According to the Pennsylvania Government website, the program will help farmers fund professional services including business planning, transitions of farm ownership, strategic farm expansion, diversification of agricultural production, and financial and technical expertise as a resource for state´s farmers.

The grant program is open to farmers, prospective farmers and others in support of the grant’s objectives. Applications will be accepted starting April 19, 2021, and the program will remain open until funds are exhausted.

The Farm Vitality Planning Grant Program is a reimbursement grant. The amount of reimbursement is based on actual eligible costs submitted by an approved applicant for an approved project during the fiscal year in which the grant is offered. Grants will be awarded on a funds-available basis.

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The Department of Agriculture will provide up to $1,000,000 for program grants in the 2020 – 2021 Fiscal Year.

Grant uses

The grant program may be used for expenses related to these projects:

• Plans or management strategies to enhance the long-term economic viability of a farm.
• Transition of ownership and operation of a farm to new owners and operators.
• Transfer of ownership and operation of a farm within the farmer’s family.
• Business plans to diversify an existing agricultural operation to new or different forms of agricultural production.
• Farm expansion or financing for farm growth.
• Creating or obtaining plans to maintain the long-term economic viability and protect the investment of public funds in preserving farms that are subject to perpetual agricultural conservation easements acquired under the Agricultural Area Security Law, for agricultural production.

Applications must be submitted through the Single Application for Assistance online system starting April 19, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. and will be received until available funding is exhausted. The Department will review completed grant applications in the order received and will award grants on a first-come, first-served basis for complete applications for eligible projects until funds are no longer available.

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The Philadelphia COVID-19 Restaurant and Gym Relief Program is designed to provide financial relief to small businesses in the city. Grant awards are estimated to be up to $15,000 per business.

According to a WHYY report by Darryl C. Murphy, if approved, businesses may use the funds as needed to continue operating, including for rent or payroll. However, investments in outdoor winterization, improvements in indoor ventilation, and other COVID-related indoor physical space expenses or personal protective equipment (PPE) purchases are encouraged. Grant recipients must maintain records of their grant expenditures for 12 months.

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Eligible business owners can apply online at phila.gov/RGRP, beginning at 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 28. The deadline to submit applications is 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9. The online application is simple and is estimated to take approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be completed on your mobile device or computer. All applications will be reviewed after the deadline has passed.

Eligible businesses 

Applications for the grant program will be awarded based on eligibility and alignment, with program priorities and preference, though not required, will be given to businesses that are located in low-income areas or on neighborhood commercial corridors.

Additional preference will be given to businesses owned by women, people of color or people with disabilities, as well as those who provide jobs to Philadelphians, or suffered damage in 2020 due to civil unrest.

Due to limited funding, eligible businesses must be:

• Operating as a restaurant that has indoor dining
• Operating a gym, or a business whose primary activity is indoor exercise
• Running an independently owned and operated for-profit business or franchise
• Occupying a storefront, retail, or commercial space physically located in Philadelphia
• Operating at time of application or have operated in the last 90 days and intend to be operating again within the next 90 days
• Earning less than $2 million in annual revenue pre-COVID-19
• Reporting at least a 25% decline in revenue from the 4th quarter of 2020 compared to the 4th quarter of 2019
• Complying with all local, state, and federal taxes, or be on an approved payment plan or can prove they are in the process of getting on a payment plan. The Philadelphia Department of Revenue is offering flexible payment plans.
• Possessing federal, state, and local licenses and permits to legally operate

Free assistance

Various community partners can provide free assistance to businesses who may need help completing the application. This includes language translation services, technological support, and other assistance in filling out the application.

Mayor Jim Kenney said about the grant program that “with this funding, we’ll be able to extend a lifeline to small businesses in the most impacted industry, including restaurants and gyms.”

The program was made possible through the latest allocation of funding for small business relief through a mid-year transfer of city general fund dollars in December 2020.

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