$155 Million in Business Assistance Programs

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today announced the launch of four grant programs to help small and medium-sized businesses recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“These four new grant programs will help industries that experienced losses over the last year because of the pandemic,” said Governor DeWine. “Ohio’s economy is moving forward, and with new grant programs like the ones we are announcing today, we are optimistic that our economy will only continue to grow stronger from here.”

The programs will provide $155 million in grant funding to businesses that opened in 2020, food and beverage establishments, entertainment venues, and lodging venues. The funds were made available by the Ohio General Assembly as part of Senate Bill 108 and Senate Bill 109, both of which Governor DeWine signed into law in May. 

All four programs will be administered by the Ohio Development Services Agency (Development). Program guidelines, terms and conditions, and required documentation for all four programs are available now at BusinessHelp.Ohio.Gov. The applications will open on Tuesday, June 29, 2021.

“The focus of this funding is primarily on Ohio-owned, small businesses that are important contributors to their local economy and the quality of life for the people who live there,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “The grants will help these businesses buy equipment, hire more employees and make needed updates to their facilities, so they, and the communities they serve, can recover faster.”