SMALL BUSINESS UTILITY DISRUPTION PREVENTION

The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) recently announced the new Small Business Utility Disruption Prevention Program. This program will provide short-term relief to eligible small businesses and nonprofits that face significant hardship in the payment of utility bills for service provided during the months of disruption to their business due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program offers grants up to $7,500 to be applied to utility bill debt for eligible small businesses.

Eligibility requirements:

• a physical (non-residential) location in Iowa and 50 or fewer employees;
• have not received funding from the IEDA’s Small Business Relief Grant Program;
  experienced a COVID-19 loss of revenue on or after March 17, 2020, that resulted in unpaid bills for electric or natural gas service provided between March 17, 2020, and June 30, 2020; and
• remained in operation or re-opened at the time of application.

For a full list of eligibility requirements and application instructions, click here. Applications will be accepted between July 17, 2020, and August 21, 2020, or until funding is depleted. Applications will be reviewed in the order received. Assistance will be awarded based on application completeness and eligibility.

Questions regarding the Small Business Utility Disruption Prevention Program can be submitted via email or by phone at 1.855.300.2342.