NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana’s Main Street Recovery Program application period is officially open.
The new program, which uses $275 million of the state’s $1.8 billion federal CARES act allotment, will offer grants of up to $15,000 to reimburse businesses for pandemic-related expenses. For 21 days, grants will be given to businesses that didn’t receive relief in the form of a Paycheck Protection Program loan, an Economic Injury Disaster loan or an insurance payment. Administrators say that, in the program’s first 60 days, $40 million will go to businesses owned by women, minorities and veterans.
Click here to check eligibility.
Eligibility Requirements
- Domiciled in Louisiana as of March 1, 2020
- Suffered an interruption of business
- At least 50 percent owned by one or more Louisiana residents
- Filed Louisiana taxes in 2018 or 2019 or will file taxes in 2020
- Had no more than 50 full-time employees as of March 1, 2020
- Have customers or employees visit a physical location
- Are not part of a bigger business with more than 50 full-time workers
- Does not exist for the purpose of advancing partisan political activity and does not directly lobby federal or state officials
- Does not derive income from passive investments without active participation in business operations
For more information and to sign up for email alerts visit: https://www.louisianamainstreet.com/
Applicants must provide:
- Federal taxpayer identification number
- State taxpayer identification number
- Business legal name and authorized representative name, address, phone number and email address
- Date of formation/creation
- Business address, phone number and email address
- Industry category and business type
Eligible expenses are costs related to meeting public health requirements tied to COVID-19, including, but not limited to:
- Creating social distancing
- Cleaning and disinfecting
- Purchasing equipment to protect employees and/or customers (hand sanitizer, masks, gloves, thermometers, etc.)
- Contactless equipment (credit card readers, etc.)
- Expenses to facilitate teleworking (laptops, printers, scanners)
- Necessary reopening expenses (tents, outdoor tables)
- Signage pertaining to reopening or restructuring
- Installation of drive-through windows
- Business interruption costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to:
- Unemployment insurance costs
- Providing paid sick leave
- Inventory replacement (replacing spoiled food)
- Increased labor costs (hiring delivery drivers)
- Mortgage interest
- Rent
- Payroll
- Utilities
Ineligible expenses are:
- Lost profits or lost revenue
- Damages that have been or will be covered by insurance
- Costs that have been or will be reduced by any other federal or state program
- Severance pay
- Legal settlements
