Grant programs available for small businesses

Martin County has about $5 million in federal CARES Act dollars to distribute.

AND MANY SMALL BUSINESSES HAVEBEEN DEVASTATED BY THEPANDEMIC.

NOW "CARES AC”FUNDING IS BEING MADEAVAILABLE ON THE TREASURECOAST TO THOSE SMALLBUSINESSES THAT NEED HELP.WPTV NEWSCHANNEL 5SHAINMAN IS IN STUART WITHTHIS STORY.< (NAT) CAROLINE WESTERVELTAND BILL ROSTOCK STARTEDTREASURE COAST RIVER CRUISESTO PROVIDE A DIFFERENT VIEW OFPARADISE.

("IT'S TO GIVEPEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GETOUT AND SEE THE AREA IN A WAYTHEY WOULDN'T NORMALLY SEEIT." ) THEY OPENED FORBUSINESS MARCH 7TH, WEREFORCED TO CLOSE MARCH 17TH&AND ONLY REOPENED ON MEMORIALDAY.

("WE HAVE PLENTY OF ROOMFOR SOCIAL DISTANCING BETWEENTHE CREW AND THE PASSENGERS.IT'S OPEN AIR.") WITH MONTHSIDLE& WESTERVELT RECENTLYAPPLIED FOR A GRANT THROUGHTHE MARTIN COUNTY BUSINESSRENEWAL PROGRAM.

(WE HAD TOMAKE A BOAT PAYMENT AND THEREWAS NO MONEY COMING IN& OR THEBOAT INSURANCE OR THETELEPHONE BILL.

FOR THOSE KINDOF THINGS TO COVER THOSE KINDOF THINGS.") THE COUNTY HASABOUT 5 MILLION DOLLARS INFEDERAL CARES ACT DOLLARS TODISTRIBUTE.

(GEORGE STOKUS/MCASST.

CTY ADMINISTRATOR "WEESTIMATE WE HAVE HALF AMILLION TO THREE QUARTER OF AMILLION IN REQUESTS ALREADY.")ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATORGEORGE STOKUS SAYS THE FUNDSARE FOR REIMBURSEMENT ONEXPENDITURES, NOT REVENUES.("PROBABLY THE MOST PREVALENTTODAY IS THE MORTGAGES ORLEASES OR THE RENTS THAT AREDUE.") (PETE TESCH/PRES.

EDCOF SLC "WE VIEW THIS AS A SHOTIN THE ARM IF YOU WILL.") PETETESCH, PRESIDENT OF THEECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCILOF ST.

LUCIE COUNTY, SAYS THESMALLEST BUSINESSES CANBENEFIT FROM THE 3- MILLIONDOLLARS AVAILABLE THERE.

(PETETESCH/PRES.

EDC OF SLC :"IT'SALL ABOUT JOBS AND KEEPING THECOMMUNITY AND THE ECONOMYWORKING HARD AND AFLOAT.")AFLOAT, IS WHAT CAROLINEWESTERVELT IS HOPING TO STAY.(CAROLINE WESTERVELT "IT'SHARD TO WRITE OUT A CHECK WHENTHERE'S NOTHING COMING IN." )(STAND CLOSE "THESE SMALL BIZGRANT PROGRAMS ARE IN EFFECTTHROUGHOUT THE TC AND OKEECOUNTY.

GRANT LEVELS ANDELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTSDIFFER FROM COUNTY TO COUNTY.IN PBC, THE INITIAL GRANTAPPLICATION PROCESS HAS BEENCOMPLETED.

IN STUART, JS WPTVNC 5.")TO FIND A LIST OF THE OTHERLOCAL CITIES AND COUNTIESOFFERING FINANCIAL RELIEF TOSMALL BSUINESSES OWNERS..

HEADTO WPTV DOT COM SLASH REBOUND.WE ARE F