The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announced that it has completed the lottery drawing for the Small Business Relief Grant Program. The program will award $10,000 grants to small businesses that have suffered as a result of COVID-19.
More than 27,400 individual businesses applied for the grant. 35% of all applicants were women-owned businesses, 20 percent minority-owned businesses, 5% veteran-owned, and 70% were businesses with 6 or fewer employees.
Winners were chosen by a randomized selection process, with assistance from the Minnesota Lottery and Minnesota Management and Budget to help ensure accuracy. The grants may be used for working capital to support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payment, utility bills, and similar expenses that have occurred since March 1st, 2020. Winning businesses will be contacted directly by the non-profit charged with administering their grant.
