Sedgwick County commissioners approved a plan Wednesday to make safe-operating grants of up to $5,000 available to small businesses beginning next week. The allocations will go up to a total of $5 million, which is part of an additional $9.3 million in federal CARES Act funding given to the county because it has the state’s highest employment rate after the effects of Covid-19. The county originally received $99.6 million in funding. The county surveyed businesses this summer for their most pressing needs in responding to the pandemic’s effects, which have taken a toll on restaurants, bars and many other hospitality and retail sectors. Of the 140 responses, the priorities were cash, personal protective equipment and supplies, training and workforce development, and Covid-19 testing.
via Wichita Business Journal
