Forty more La Salle County businesses and organizations have received some relief in Round 2 of the Business Interruption Grant program.
Businesses in La Salle County were awarded $1.28 million more through the program to help offset dips in revenue as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
In total, $2,655,000 has been dispersed to 92 businesses countywide.
Additionally, businesses in Bureau County received $120,000 more.
The BIG program is a $636 million program developed by Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly to provide economic relief for small businesses hit hardest by COVID-19.
The grant funding helps small businesses with capital expenses, including payroll costs, rent, utilities and other operational costs.
COVID-19 case numbers had surged across the state in November – especially in Region 2, which includes La Salle, Bureau, Putnam, Marshall and Livingston counties – state officials have spent the past months heralding the BIG program as money for struggling small businesses unable to offer indoor dining.
Priority was given to applicants that did not receive Paycheck Protection Program loans or other forms of emergency aid from the CARES Act or other governments, are located in DIAs, are subject to regional mitigation measures because of COVID-19 resurgence and have less than $5 million in annual revenue.
In this round, the state is expected to distribute $220 million, and a little more than $92 million has been disbursed to more than 2,700 businesses throughout the state.
The ZIP code area of Marseilles has been identified as a disproportionately impacted area, which gives businesses and organizations in the area a certain weight when applying for grant money.
The state stopped taking applications Dec. 15 for this program.
Who was eligible:
To have been eligible for the second round of BIG, businesses must have met the following criteria:
• Must be an independently owned and operated for-profit corporation or limited liability corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship authorized to conduct business in the state of Illinois; or a 501c3, 501c6, or 501c19 nonprofit
• Must have been operating for at least three months before March 2020
• Must have had less than $20 million in gross operating revenue in calendar year 2019, or a prorated amount if in operation for less than a year before March 2020
• Must have experienced operating losses since March 21, 2020
• Must have been closed or had reduced operations because of government orders, public health guidelines or depressed consumer demand during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Must have complied with all relevant laws, regulations and executive orders from the state and federal government, including the social distancing guidelines as promulgated by the executive orders of the Illinois governor
For information about the program, visit the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s at www2.illinois.gov/dceo/Pages/default.aspx.
A breakdown of businesses who received new funds in Round 2 by county and amount:
La Salle County
$150,000
Comfort Inn – Ottawa
$125,000
Dennys – La Salle
$70,000
Sunfield Restaurant – Ottawa
$65,000
Green River Lines – Peru
Mark Allens – Peru
$60,000
I&M Canal Visitors Center – La Salle
All Around Amusement – Marseilles
$55,000
All Points Travel – Ottawa
Right Spice Supper Club – Peru
$50,000
Haze – La Salle
Stone Jug – Peru
$45,000
New Chalet – Ottawa
$40,000
La Salle County Travel – La Salle
Shakers Lounge – Ottawa
$35,000
New Oasis Restaurant – Ottawa
$30,000
Monte’s – Ottawa
A’Lure – Ottawa
Master Buffet – Peru
$25,000
La Salle County Historical Society – Utica
$20,000
Flamingo Banquet Center – La Salle
Annie’s Hideaway – Naplate
$15,000
Rosati’s – Mendota
Bells Clothing – Ottawa
$10,000
Maddie’s Place – Leland
Main Street Station – Mendota
Festivities Unlimited – Ottawa
JJ’s Tap – Ottawa
Christy’s Kitchen – Peru
Event Pros Boutique – Peru
Music Suite 48 – Peru
Water Street Pub – Peru
New Level Enterprises – Streator
$5,000
She and the Stork – La Salle
Five Star Limo and Shuttle – Marseilles
Bogeys Barber Shop – Mendota
Fireside Tap – Mendota
Reddick Mansion – Ottawa
Albertos – Ottawa
Maples – Peru
Riverfront Bar & Grill – Peru
Bureau County
$90,000
Verucchi’s – Spring Valley
$15,000
MJ Mautino Leasing Company – Spring Valley
Princeton Theater Group – Princeton
Livingston County
$5,000
Alive Action Decoys – Ancona