Lisa Dawsey Smith
Whitewater Banner Staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

Announced by Governor Evers on May 18, 2020, the “We’re All In” Small Business Grant is designed as an additional measure of business support utilizing funds allocated to the state directly from the CARES Act. These grants outlined as $2,500 per award for up to 30,000 Wisconsin based small businesses are to assist with costs associated with business interruption or for health and safety improvements, wages and salaries, rent, mortgages and inventory.

Eligibility Requirements:

• be a Wisconsin based, for-profit business
• employ 20 or fewer full-time employees (including the owner)
• earn greater than $0 but less than $1 million in annual revenue
• began operations prior to January 1, 2020 and remained in business in February 2020

Application Period:

The application period will open at 8 a.m. Monday, June 15 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 21, 2020. A link to the application will be available on this page.

Be Ready to Apply:

• 2018 or 2019 Federal Tax Return (businesses opening after January 1, 2020 are not eligible for this grant). Additional specifics for tax records are available at the link above.
• A signed W-9 form available here.
• A letter of acknowledgement from a community organization indicating your business was operating in February, 2020. That may be obtained from one of the following; electronic letters submitted to the business via email are acceptable:
  
  – Chamber of Commerce
  – Main Street or Connect Communities organization (e.g. Downtown Whitewater, Inc.)
  – Local business improvement district
  – Neighborhood economic development association
  – Local economic development organization (e.g. Whitewater Community Development Authority)
  – County economic development organization
  – Municipality, including tribal government
  – County
  – Local bank, credit union or community development financial institution
  – Regional UW Small Business Development Center
  – U.S. Export Assistance Center – Wisconsin
  – Regional economic development organization
  – Regional Planning Commission
  – Trade association

Small businesses are encouraged to seek additional details here for eligibility and process information or contact the Whitewater Chamber of Commerce at info@whitewaterchamber.com with questions.