Providence Reporter

City of East Providence recently issued the following announcement.

The City of East Providence has been selected by the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation as a “Take it Outside” grant awardee.

The funds will enable the City to provide up to $10,000 in grant funding to East Providence small businesses that are working to take business services outside during the pandemic.

“We are grateful to Gov. Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation for granting us this award,” Mayor DaSilva said. “These funds will assist our East Providence small businesses with the necessary funds to obtain goods or services to increase outdoor opportunities for both the small businesses and our residents.”

The businesses may apply and use the funds to purchase chairs, tables, heat lamps, tents, outdoor Wi-Fi systems, masks, hand sanitizer, staffing, security, insurance costs related to specific outdoor activities, lighting, power sources, relevant signage, bike racks, and other costs for purchasing or obtaining goods or services that, in the sole discretion of the City, are deemed necessary to increase outdoor opportunities for impacted small businesses. Businesses may apply beginning May 2022.

Of the full $150,000 grant funding, 20 percent will be allocated to businesses in the following categories: Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)-owned businesses, Women Business Enterprise (WBE)-owned businesses, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)-owned businesses.

In response to the impact on small businesses, the City applied for the funds through a competitive process seeking more than $4.8 million in grant funding. East Providence businesses interested in the grant support should: APPLY for the Take it Outside 2022 Grant

 Read more about Governor McKee’s Rhode Island Rebound – Take it Outside announcement here: https://eastprovidenceri.gov/news-announcements/planning-economic-develo...

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City of East Providence Take It Outside Business Assistance Grant Program

Governor Dan McKee announced approximately $4.8 million in awards that will enable eligible small businesses to expand their capacity to do business outdoors. Funded through Governor McKee’s Rhode Island Rebounds initiative, the Take It Outside program will fund 21 intermediary organizations to support outdoor activities for small businesses. The City of East Providence is a grantee of the initiative and was awarded up to $150,000 in grant funds to disburse funding to small businesses for eligible outdoor accommodations, increasing foot traffic to business corridors and retaining small businesses.

Through the implementation of the Take it Outside Program, the City of East Providence is responding to the public health emergency, working to stimulate the local economy by assisting small businesses that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This form/application is for the use of eligible East Providence businesses in applying for grant funding to create or expand upon outdoor services associated with a variety of business service activities within the City including: the cost of purchasing, obtaining, delivering, or installing, or otherwise enabling the use of the following: chairs, tables, heat lamps, tents, outdoor Wi-Fi systems, masks, hand sanitizer, staffing, security, insurance costs related to specific outdoor activities, lighting, power sources, relevant signage, bike racks, and other costs for purchasing or obtaining goods or services that, in the sole discretion of the City, are deemed necessary to increase outdoor opportunities for impacted small businesses. Of the full $150,000 grant funding, 20 percent will be allocated to businesses in the following categories: Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)-owned businesses, Women Business Enterprise (WBE)-owned businesses, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)-owned businesses.

The maximum reimbursable amount allowed per request is $10,000. Please note that appropriate permits from the City of East Providence may be required if there are initiatives to create a new outdoor seating areas or other activities that may be subject to the review and approval by the City as a means of protecting public safety. These approvals may include permits issued by the City Fire Marshal and any additional permits that would need to be issued by the City’s Building Inspection Division. The City will coordinate with approved applicants to ensure that they are aware of all the approvals that will be needed for their requested supplies.

Establishments must meet the following criteria to be eligible for funding:

• Must be a business located within the City of East Providence.

• Must have a location that can safely accommodate the described layout subject to the approval of the City.

• Must plan to utilize the requested supplies starting in May 2022.

Submittal Requirements:

Applicants must complete the attached Application Form below including the Budget Sheet, must submit a W-9 form, along with photos and/or diagrams of the current area without improvements and a diagram of the proposed outdoor arrangement. Once installed the City Building Official and Fire Marshall will certify the installation for overall safety and compliance with appropriate City regulations.

The City reserves the right to deny or reduce the amount approved for any line item in the budget.

Applicants are welcome to submit additional attachments including letters of support, etc.

All establishments that receive grant funding approval through this program are required to complete a “Project Evaluation Form” prior to December 31st, 2022. The City will contact each establishment that receives funding in late November with the link to the evaluation form and instructions on filling the evaluation form out.

The City reserves the right to contact applicants and suppliers for clarification or additional information on their application. The City reserves the right to partially fund requests. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis but the City encourages applicants to return applications as soon as possible in order to be considered for funding. Funding for this program is limited.

Based on the City’s agreement with the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, business applicants are eligible for reimbursement of eligible expenses as described within this application packet and further described as follows:

The Grantee (City of East Providence) may utilize the Grant to provide eligible East Providence businesses with a cash reimbursement for the purchase of items listed on the approved Grant Agreement Budget of eligible materials.  The City may provide cash reimbursement to East Providence businesses so long as: (a) The business is a restaurant, bar, outdoor entertainment venue,  or other business as approved in writing by the City in its sole discretion; (b) The business has submitted to the City reasonably sufficient evidence of the purchase of the item(s) for which the business seeks reimbursement, including, but not limited to, a receipt, an invoice, a bank statement showing the purchase, or a bill of sale; and (c) The business complete the Attestation in the form set forth as Exhibit A (as attached to this application).

Original source can be found here.