eligible grant applications received and the funding pool available, with no individual grant being more than $10,000.

Grant funding is limited to businesses who meet certain criteria, including:
•    A small business with 25 or less Full Time Equivalent employees
•    Located within Tarrant County, outside the City of Fort Worth
•    A for-profit business in operation in Tarrant County as of January 1, 2020
•    Applications limited to one (1) business per Owner(s)
•    Business was closed or partially closed due to COVID-19
•    Business shows a reduction in Net Profit or an increased Loss from COVID-19

I just started a new business. Am I eligible to apply for the grant?
In order to be eligible for a Tarrant County Small Business Assistance grant, your business must have been operating as of January 1, 2020.

I live in Fort Worth, but my business is located in another Tarrant County city.  Am I eligible to apply?
Yes, the Tarrant County Small Business Assistance Grant Program is for businesses located in Tarrant County, outside the City of Fort Worth (Fort Worth received their own direct CARES Act funding and has a separate small business grant program for Fort Worth business locations).

My business has two locations, one in the mid-cities and one in Fort Worth; can I apply on behalf of both locations?
The Tarrant County Small Business Assistance Grant Program is limited to business locations in Tarrant County outside of Fort Worth.  You may apply only using business and financial information pertinent to the non-Fort Worth location.

I have multiple businesses in Tarrant County.  Can I make application for a grant for each business?
No, business owners with more than one business are limited to one (1) business application and grant award.

Can a small business run out of a personal home apply for the grant?
Yes, but expenses incurred and eligible for grant funding for in-home businesses cannot be for a personal residence (ie. mortgage, utilities, other business costs for a personal residence are not eligible).  These businesses may have other costs eligible costs (ie. equipment lease, food truck payment, etc.)

My business is jointly and equally owned by two persons, one owner is a Latino man and the other is a Caucasian woman, does this meet the 51 percent threshold to be classified as a Minority, Woman or Veteran Owned business?
Yes, this business would actually be 100 percent Minority/Woman/Veteran Owned, since both 50 percent owners are members of one of the noted categories.  Had the ownership been 50 percent Latino Male and 50 percent Caucasian Male, the business would not meet the qualifications for a Minority/Woman/Veteran Owned company, as the business would only be 50 percent Minority owned (not 51 percent as required).

I am a Cosmetologist that works as an Independent Contractor and rents a space at a local salon. I was unable to work for more than a month.  Is my business eligible to apply?
Independent Contractors such as hair stylists/barbers are eligible to apply.  Please note the information in EXAMPLE OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION tab for providing owner compensation (Sole Proprietor, Partnership, C Corporation and S Corporation applicants can use the calculated average monthly amount from their 2018 or 2019 Schedule C, Form 1065, Form 1120 or 1120S for Owner Compensation or Draw incurred but not paid less any unemployment benefits). Additionally, monthly chair/booth rental may be listed as an Equipment Rental/Lease cost.

I just started a new business. Am I eligible to apply for the grant?
In order to be eligible for a Tarrant County Small Business Assistance grant, your business must have been operating as of January 1, 2020.

My business already received funding from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). Am I still eligible for these funds?
Yes. If a business has already received funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), an Economic Injury Disaster Loan or other state or local grant program, they are still eligible to receive Tarrant County Small Business Assistance Grant funds. However, the grant funds cannot be for the same costs covered by another program.

My business is a nonprofit company, am I eligible for these grant funds?
No, the Small Businesses Assistance Grant Program is limited to for-profit businesses only.  However, please check the Tarrant County website for funding opportunities available to Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Tarrant County and check for eligibility under the NGO Program.  

My business was open, but had reduced staff and hours due to COVID-19.  Is that considered partially closed?
Yes, if your business was fully closed at any point due to COVID-19 you are eligible.  If your business was open but with reduced open hours, was operating with reduced staff, had limited service available (such as to-go, online, or curbside pick-up only), and/or had a reduction in workload from normal operations, then it would be considered partially closed.

The requirements show only businesses with 25 or less Full Time Equivalent employees are eligible to apply for the grant.  My business has 12 full-time employees and 23 part time employees.  How do I determine the total Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employee number?
Part-time employees are those that work less than 30 hours per week.  Your FTE number = (Total average of hours worked per week by part-time employee / 30) +  Number of full-time employees

What if some of my employees are technically contractors? Do they still count towards my employee count and payroll calculations for the grant?
No. Contractors do not count as employees for the purposes of this grant.  Independent contractors are eligible to apply for this grant on their own if they meet the requirements.  

My business had to lay off staff as a result of COVID-19. Are these levels dependent on how many staff I have now? Or how many I had at the beginning of COVID-19?
This grant is based on the number of full-time equivalent staff (not including contractors) employed as of March 1, 2020.

I'm not sure how to demonstrate a reduction in sales/revenue or employment. What documents do I need for that?
Businesses will prepare a simplified Profit & Loss (P&L) statement for January through May 2020 in the application itself.  Click on the EXAMPLE OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION tab for details on how this will be submitted and what documentation is required.  To establish grant eligibility, business must show a reduction in Net Profit or an increased Loss when April and May 2020 is compared to January through March 2020 Net Profit/Loss.

My landlord deferred my building lease payment for April and May to a later date for future payment once my business is fully operational and profitable again.  Can I show those lease payments in my listing of costs?
Yes, grant proceeds may be for expenses incurred after March 1, 2020 through May 31, 2020. Rent or loan payments that are incurred, even though allowed to be deferred for payment at a later date, may be included in the listing of monthly costs for the month in which they were incurred.  If those payments were actually forgiven, however, they cannot be included.

My business is a medical office that provides service and bills for that service but receives payments from insurance several months later.  Even though we had very little business in April and May, we received revenue from January and February services that were billed.  How do we show the true lack of revenue generated for those months?
For accrual based accounting businesses, revenue should be reported in the month in which it was earned (i.e. when the service(s) were provided). As supporting documentation, please provide your income statement, sales or receipt journal from your financial accounting system.

If I do not submit all required documentation with the application, could my business be denied funding?
Yes, all documentation must be uploaded and submitted with the Application in order to be eligible for consideration.

How much funding can I receive for my business?
The amount eligible for reimbursement by the Grant is the total actual costs for April and May 2020 plus the calculated average owner’s compensation or partnership draw incurred but not paid.  The dollar amount of individual grants will be determined by the information provided, the number of eligible grant applications received and the funding pool available, with no individual grant being more than $10,000.

What can these funds be used for?
Grant proceeds may be for expenses incurred after March 1, 2020, through May 31, 2020. Grant funds received are not for the same costs covered by 1) other Federal grants or Loans business has received (i.e. PPP, SBA EIDL, or other federal program funds), 2) other local grants or 3) business interruption insurance payments.  The listing of types of allowable expenses can be found under the TYPES OF ALLOWABLE EXPENSES tab.

Do I need to document / report how I use these funds?
Yes. Business owners who receive this grant may be audited in the future and are required to be able to document how the funds are used.

Are printed/mailed application forms being accepted?
No, grant applications and all required documentation may only be submitted online.  Grant applications may be submitted beginning June 22nd at 10 a.m. through July 1, 2020 at 6 p.m.

How soon will I hear back regarding my application?
Grant applications will close Wednesday, July 1, 2020. All applicants will be notified via email of denial or approval of grant award following a period for processing and grant review.

How will I receive my grant funds?
All grant awards will be provided by check to the business and address as listed in the provided W-9 form.

If you still have questions after reading the information above, please email questions to TCSBGrants@tarrantcounty.com  or click on the GRANT ASSISTANCE tab for additional assistance.