On Wednesday, Monroe County Commissioners ratified the COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program Grant application in the amount of $1,928,551 and executed the grant with the Department of Community and Economic Development for the period ending June 15, 2021.

“I think it is important to talk about the COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Grant Program for communities and economic development. This $1,928,551 is to help people that are in the entertainment or started a tourism business,” Commissioner John Christy said.

“Well we are excited about getting it, now it’s getting out,” said Commissioners’ Chairman Sharon Laverdure.

Getting the grant out

Commissioner John Moyer said the grant is specifically targeted to the bars and restaurants in Monroe County that have struggled to stay open.

“This $1,900,000 comes on the back of the $15 million we had a few months ago and distributed, that was designed to help a number of different entities,” Moyer said, including 501(c)3 organizations and tourism-related businesses.

Like Christy, Moyer said the new grant was designed specifically for the hospitality industry and that the guidelines specify two different codes that businesses have to fall under - one is accommodations and the other is food service and drinking.

“So if there are entities out there that have suffered loss, either through having to put up additional barriers and such to protect their employees and patrons from COVID, or if suffered loss of income related to COVID, they should apply, or should think applying for a grant under this program,” he said.

The program stipulates that grants can be as much as $50,000 and the minimum is $5,000, and Moyer clarified the money is not a loan, it is a grant and it does not have to be paid back.

Even if they received help from the COVID block grant that ended Dec. 30, 2020, if there were losses late in last year, or if businesses incurred expenses in construction devices that would protect the public, they should apply for this grant.

“Our fear is that there are businesses out there that did not get the opportunity to apply for the first grant because they didn’t know about it. Our hope is that anyone who hears this will spread the word to the bars, restaurants and hotels they frequent,” Moyer said.

The grant will be administered through Pocono Mountain Industries, but they haven’t developed the format, or the application for this, but it will be out by March 1. The timing will be tight because the distribution of the funds begins on March 15, so it is imperative to get applications in.

The commissioners know there are many bars and restaurants that were forced to shut down when the emergency order was passed, and they encourage them to at least consider applying.

“It might be small potatoes, but anything from $5 to $50,000 is going to help,” Moyer said.