Applications Open For Hillsborough County Business Relief Aid

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — As Hillsborough County’s small businesses redesign their spaces and business models to confront the disruption caused by the coronavirus, Hillsborough is offering financial relief to help business owners restart their businesses.

Small business owners throughout Hillsborough County who were forced to close during the coronavirus pandemic will be able to apply for more than $100 million in relief money beginning Monday, July 13, as the county’s Rapid Response Recovery Program (R3) enters application Phase 2.

Hillsborough County’s R3 program is designed to maximize the impact of the federal CARES Act funding. The initiative has created programs to quickly inject strategic funding that can do the most economic good in the fastest timeframe, target communities in the greatest need and simplify the application process for businesses.

During Phase 2 of the program, business can qualify for funding from one of three different programs:

• Kickstart Small Business - up to $10,000 in working capital for businesses with up to $1 million in annual revenue
• Back to Work - up to $2,000 per employee in payroll incentives to hire or rehire workers for businesses with up to $5 million in annual revenue
• Safe at Work - up to $10,000 matching reimbursement for the cost of qualifying workplace improvements directly related to mitigating the spread of the coronavirus for businesses with up to $5 million in annual revenue

• Businesses located anywhere in Hillsborough County
• Businesses deemed nonessential or forced to close by government orders
• Reopened small businesses
• Businesses with less than $1 million in annual revenue for the Kickstart Small Business and less than $5 million in annual revenue for the Back to Work and Safe at Work programs

Residents also can call Hillsborough County Economic Recovery Financial Assistance Support Line at (888) 393-7509 weekdays between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The first phase of applications for businesses in economically distressed areas opened on June 30. Money is set aside for businesses in each phase of the R3 rollout, so businesses outside these areas will still have an opportunity to apply.

The third phase will begin in about two weeks. The Kickstart Small Business program will be available to all qualifying Hillsborough County businesses with revenue under $3 million.

Businesses applying for the Back to Work and Safe at Work money with annual revenue of less than $20 million can apply.

See related stories:

• $15 Million In Hillsborough Coronavirus Aid Dispersed In 3 Days
• Hillsborough County R3 Program Portal Open For Business Owners
• COVID-19 Recovery Assistance Available For Small Businesses