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Kim Volgelgesang of Duke Energy Foundation presents a ceremonial check to the PC Chamber of Commerce with Melanie Hartzel of the PC Tourism Council and Judge/Executive David Fields. The money will be available to businesses who need help with past expenses as well as those who have future need. Applications will be reviewed starting mid-May.
uke Energy Foundation could come in handy for small businesses around the area, and the Pendleton County Chamber of Commerce cannot wait to find out what that means.
As of today, the Chamber is rolling out the link that could work to help small businesses in the area catch up with expenses or plan for the future. The biggest requirement is that the business has to be a Duke Energy customer.
That means in any capacity.
The president of the Chamber, Gary Hicks, admits at first they felt that the grant was not worth offering as they counted the businesses in the area that could possibly apply.
“We focused on the electric services Duke offers,” he says, “and we were not getting anywhere.”
All the places they could name were ineligible for the grant with electrical services, but then they decided to ask if gas customers were included. When they got the word that they indeed were, the Chamber rolled into action.
“At that point, businesses in Butler, Falmouth, and all of U.S. 27 in between were eligible.
Hicks said the grant was simple to fill out, and the Chamber sent it in at about 11 a.m. Thursday, April 21.
Duke approved their application within 20 minutes.
The Chamber followed the Duke example of using a simple application process, placing a one-page application online. The Duke Energy Small Business Assistance and Hometown Revitalization Grant Program has these guiding principles:
The small business is a Duke Energy customer.
The small business support awards will focus on businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
Preference is for minority, female, or veteran owned businesses.
Small business support awards are intended to help small businesses thrive.
Guidelines for appropriate expenditures are also in place and may include:
Enhanced service or commerce opportunities, such as modifying physical space, technology to improve online sales, or expanding capacity for delivering goods and services.
Furniture for expanded outdoor capacity, such materials for construction of takeout windows, accessibility compliance for additional outdoor seating, additional fixtures required for compliance with public health issues.
Storefront beautification projects enhancing the appearance of the business and downtown region. For example, new exterior paint, awnings, signage or planters.
-Tools or programs to support the business’s workforce needs. For example, working with a recruiter, paying to list job opportunities, or tuition for a training program. Salaries and incentive pay are ineligible expenses, as noted below.
Payroll, incentive pay, rent and utilities are ineligible expenses.
The small business support awards may be used to reimburse small businesses for expenses already incurred.
All grants must be awarded by August 1, 2022.
All small businesses that fit these criteria may apply.
Non-profits such as churches and other support organizations are also eligible to apply.
The Chamber will take the applications and score them in rounds. The first scoring will take place mid-May, around May 20.The plan is to look to possibly three rounds of disbursements. All money has to be disbursed by August 1.
While Hicks hopes to be able to award what is asked, he says that they cannot guarantee they will be able to match all requests at their asking value. “Some may get all they ask for; some may not.”
If you have a small business and would like to apply, please go to https://bit.ly/pcdukeenergygrant
The deadline to apply is July 15, 2022.