Salem Announces START Grants For Small Businesses

Press release from the City of Salem:

June 6 2020

Salem, MA – Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll today announced that the City has awarded $718,250 in Salem Together Assistance & Recovery Toolkit (START) grants. A total of $219,000 was awarded to 51 local small businesses and $502,250 distributed to nonprofits, with the largest amount, $250,000, provided to North Shore Community Action Programs (NSCAP) to fund an emergency rental assistance program for low-income Salem tenants.

For the business recipients, all awardees have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis, whether having struggled with reduced sales, having to lay off employees, or, in some cases, closing their doors altogether. The nonprofit grants were awarded to agencies and organizations providing direct assistance or support to families, workers, and seniors suffering due to the pandemic.

The START grants are funded through a combination of federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant funds and City funds. Grants to small businesses ranged from $2,000 to $5,500 and to nonprofits – excluding NSCAP’s award to fund the rental assistance program – they ranged from $8,000 to $60,340.

“Our local business community is struggling, as are so many of our more vulnerable residents” said Mayor Driscoll. “I hope that this funding can provide a small boost to Salem’s businesses and residents, help them better weather this crisis, and reassure them that their City is here for them and we’ll work to get through this unprecedented time together.”

Small Business START Grant Recipients

Nonprofit START Grant Recipients

This press release was produced by the City of Salem. The views expressed here are the author’s own.