Schuylkill County commissioners on Wednesday announced some big help for small businesses in Schuylkill, Carbon and Monroe counties.

The counties are among seven to receive a total of $4 million through the NEPA Alliance through the Northeast Partnership for Regional Economic Performance, composed of Schuylkill, Carbon, Monroe, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Pike, and Wayne counties.

Gov. Tom Wolf in February announced that the Community Development Block Grant-CARES Act funding would be made available to “support communities and their residents on a path to success.”

The Northeast PREP is establishing a COVID-19 response grant program that will provide grants of up to $50,000 for qualifying small businesses and up to $15,000 for micro-enterprises that have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Eligible expenses are payroll, rent mortgage, utilities, supplies needed for day-to-day operations up to 90 days, equipment purchases need to prevent prepare for and respond to the coronavirus, insurance, accounting, legal, advertising.

To be eligible to apply, the businesses must:

• Be able to demonstrate they were impacted by the coronavirus epidemic pandemic. The disruption may include, but is not limited to, temporary closure of operations, temporary adjustment of operations, furlough or release of employees, or interrupted supply chain.

• Be able to prove that the business was viable prior to the pandemic. Evidence can be in the form of a financial statement or federal income tax return.

• Businesses starting during the pandemic may also meet eligibility with additional qualifications.

• Be able to prove revenue under $1 million or less than 100 employees.

• Be able to provide evidence that business taxes are up-to-date or a payment plan has been established.

• Be able to demonstrate that with the assistance, the business will create or retain at least one full-time equivalent job.

• Either employees or individual whose household qualifies as low to moderate income eligible, or the business is located within a U.S. Census tract that has a poverty level of 20 percent or higher.

Nonprofit organizations, real estate developers, businesses that provide assistance in the form of lobbying or other political activities are not eligible.

Also not eligible are “sin” businesses: suntan parlors, horse tracks and casinos, golf courses, country clubs, massage parlors, hot tub facilities, and liquor stores.

Eligible expenses are payroll, rent mortgage, utilities, supplies needed for day-to-day operations up to 90 days, equipment purchases need to prevent prepare for and respond to the coronavirus, insurance, accounting, legal, advertising.

There’s no cost to apply for the grants. Applications will be reviewed and granted on a first come, first served basis until funds are depleted.