The City of St. Louis has established another Small Business Grant Fund to help local businesses impacted by COVID-19. $1.25 million in funding from the CARES act will be distributed as grants of $5,000.
Starting on Monday, November 16th, businesses can apply for grants. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. The grants will be issued until the funds have run out. St. Louis Development Corporation will administer the grants. You can file your grant application starting on Monday at 10am.
Half of the funds are set aside for businesses within Opportunity Zones, Promise Zones, or Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Areas. Much of the Greater Dutchtown neighborhood lies within these designated zones—the entirety of Dutchtown proper, Gravois Park, and Mount Pleasant are all included in the Southeast NRSA.
Additionally, 200 of the grants are allocated for hospitality businesses—restaurants, bars, cafes, caterers, wedding planners, and photographers, and others. Food truck operators can also apply if they have a commissary or other physical space located in the City.
Grant Eligibility
To be eligible for a grant, businesses must meet all of the following criteria:
- 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees
- Closed or otherwise significantly impacted due to COVID-19
- Valid City of St. Louis Business License
- Current on all payments to the City of St. Louis Collector of Revenue (property taxes, earnings taxes, water bill, etc.)
- Did not receive a grant in the last round of grants distributed this summer
- Will not use the funds to cover expenses already paid by funds from the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), or other federal relief benefits
- Have no conflicts of interest, i.e. no City of St. Louis employees, elected or appointed officials, or their immediate family
- Does not discriminate per City of St. Louis ordinances
Ineligible Businesses
The following types of businesses are ineligible to apply for the grants:
- Nonprofit organizations, churches, or religious organizations
- Banks and other financial institutions
- Accounting or CPA firms
- Law firms or attorneys
- Physicians, dentists, surgeons, optometrists, chiropractors, or veterinarians
- Insurance brokers or agents
- Real estate brokers or agents
- Property management services
- Architects, engineers, or land surveyors
- Nursing homes or daycare facilities
- Hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, or short-term rentals
Preparing to Apply
You will be required to have your business license number when applying for your grant. The license must be valid for the period June 1, 2020 through May 31, 2021. Previous years’ license numbers will not be accepted. Call (314) 622-4528 or visit the License Collector’s website to verify the status of your business license.
It’s recommended that you contact the Collector of Revenue to verify that your earnings taxes, personal property, and business property taxes are currently paid in full. Call (314) 622-3291 to check the status of your earnings taxes, and call (314) 622-4111 to verify your property taxes are paid. You can find additional information at the Collector of Revenue website. If your application is rejected due to any delinquencies with the Collector, you will have to reapply after making the necessary filings and payments.
To document the number of people your business employs, you can provide the following:
- 2019 Federal IRS W-3 Form—Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements
- Form 941 for 2020—Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return (quarter ending 6/30/2020 or 9/30/2020)
- St. Louis Collector of Revenue Form W-10—Quarterly Earnings Tax Return (quarter ending 3/31/2020, 6/20/2020, or 9/30/2020)
Ready To Apply?
Once you’ve verified your eligibility and gathered your documentation, you can file your application starting at 10am on Monday, November 16th.
Refer your fellow business owners to this page—tell them to visit dutchtownstl.org/grants.
