The New Jersey Financial Growth Authority (NJEDA) at present introduced that purposes are open for Maintain and Serve NJ, a $2 million grant program that may present funding to organizations to buy meals from New Jersey-based eating places which have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Extra data and this system software can be found at https://enterprise.nj.gov/covid/eligibility-for-sustain-and-serve. Purposes are due by January 8, 2021.
Whereas eating places might indirectly apply for Maintain and Serve NJ grants, eating places considering offering meals by means of this system might choose to have their data posted publicly on the NJ COVID-19 Enterprise Info Hub by finishing the Maintain and Serve NJ Restaurant Curiosity Kind out there at https://types.enterprise.nj.gov/ssnj/eating places/curiosity/.
“The NJEDA’s COVID-19 reduction efforts have prioritized supporting industries and communities which have been essentially the most severely impacted by the pandemic. We all know the restaurant trade has been hit notably exhausting, and we’re dedicated to making sure eating places have the sources they should keep in enterprise whereas holding their workers and clients protected,” stated NJEDA Chief Govt Officer Tim Sullivan. “Part 3 of the Small Enterprise Emergency Help Grant Program dedicated greater than $35 million in focused funding to eating places. Now Maintain and Serve NJ builds on that with extra reduction for our restaurant sector. That is essential to making sure New Jersey’s communities and economic system stand up to the pandemic and are in a robust place to get better.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit eating places more durable than nearly some other trade. With out help, 37 % of New Jersey restaurant house owners predict they must shut within the subsequent six months. To help eating places impacted by the pandemic, Maintain and Serve NJ makes as much as $2 million of funding from the NJEDA Financial Restoration Fund out there to organizations in New Jersey. Eligible organizations will obtain grants of not less than $100,000 for bulk purchases of meals from New Jersey-based eating places.
This system is open to entities which might be legally registered to do enterprise in New Jersey and are in good standing with the New Jersey Division of Labor and the New Jersey Division of Taxation, together with 501(c) non-profit organizations. Grant candidates can be required to reveal prior bulk purchases of three,000 or extra meals valued at $50,000 or extra from New Jersey-based eating places since March 9, 2020.
Along with assembly these necessities, candidates might want to determine the restaurant or eating places from which they are going to be buying meals. To obtain funding, taking part eating places will need to have 50 or fewer workers; keep a bodily business location in New Jersey; be legally registered to do enterprise in New Jersey; be in good standing with the New Jersey Division of Labor, New Jersey Division of Taxation, and (the place relevant) the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Management; and possess legitimate certification from municipal or county authorities inspection displaying a present ranking of Passable per the New Jersey Retail Meals Institution Ranking system. Eating places may also need to certify that they had been in operation on or earlier than February 15, 2020, and element how their enterprise has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Purposes for Maintain and Serve NJ grants are due by January 8th, 2021. Eating places might indirectly apply for grants, however might categorical curiosity in this system and have their data posted publicly by finishing the Maintain and Serve NJ Restaurant Curiosity Kind. Candidates can confer with the checklist of eating places which have expressed curiosity when deciding the place to buy meals. Inclusion on this checklist will not be an endorsement from NJEDA as to eligibility and candidates are strongly suggested to train due diligence when deciding on taking part eating places.
Grant funding awarded by means of the Maintain and Serve NJ Program can be restricted to bills associated to the direct price of buying meals, as decided by taking part restaurant(s). This price might embrace the restaurant’s price of meals and elements, labor, packaging, amenities, and revenue margin. Gross sales tax and gratuity can’t be paid for utilizing grant funds. Reimbursement can be capped at $10 per meal. No different expense incurred by the grantee, whether or not in help of the meal buy from the restaurant or in any other case, is eligible. Grant funding can solely be used to help bills incurred between the date of grant execution and April 30, 2021.
Along with Maintain and Serve NJ, the NJEDA administers quite a lot of grant, low-cost financing, and technical help packages for small and mid-sized companies impacted by COVID-19, together with $35 million of focused grant funding for eating places by means of Part 3 of the Authority’s Small Enterprise Emergency Help Grant Program. Complete details about these packages and different State help for companies impacted by the pandemic is obtainable at https://cv.enterprise.nj.gov.
Concerning the New Jersey Financial Growth Authority
The New Jersey Financial Growth Authority (NJEDA) serves because the State’s principal company for driving financial progress. The NJEDA is dedicated to creating New Jersey a nationwide mannequin for inclusive and sustainable financial improvement by specializing in key methods to assist construct sturdy and dynamic communities, create good jobs for New Jersey residents, and supply pathways to a stronger and fairer economic system. By way of partnerships with a various vary of stakeholders, the NJEDA creates and implements initiatives to reinforce the financial vitality and high quality of life within the State and strengthen New Jersey’s long-term financial competitiveness.
To study extra about NJEDA sources for companies name NJEDA Buyer Care at 609-858-6767 or go to https://www.njeda.com and observe @NewJerseyEDA on Fb, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.