In August, the Governor’s Office partnered with Local First Arizona Foundation to launch the Arizona Small Business Rent and Mortgage Relief Grant program and distribute $10 million in grants to small businesses who were required to shutter their doors during this pandemic. Starting Oct. 8, 2020, at 2 p.m., applications will reopen for gyms, fitness centers and studios, bars with a series 6 or 7 liquor license, water parks, tubing operators, and movie theaters seeking rent relief. Since the grant program launched on Aug. 20, LFAF has approved over $8.5M in rent relief to nearly 650 local businesses across the state.
“Thank you to Local First Arizona and the State of Arizona for this rent relief grant. Because of this grant, Phoenix Sports Academy doesn’t have to worry about where the money for rent is going to come from for the next two months. We are a nonprofit urban youth center serving the Alhambra/Maryvale area that has remained closed during this pandemic. We depend mostly on donations for funding and this helps ensure we can keep our doors open as we get ready to safely serve our community again,” said Anibal Deciga, Phoenix Sports Academy Director and grant recipient.
Business eligibility:
- Must be doing business in Arizona prior to January 1, 2020.
- Must be directly impacted by Executive Order 2020-43 as outlined above.
- gyms
- fitness centers
- bars and nightclubs (ONLY entities that hold a series 6 or 7 liquor license from the Department of Liquor Licenses and Control)
- indoor movie theatres
- water parks
- tubing operators
- Applicant business must be renting or leasing a physical location outside the owner’s personal residence.
- Employing less than 50 employees (based on W-2s, a full-time employee is equal to 1.0 employee and part-time employee is 0.5 employee).
- Each business owner may only apply for one grant i.e., individuals with multiple locations may not apply for rent at each location.
The average grant amount per applicant to date is $11, 200, while the max grant amount is $25,000.
“Small businesses that closed, and continue to take precautions, to help stop the spread of COVID-19 deserve this. Local First Arizona is proud to be a trusted partner in making sure these much-needed funds get to local businesses that need it most. We will look to them making it through to help rebuild the Arizona economy and keep our state vibrant,” said Kimber Lanning, Founder of Local First Arizona Foundation.
Arizona Small Business Rent and Mortgage Relief grant recipients include Figuero Athletics in Cave Creek, Tutuli Fitness in Nogales, Boycott Bar in Phoenix, Thunder Canyon Brewery in Tucson, Kingman CrossFit, FilmBar in Phoenix, Flagstaff Athletic Club, Nā Leo Kūpono Productions in Gilbert, Birdcage Saloon in Downtown Prescott and many more.
Founded in 2009 by Executive Director Kimber Lanning, Local First Arizona (LFAF) is a community and economic development organization working to passionately build a diverse, inclusive and prosperous Arizona economy by innovatively connecting people, locally owned businesses, and communities. LFA educates consumers about the interconnectedness of the economy, trains small businesses to be more effective and more competitive, helps larger Arizona businesses and institutions tell their story as champions of Arizona, and creates programs and events that make it fun and easy to discover local businesses and buy local.
