Westmoreland hospitality grants capped at $20,000

Westmoreland County will cap grants awarded this spring to local restaurants, taverns and hotels at $20,000.

Grants were authorized as part of a $145 million state program approved last month to assist the hospitality industry. County commissioners said Thursday the grant application process is expected to begin within two weeks through a special portal under construction on the county’s website.

The county has $3.95 million as its portion of the program and expects to award up to 200 grants on a first-come, first-served basis to businesses that experienced lost revenue in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

State guidelines allowed for grants to be capped at $50,000, but commissioners said the smaller awards will enable more local businesses to receive funding.

“We want to give money to as many businesses as we can,” Commissioner Sean Kertes said.

Officials believe about 1,200 businesses in the county are eligible for grants.

Details of the program are being finalized, but state guidelines require that counties must begin accepting applications by March 15.

“Everybody knows the grants are needed, and I do anticipate there will be a big turnout for this,” Commissioner Gina Cerilli said.

Priority will be given to businesses in economically distressed communities and to those that have not received any prior state or federal assistance related to the pandemic.

Eligible businesses are those with less than 300 employees and have a net worth of less than $15 million, were open as of Feb. 15, 2020, and intend to remain open for at least a year after applying for the grant, according to state guidelines.

Commissioners appointed the Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland to collect and review grant applications to meet a state requirement that a third party is used to oversee the program. The agency will be paid up to $500 for each application it reviews or approves, with the final compensation package still being negotiated, officials said. The fee structure is part of the state requirements.