500 nonprofits, small businesses seek pandemic grants in Westmoreland County

About 500 applications for Westmoreland County’s coronavirus-relief grants started being evaluated Monday, and the first awards from a pool of $10 million could be approved this week.

County commissioners last month announced the first phase of its grant program that uses $31.5 million in federal funds to assist small businesses, nonprofits and municipalities that lost revenue because of the pandemic. The initial funding round will award up to $5 million each to nonprofits and small business.

Jim Smith, president and chief operating officer for the Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland, said 375 small businesses and 125 nonprofits applied by the July 30 deadline. More than 200 applications came in on the last day, with dozens in the final hour.

“We expected there to be a rush at the end. I am kind of surprised a lot of nonprofits didn’t think they were eligible,” said Smith, whose organization is being paid $60,000 to review the submissions and assess the eligibility of applicants.

Grant criteria called for both businesses and nonprofits to be based in the county. Applicants had to demonstrate lost revenue because of the pandemic to qualify.

The program allows grants up to $25,000. Because fewer applications were received from nonprofits than expected, officials believe there will be money left over from the first round of funding.

Commissioner Doug Chew said he was disappointed with the submission totals.

“I would like to see a round two go a little bit further, since it became apparent a lot of people didn’t know about the first round,” he said.

Commissioner Gina Cerlli said she was pleased with the results. “That’s a great turnout, and we are looking forward to helping as many small businesses and nonprofits keep their doors open as possible,” she said.

Commissioner Sean Kertes said he expects the Economic Growth Connection in the coming days to issue recommendations about what applications will be approved. “We’d like to see awards start this week.”

Commissioners said another round of funding could come this summer to meet a federal mandate that the all the money be doled out by the end of December.

County leaders said the grant program will allocate a total of $10 million each to small businesses, nonprofits and to municipal and county government.