Restaurants in Berwick Borough that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible to receive grants from Berwick Borough.

Berwick Borough Council has allocated $55,799 of Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus Response (CDBG-CV) program funding to alleviate the pandemic’s impacts on these restaurants.

The deadline to apply is Feb. 26.

Funds can be used for eligible demonstrable costs such as rent/mortgage, utility, staffing salaries, inventory/supplies, and/or marketing/advertising. The grant cannot cover expenses already addressed through other financial assistance programs. Grants will be evenly distributed between all successful applicants.

SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) and the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce will evaluate the applications on Berwick Borough’s behalf.

For businesses to be eligible for funding assistance through this program, the recipient business must meet the following criteria:

1.     Submit a completed Berwick Borough Small Business Support Grant Program application to Tyler Dombroski, SEDA-COG; and

2.     Be a for-profit restaurant business in the municipal limits of the borough; and

3.     Be an incorporated business in and/or registered to conduct business in Pennsylvania; and

4.     Be negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic shutdowns; and

5.     Be able to meet one of the national objective requirements (primarily benefit to low-and moderate-income persons) of the CDBG-CV program.

Applications for the grant are available at https://columbiamontourchamber.com/. Questions and applications can be emailed to SEDA-COG’s Tyler Dombroski at tdombroski@seda-cog.org.

SEDA-COG’s Community Development program administers 14 CDBG contracts for 28 communities. Over 35 years, the program has secured $120 billion for over 1,000 projects with its 12 dedicated staff.

As a community and economic development agency, SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives. SEDA-COG also is an advocate for the interests of its communities at the state and federal levels. For more information, visit www.seda-cog.org.