Business Assistance

The South Florida Regional Planning Council is working with the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration to provide low-interest loans to small- and medium-sized businesses in South Florida.

For more information, email Senior Loan Officer Jeff Tart or Revolving Loan Specialist Alisha Lopez.

Through CareerSource South Florida's Layoff Aversion Fund, small businesses and community-based organizations facing financial impacts and potential layoffs from COVID-19 can apply for up to $10,000 in grants to prevent potential layoffs or minimize the duration of unemployment resulting from layoffs due to the pandemic.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 305-594-7615, ext. 1526.

Governor Ron DeSantis activated the Business Damage Assessment Survey to assess the impacts of business closures and begin implementing appropriate relief programs for such local businesses.

Local businesses can complete the survey online through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity's website. Results from the survey will be shared with state agencies and local partners to ensure that the state can access federal and state resources to the maximum extent possible to assist businesses impacted by COVID-19.

Data collected from County businesses will be critical to designing the most effective response to assisting businesses impacted by COVID-19 in Miami-Dade County.

• Read the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners resolution passed on April 7

The Veteran Business Grant Program is now closed for new applications.

Veterans who own businesses and have experienced financial hardships due to COVID-19 are eligible to apply for assistance as part of a $5 million Veteran Business Grant Program fund.

Funding received will be calculated based on individual percentages of eligible costs incurred, with a maximum award of $25,000.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 305-375-3111.

The Defense for Tots Box aid program is now closed for new applications.

The Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners approved $3 million in CARES Act relief funds for the purchase of COVID-19 preventative equipment to be distributed to eligible childcare providers located in unincorporated Miami-Dade County.

The Miami-Dade County Defense for Tots Box aids providers in complying with the guidelines established by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention and protects childcare staff and Miami-Dade’s youngest citizens.

The Defense for Tots Box includes one handheld electrostatic sprayer (used to disinfect high touch areas), a supply of disinfectant for the electrostatic sprayer, and one free standing temperature screening system.

Miami-Dade County has identified and invited 759 eligible childcare providers located in unincorporated Miami-Dade County to apply for a Defense for Tots Box. See the list of childcare providers eligible to apply.

For more information, email [email protected].

The grant program to support nonprofits is now closed for new applications.

The Miami Foundation, in partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Housing and Community Development Department, is offering one-time relief grants to qualifying nonprofits affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19).

This $10 million in funding is made possible from federal coronavirus relief funds and must be used to cover employee payroll, business interruption costs, reopening and other expenses related to COVID-19.

For questions about this grant program, email [email protected].

Read the press release.

The Hospitality Industry Grant Program is now closed for new applications.

The Hospitality Industry Grant (HIG) Program consists of a $30 million fund to provide financial assistance to local independently owned and operated restaurants and non-home-based caterers affected by COVID-19.

Priority will be given to businesses that have not been approved or received funds from any institution under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan or other federal or state assisted business loan program and have a single establishment.

The program will be calculated based on individual percentages of eligible costs incurred, with a maximum award of $25,000 per establishment. The program will award grants to a maximum of two establishments per restaurant/hospitality group. Priority will be given to applicants that have a single establishment. If an applicant has two or more establishments and requests assistance for both, then a single application must be submitted.

• Read the news release

The Miami-Dade Arts Support Program is now closed for new applications.

Funded with $10 million from the federal CARES Act, the Miami-Dade Arts Support (MAS) Program aims to provide financial assistance to arts and cultural organizations and artist-entrepreneurs to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

Miami-Dade County’s Department of Cultural Affairs is hosting webinars for cultural organizations to learn the application and submission process. See the workshop schedule, grant program guidelines and the application by visiting the Miami-Dade Arts Support Action Center webpage.

Grants for Artists: Individual artists, creatives, and cultural gig workers who were negatively impacted by COVID-19 and had not already received support from the Miami-Dade Artists Support! (MAS!) Program had previously been eligible for a $500 grant.

• Read the news release

The South Beach Wine & Food Festival and FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund Program is now closed for new applications.

Caterers and employees of independently owned restaurants and bars in Miami-Dade County affected by the COVID-19 pandemic can apply for a grant as part of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund.

Up to $500 will be made available to each qualifying employee, with a maximum of $15,000 per individual establishment and a maximum of two establishments per restaurant/hospitality group.

The Small Business Assistance Forgivable Loan Program is now closed for new applications.

The Small Business Assistance Forgivable Loan Program, consisting of $5 million in federal CARES Act funds, provides loans of up to $25,000 with zero percent interest and no origination fees.

Businesses must have no more than 25 employees, provide some evidence of being affected by COVID-19, and not previously having received assistance from other special COVID-19 programs, such as the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

For more information:

• Partners for Self-Employment
  305-438-1407
  Email: [email protected]
  
  
• Tools for Change
  305-200-5568
  Email: [email protected]
  
  
• Read the news release

The Taxicab, Jitney and Limousine Driver Emergency Fund Program is now closed for new applications.

For-hire drivers can apply online for financial assistance.

Miami-Dade County taxicab, jitney, and limousine drivers with a valid chauffeur’s registration as of March 1, 2020 who have been impacted by novel coronavirus (COVID-19) may be eligible to receive financial assistance from the Emergency Fund Program (EFP) that comes from $10 million from the federal CARES Act.

Priority will be given to licensed for-hire drivers who have NOT been approved or received funds from any institution under the Paycheck Protection Program Loan (PPP) or other federal or state assisted business loan program.

The $10 million from the program will be distributed based on individual percentages of eligible costs incurred, with a maximum award of $5,000 per driver, based on program updates made Oct. 28, 2020. Each licensed taxicab, jitney, and limousine driver who submits a new application or has already applied will receive a $550 basic needs grant.

The application is available in English, Spanish and Creole.

These funds can provide relief for COVID-19 impacts by covering eligible expenses in four categories:

• Reimbursable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) costs
• Reimbursable vehicle operation expenses
• Reimbursable business expenses needed to keep the business operational
• Reimbursable rent or mortgage

These eligible costs must occur between March 1, 2020 and Dec. 30, 2020 and all fund allocations will need to be substantiated by documentation provided by the applicant.

For questions regarding the EFP or the application process, please contact the Passenger Transportation Regulatory Division at [email protected].

• Read the news release