The 2021 Impacted Small Business Catalyst Grant was created during the 2021 Legislative General Session. The purpose of the grant is to assist small businesses, nonprofits, and organizations that experienced 1) a high level of revenue decline in a consecutive four-month period in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, or 2) began operations after Jan. 1, 2020, and can demonstrate the effects of COVID‐19 on the business and 3) provide evidence of continuing solvency.

Applications are now closed.

Reopened: Feb. 3, 2023
Closed: Feb. 9, 2023

This $10-million program may award grants to Utah-based businesses to implement strategic and innovative solutions that address air quality or water conservation.

Of the remaining funding of approximately $1-million, only water projects that will reduce dependence on Great Salt Lake will be considered.

The COVID-19 Commercial Rental Assistance Program was created on April 30, 2020, when former Gov. Herbert signed S.B. 3006 and was been modified during both the 4th (SB5005) and 5th special sessions (SB6009).

Known as ComRent, it provided rental relief to Utah small businesses that lost revenue due to measures taken during the pandemic to minimize the public’s exposure to COVID-19. The program provided up to $5,000 per month, per location and up to three months of assistance.

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This $16.5 million initiative, called “Learn & Work In Utah,” provides training for workers displaced due to COVID-19 by funding Go Utah’s Utah Works program within Talent Ready Utah. This initiative includes support for the Utah System of Higher Education’s Custom Fit program and several other workforce training programs to provide education and training to displaced workers. Talent Ready Utah and the Utah System of Higher Education are responsible for “Learn & Work In Utah.”

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The COVID-19 Impacted Businesses Grant Program, known as Shop In Utah, was a grant program to help support businesses and provide discounts to consumers.

The initiative was funded with $64 million in federal CARES Act monies. In the Utah Legislature’s August special session, the Legislature increased its initial $25 million for Shop In Utah funding to $55 million, and $7 million was transferred from ComRent to Shop In Utah.

Shop In Utah was one way the state supported businesses and encouraged Utahns to engage with local businesses.

The COVID-19 Live Events grant provides $3 million to help Utah’s live events industry. Qualifying businesses that have lost revenue due to the public health emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic are eligible to participate in this grant program.

The COVID-19 PPE Support Grant Program, known as ‘Safe In Utah,’ was a $2.7 million grant program to help businesses keep employees and customers safe.

Safe In Utah used federal CARES Act funds as part of Utah’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. It provided grants for a business’s COVID-19 response that consists of the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE), implementation of workplace redesigns, additional signage, new technology solutions for distance working, and other items to comply with COVID-19 public health guidelines on safely returning employees to work.

Go Utah, at the Legislature’s request, administered the program.

Opened: July 26, 2022
Closed: August 4, 2022

Up to a $200,000 grant to help Utah businesses that promote and support economic opportunity and provide a service related to industry, education, community development, or infrastructure

Opens: June 14, 2022, at 9 a.m.
Closed: Dec. 31, 2022, at 5 p.m.

A $4.5 million grant to help Utah-based event equipment or service providers negatively impacted by COVID-19

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Opened: Sept. 27, 2022
Closed: Oct. 4, 2022

The Local Matching Grant provides up to $1 million in matching funding for municipality housing and water projects.

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A $35 million initiative to create incentives for land-use authorities to redevelop and rezone current commercial, retail, or vacant industrial land to a zone that allows residential housing as a permitted use.

The funding opportunity opened at 9 a.m. on May 18, 2022, and closed at 12 p.m. on May 24, 2022.

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Rural Communities Opportunity Grant

Opened: Oct. 17, 2022
Closed: Nov. 18, 2022

The RCOG empowers rural communities to take responsibility for economic development planning, projects, and activities, and to manage their unique opportunities.

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Opened: July 1, 2022
Closed: October 1, 2022

A grant for rural county governments supporting economic development planning, projects, and activities

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Provides reimbursement to Utah small business employers that pay employees for time off to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or recuperate after getting the vaccine

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Opened: June 6, 2022
Closed: June 22, 2022

A grant for nonprofit or accelerator service providers to support Utah small businesses

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The COVID-19 Small Business Quarantined Employee Grant program was a $2,000,000 grant program administered by the Utah Labor Commission.

It used federal CARES Act funds as part of Utah’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. The program provided reimbursement to small businesses with less than 50 employees that maintain salaries for employees required to quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19.

Opened: Jan. 12, 2023
Closed: Feb 9, 2023

Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) and Digital Equity Act (DE) Local Planning Grants

These grants may provide up to $65,000 to support local municipalities, counties, associations of governments, government agencies, or nonprofits with the development of local digital connectivity plans.

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Go Utah distributed $12 million through its Utah Leads Together Small Business Bridge Loan program in March and April. The program’s now closed.

About the Bridge Loan

The bridge loan program was funded with $11 million in federal funds to provide gap funding to Utah’s small business and nonprofit entities. Additionally, the WCF Insurance Foundation contributed $1 million to the bridge loan to support Utah’s small business community at this challenging time, bringing the bridge loan program to a total of $12 million.

A minimum of 25% of the bridge loan fund was earmarked to support rural Utah businesses and nonprofits (entities not located in one of the Wasatch Front counties: Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah counties). 

Summary

• 1,149 Utah small businesses and nonprofits received loans
• Funds awarded: $12,000,000
• 30.5% ($3,667,500) of loans awarded to rural Utah small businesses and nonprofits
• The program positively impacted approximately 15,000 jobs within the 1,149 Utah small businesses and nonprofits

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