American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)ARPA Small Business Grants

ARPA Small Business Grants

Grant Applications Open Now

Small Business Recovery Grants

Intended Applicants:  Eligible small businesses
Subrecipient Program Administrator: Scranton Area Community Foundation (SACF)
Amount of Funding Available for Subrecipient Award:  $3,000,000 total, shared with wage supplement grants depending on the amount of applications received
Types of Awards:  Beneficiary awards
Award Amounts Available: Up to $25,000 or to an amount of need that may be clearly demonstrated by applicants.
Round One of Applications Closes On: November 14, 2022
Round Two of Applications Closes On: January 31, 2023
To Apply: Click here to access the Scranton Area Community Foundation grant portal

Download the Guidance on Small Business Recovery and Wage Boost Grants (PDF)

In accordance with the Scranton ARPA mission, the city is seeking applications for Small Business grant funding. Awards are available to businesses that have not received pandemic-related funding from other sources and were in business prior to March 3, 2020.

Funding may be applied for and used to support eligible small businesses impacted by the pandemic to mitigate financial hardships including, but not limited to:

  • decreased revenue or gross receipts
  • increased costs
  • financial insecurity
  • capacity to withstand future financial hardship
  • challenges covering other costs
  • ability to retain employees
  • mortgage, rent or utilities, and other operating costs
  • mitigation for social distancing, cleaning, barriers, and other health and safety investment/upgrades

Funding for financial hardship will only be made available up to a percentage of the business’ previous fiscal year’s revenue to be determined.

In addition, funding can be used for business development (e.g., ecommerce sites, marketing, new lines, or new buildouts).

Funding applications may also be submitted for eligible capital expenditures.  To be eligible, capital expenditures must be detailed in the application and must directly respond to the pandemic and be proportional to the demonstrated impact.  They must also serve or provide benefits to City residents.

Wage Boost Grants

Intended Applicants:  Eligible small businesses
Subrecipient Program Administrator: Scranton Area Community Foundation (SACF)
Amount of Funding Available for Subrecipient Award:  $3,000,000 total, shared with small business grants depending on the amount of applications received
Types of Awards:  Beneficiary Awards
Award Amounts Available: Up to $50,000 for up to two (2) years, or to an amount of need that may be clearly demonstrated by applicants.
Round One of Applications Closes On: November 14, 2022
Round Two of Applications Closes On: January 31, 2023
To Apply: Click here to access the Scranton Area Community Foundation grant portal

Download the Guidance on Small Business Recovery and Wage Boost Grants (PDF)

In accordance with the Scranton ARPA mission, the city is seeking applications for Small Business Wage Supplement (employee retention) grant funding. Awards are available to businesses to help increase their workforce through subsidizing higher wages.

Business Start-Up or Expansion Funding

Intended Applicants:  Eligible small businesses
Types of Awards:  Beneficiary Awards
Total funding available: $1,250,000
Award Amounts Available: Awards are available up to 25% of the total startup or expansion costs with a $100,000 maximum
Applications Close On: October 31, 2023
Click here to apply through Neighborly
Download Business Start-Up or Expansion Guidance – Updated November 2022 (PDF)
View an interactive map to see if your business is in the Qualified Census Tract

In accordance with the Scranton ARPA mission, the city is seeking applications for Business Start Up or Expansion funding. Awards are available to assist businesses and entrepreneurs to develop startups or an expansion of a business in the city. Businesses had to open after March 3, 2021.

Costs may include, operations, mitigation for social distancing, cleaning, barriers, and other health and safety investment/upgrades.

In addition, funding can be used for business development (e.g., websites, technology, marketing, new lines of business, or new buildouts).

Franchises are not eligible.

Business Facade Improvements

Intended Applicants:  Eligible small businesses
Types of Awards:  Beneficiary Awards
Total funding available: $500,000
Award Amounts Available: Awards are available for up to $10,000 with a 25% match required by applicants. If multiple small businesses share the same facade, they can submit a joint application for up to $20,000 with the same 25% match.
Applications Close On: September 20, 2023
Application Information: Applications will initially be received by partner organizations based on the area in which a business is located.

Download Business Facade program guidance (PDF)
View an interactive map to see which organization you’ll apply through in the Qualified Census Tract

In accordance with the Scranton ARPA mission, the city is seeking applications for Façade Improvement funding for disproportionately impacted small businesses. The city will partner with local non-profits; Scranton Tomorrow, NeighborWorks, and United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA to administer this program.

Funding may be applied for and used to improve storefronts and facades including major maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, preservation, and restoration activities per the outlined eligible uses below. The City’s ARPA mission is to provide an incentive for private investment in exterior property improvements to small business commercial buildings located within the city limits.

Other Grant Applications

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