REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS
The City of West Park will receive applications for the Small Business Grant Program until 4:00 P.M. LOCAL TIME, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016. Qualified applicants will receive a maximum $5,000 grant.
Interested applicants may pick up grant applications at City Hall, 1965 South State Road 7, West Park, Florida, or download them from the home page of the City’s website at www.cityofwestpark.org.
Below is a brief description of the grant program.
The Mom and Pop Small Business Grant Program was created to provide financial and technical assistance to qualified small businesses that are approved for funding. This program has allowed small owned and operated businesses the opportunity to interact with local government under favorable conditions, ultimately bridging the gap between the two entities.
- The program provides financial assistance to further the economic viability of recipients.
Eligible uses of Funding:
- Inventory/Supplies Minor Interior/Exterior Renovations
- Businesses Equipment Security System
- Marketing/Advertising Commercial Liability Insurance
- Work Vehicle
- (Must be purchased and registered under business name and with business name and or logo permanently affixed to the vehicle)
Ineligible uses of Funding:
- Rent/Lease or Mortgage Local or State Licenses
- Rental Deposits Taxes
- Late Payment Fees Purchases of Alcohol, Tobacco or Medicine
- Salaries Utility Bills
Technical assistance is made available to small businesses in order to create a better working and business environment, and to promote economic development opportunities.
The grant package is only for the City of West Park.
GUIDELINES
The City of West Park is offering a “Mom and Pop” Small Business Grant to qualified businesses located in the City. All businesses must meet the following criteria in order to qualify:
- Be in business for the past two fiscal years (2013-2014 and 2014-2015).
- Provide a photocopy of your active State of Florida Corporation and/or Fictitious Name; a FEIN # must be listed on your State of Florida Sunbiz.org listing in Active status.
- Cannot have more than seven (7) full-time employees; two (2) part-time employees will count as 1 full-time employee. See EXHIBIT (A)
- Cannot be a part of a national chain.
- Have no more than two (2) businesses.
- Submit photocopies for the current year and past TWO fiscal years (2013-2014 and 2014-2015) of the City of West Park Business Tax License and Broward County Business Tax License at the time of application. The business name on the application must match the name on the license.
- A physical address is required. A P.O. Box as a mailing address is NOT acceptable.
- All businesses applying must be located within the City of West Park.
- Home-based businesses may apply (ONLY for inventory/supplies, business equipment and marketing/advertising).
- A business owner can only submit one application per funding cycle.
- Non-profit agencies are not eligible.
- The gross income for eligibility must be $250,000.00 or less.
- Submit income tax returns for past TWO fiscal years. (Please remove any and all Social Security Numbers before submitting applications).
- If businesses relocate out of the City during the application process, award and payment processing of the grant will be disqualified.
- The business or owner must not have outstanding debt, open permits, or code violations with the City of West Park. Please submit fully executed and notarized Exhibit “B” as property owner’s certification sheet.
- Application must be typed or printed only. If the application is not legible, it will automatically be disqualified.
- Describe how the funding requested will provide economic viability to the business. Use sheet provided as Exhibit “C”.
- Applicants must sign and submit all requested documents. Incomplete applications will not be considered and will automatically be disqualified.
- Must provide picture of business location (building, office, and/or work vehicle).
- Applications will not be accepted after the deadline.
- Cure Period: For incomplete applications, applicants will be allowed 48 hours from the time notified to submit any document(s) to fully complete the application. Applications submitted after this cure period may deem the application disqualified.
- Preference Criteria (Bonus Points): As part of application evaluation criteria, bonus points will be awarded to applicant(s) with satisfactory proof of qualifying for the following preference criteria:
A) City of West Park resident(s) own the business or is/are employed by the business, or
B) The Business is located along one of the following major transit corridors within the City limits:
– Pembroke Road
– State Road 7 (Federal Highway 441)
– Hallandale Beach Boulevard
