BOSTON (WHDH) - Nearly 1,700 small businesses in every Boston neighborhood have received debt-free coronavirus relief grants, Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced Tuesday.
A total of 1,685 small businesses have been awarded $6.1 million in grants through the Small Business Relief Fund, an increase from $4 million distributed last month, according to Walsh.
The businesses receiving grants represent industries most-impacted by closures, policies, or general loss of revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including hospitality, personal care, arts and recreation, retail, and healthcare and social assistance.
“Small businesses are the heartbeat of our economy, and they provide residents with the services they depend on every day,” Walsh said. “Through the Small Business Relief Fund, we have been proud to support Boston’s small businesses with a swift and direct infusion of funds through a fiscally responsible and equitable system that will help businesses stay open, pay employees, and strengthen our local business districts.”
Of the $6.1 million that has been distributed to businesses so far, 69 percent have five or fewer employees, 50 percent are owned by people of color, and 47 percent are immigrant-owned, Walsh noted.
The debt-free grants can be used to address rent, fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, lost sales, lost opportunities, and other working capital expenses.
A full list of businesses that have received funding is available here.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)