By Lee Allphin, Employer Advantage Founder and Chairman of the Board
We wanted to ensure Missouri Employers are aware of the grant program the state recently introduced to help small businesses struggling with the impacts of COVID-19.
A relatively unknown provision of the CARES Act exists to provide additional funding to states so they can provide relief for state-specific business entities. Many small Missouri businesses, including some family farming operations, that have been ineligible for other elements of the CARES Act could now be eligible for $72 million dollars in additional grants.
In announcing the availability of these funds, Governor Parsons said, “The COVID-19 crisis has severely impacted Missouri businesses. However, this challenge has not stopped them from stepping up and finding new ways to serve Missourians. This virus isn’t going away, and we have to protect both the lives and the livelihoods of Missouri workers, families, and children.”
Employer Advantage is assisting clients around the country in navigating the Coronavirus pandemic. Please contact us if you would like assistance with this or any other Employee Administration and Compliance responsibilities: Info@EmployerAdvantage.com | 800.467.3909
Overview of the Three Separate Programs
- $30 Million Small Business (SB) Grant Program. The SB program is available to for-profit businesses and family-owned farms that employ 50 or fewer employees.
- $20 Million Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Retooling Grant Program. The PPE Production Grant Program is designed to increase production of personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to help contain the spread of COVID-19.
- $22 Million Nonprofit Relief and Recovery (NRR) Grant. The NRR Grant program is designed to support nonprofits in meeting critical and emergent needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and to help these organizations maintain their operations despite lower than average donations due to the pandemic.
Eligible Costs Could Include:
- Costs associated with business interruption caused by required closures in connection with the COVID-19 public health emergency; this would especially apply to hard-hit industries like restaurants, childcare, etc.
- Unemployment insurance costs related to the COVID-19 public health emergency, if such costs will not be reimbursed by the federal government pursuant to the CARES Act or otherwise.
- Costs to facilitate livestock depopulation incurred by producers due to supply chain disruptions, to the extent these efforts are deemed necessary for public health reasons or as a form of economic support as a result of the COVID-19 health emergency.
Eligible Expense Examples:
(Expenses are implied but not expressly provided for and may be subject to a future ineligible determination.)
- Hazard pay for direct healthcare workers
- Additional salaries paid in excess of normal hours for COVID-specific sanitization
- Facility redesign and labor for redesign
- Leasing additional space for social distancing
- Air filtration systems
- One-time inventory replacement if business had to close or sales decreased
- Costs needed to make the business resilient as a result of COVID-19 (examples: equipment to do different or more electronic work, PPE, prescreening equipment for employees to work
- Increase to solid waste disposal as it relates to disposal of used PPE
- Overhead that had to be paid while the business was closed or sales decreased
- Salaries of workers during closure or reduced hours
- Website design to do e-commerce
See our other helpful blog…THE ESSENTIAL COVID-19 TOOLBOX FOR EMPLOYERS
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A New Path to HR Bliss – Trusted for more than 30 years, Employer Advantage frees you from the administrative and compliance burdens of having employees so you can focus on your business success. Versatile enough for companies of all sizes, our unique service combines comprehensive management of your employee administration and compliance with the latest software solutions, tailored to meet your individual needs and company culture. Our full-service management of HR, payroll, health and benefits, workplace safety, and more, enhances your profitability while reducing the costs and risks associated with employment law compliance. We provide your employees with top-notch assistance and benefits that help you increase productivity, save time and money, and attract and retain a talented workforce. And for small and mid-sized businesses, we bring you economy of scale with access to Fortune-500-level benefits, specialty assistance, and savings that would not be possible to attain on your own. Headquartered in the Midwest and serving more than 400 companies and 10,000 worksite employees throughout the country, Employer Advantage is an IRS-Certified Professional Employer Organization (PEO) (C-PEO). Experienced, certified, and trusted. www.EmployerAdvantage.com
