Harris County has launched a new $30 million Small Business Relief Fund to provide financial support to micro and small business owners in Harris County. Eligible small business owners may apply for financial support in the form of grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to advance their recovery from the economic setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Business owners are encouraged to visit www.harriscountybusinessrelief.org to learn more about the eligibility guidelines and documents needed to complete the application and begin gathering the proper documentation. This fund is not first-come, first-served program; all completed applications will be reviewed for eligibility and prioritized based on small business impact parameters.
The application period will last two weeks, and eligible small business owners within Harris County (inside or outside the City of Houston) can apply at www.harriscountybusinessrelief.org, beginning Monday, September 20.
Virtual Information Session
Harris County and LiftFund are offering one more webinar to provide an overview of the grant program, eligibility guidelines and more information about how to apply.
Thursday, September 23 at 12:00 pm. Register here.
To qualify for the Small Business Relief Fund, micro and small business applicants must:
• Be located within Harris County
• Be a registered business doing commerce in Harris County
• Have 30 or fewer employees (including part time, contractors and full-time employees and owners)
• Operate a company that opened before April 2020
• Have experienced a negative impact on operations due to the pandemic
• Have generated annual revenue of less than $500,000 dollars in 2019 and 2020
• Be in good standing Texas Comptroller’s office with no outstanding tax obligations or liabilities
Note: Tax-exempt businesses, gambling businesses, residential builders, speculative real estate investors and sexually oriented businesses are not eligible for the Small Business Relief Fund.
LiftFund and other local community organizations will help applicants navigate the application process and overcome technological or language barriers. More information about the partner organizations will be included on the program page  www.harriscountybusinessrelief.org.
Created with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Small Business Relief Fund is being administered by LiftFund, a nonprofit community development financial institution.
