NJEDA Online Application Center

The Phase 4 NJEDA Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program Pre-Registration is now open. The Pre-Registration will remain open until 5 p.m. EST on April 29, 2021. Reminder: The Pre-Registration IS NOT first-come, first-served.

COVID Phase 4 Grant Pre-Registration

NJ ZIP Purchaser Application

NJ ZIP Vendor Application

PPE Access Program Eligibility Verification

PRE-REGISTER NOW – New NJEDA Grants for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

In order to apply, you must pre-register between Monday, October 19th at 9:00 a.m. and Tuesday, October 27th at 5:00 p.m. here.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) has just launched an additional $70 million in funding for grants to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Phase 3 of the Grant Program provides grants of $5,000 to $20,000 to New Jersey businesses and nonprofits with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees (FTEs), including sole proprietorships and home-based businesses.

• Restaurants: $35 million of funding be reserved to support businesses classified as “Food Services and Drinking Places” under NAICS code 722

• Micro-businesses: $15 million of funding be reserved to support businesses that have had 5 or fewer FTEs in each of their past six quarters of WR-30 filings (including businesses with no FTEs)

• Other small businesses: The remaining $20 million of funding will be reserved to support businesses that had 6 to 50 FTEs in any of the past six quarters of WR-30 filings.

Applicants that applied for funding during Phase 1 or Phase 2 of the program may be eligible for funding in Phase 3, whether they received funding, or were declined or waitlisted.

Due to anticipated high demand for grant funding, the NJEDA is requiring all applicants to pre-register online.

In order to apply, you must pre-register between Monday, October 19th at 9:00 a.m. and Tuesday, October 27th at 5:00 p.m. here.

Pre-registered applicants must return to the site to complete an application based on the following schedule, depending on the type of business:

• Restaurants (NAICS code starting with 722) – 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2020

• Micro businesses (5 or fewer employees) – 9:00 a.m. on Friday, October 30, 2020

• All other businesses, excluding restaurants and micro businesses - 9:00 am on Monday, November 2, 2020

Questions related to the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program should be directed to 844-965-1125.

Additional information about the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program and other government support for small businesses is available at https://cv.business.nj.gov.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 13, 2020

Contact: Darryl Isherwood

Press Office: Governor's Office

Email: Darryl.Isherwood@nj.gov

Governor Murphy, Lieutenant Governor Oliver, Legislative Leadership, and Congressional Representatives Announce Additional $100 Million for COVID-19 Economic Recovery

Funding Will Support Grants for Restaurants and Micro-Businesses, Reduced-Price PPE for Small Companies, Rent Relief for Tenants, and Food Insecurity

TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy, Lieutenant Governor Oliver, Senate President Steve Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, and Congressman Tom Malinowski today announced $100 million in additional Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to support New Jersey residents and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bulk of the money, $70 million, will be distributed to restaurants, microbusinesses, and other small businesses through Phase 3 of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program; an additional $10 million will be used to help small businesses purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) through the NJEDA Small and Micro Business PPE Access Program; $15 million will go to support renters through the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program; and $5 million will support food banks and other hunger relief efforts.

“Small businesses and the people they employ are the backbone of New Jersey’s economy, yet they have borne a disproportionate share of the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Murphy. “If we are to emerge from this pandemic stronger and more resilient than we were before, it is incumbent on us to support them in any way possible. This additional funding helps us accomplish that goal.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating economic impact on many vulnerable New Jersey families and keeping a roof over their heads is our top priority,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who serves as DCA Commissioner. “The additional support we are providing will extend relief to tenants so they can focus their limited resources on staying safe and secure.”

"Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and critical to the vitality and quality of life in our downtowns," said Senate President Steve Sweeney. “This $100 million aid package funded out of the federal CARES Act will help ensure the survival of thousands of small businesses, particularly the many restaurants that have had a hard time staying afloat even with outdoor dining and are now facing an uncertain winter. Our economic recovery depends on the ability of our small businesses to survive until an effective treatment and cure for the coronavirus can be found. Today marks an important step forward, but I know the Governor and Assembly Speaker join me in saying we need Washington to step up now with another stimulus package to keep us from sliding further into recession."

"Small businesses are an economic driver for our state and they need every bit of support we can provide," said Assembly Speaker Coughlin. “As we continue our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, this infusion of funding is critical. It protects jobs and our working families. Together, we will get through this."

“I want to commend our state leaders for working together to get the federal coronavirus relief dollars we passed last spring into the hands of those who need it most,” said U.S. Senator Bob Menendez. “This $100 million fund announced today by the Governor and our legislative leaders comes from the money we in Congress included in the CARES Act to help combat the economic fallout of this pandemic. The federal money will help struggling New Jersey small businesses stay open, help them get the personal protective gear they need to keep employees and customers safe, and provide additional rental and food assistance to residents who need it most.”

“Small businesses and workers across New Jersey have sacrificed so much to help keep our communities safe as we continue to fight this pandemic,” said Congressman Tom Malinowski. “The funding announced today from the CARES Act will help businesses survive and families stay in their homes. I will continue fighting in Congress to provide the relief our state and local governments need to provide these services.”

“Supporting small businesses is vital to ensuring New Jersey’s economy withstands the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and is well-positioned for a strong recovery. The Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program and the PPE Access Program are powerful tools that will help thousands of business owners and employees face the challenges the pandemic has created,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “Governor Murphy’s strong leadership throughout this outbreak and commitment to supporting these critical programs will provide immediate relief to the business owners and workers who need it most while continuing our progress toward a stronger, fairer recovery.”

“The coronavirus outbreak has exacerbated existing hunger issues and has created new struggles for families who have lost jobs and wages,” said NJ Agriculture Secretary Douglas Fisher. “New Jersey’s food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens will use this additional funding to help expand their capacity for these continually increase demands.”

Launched in early April, the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program provides grants to small businesses impacted by the pandemic. To date, over 19,000 small businesses have benefitted from the program.

Phase 3 of the Grant Program expands eligibility to any business with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) and increases the amount of funding businesses can receive. To ensure funds flow to businesses that need them most, Phase 3 includes set-asides for grants to restaurants and micro-businesses. $35 million will be dedicated to support businesses classified as “Food Services and Drinking Places” under NAICS code 722 and $15 million will be directed to support “micro-businesses” that have five or fewer employees. The remaining $20 million will be available to support any eligible business.

In line with Governor Murphy’s commitment to a stronger, fairer recovery, one third of each of these pools of will be directed to support entities that are located in census tracts that were eligible to be selected as a New Jersey Opportunity Zone.

The Administration is also providing $10 million of additional CARES Act funding to support the Authority’s Small and Micro Business PPE Access Program. Launching in late October, this program will utilize an innovative public-private partnership model to enable businesses with 100 employees or fewer to receive grants in the form of automatic discounts on PPE purchased through NJEDA-approved “Designated Vendors”.

The Administration will also provide $15 million more in rent relief for New Jersey tenants through the DCA’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program. This program reduces the burden renters face by paying landlords directly for up to six months. The funding announced today will cover rent incurred from August 1, 2020 through December 30, 2020. Payments per household will depend on a variety of factors such as location, rental market, family size, and average per household income.

The remaining $5 million will be used to provide relief for New Jersey residentsfacing food insecurity. These funds will build off of the $20 million announced in July that the Department of Agriculture (NJDA) used to support Emergency Feeding Organizations, which have been supporting food banks, food pantries, hunger relief centers, and soup kitchens that provide food to those in need.

The $100 million announced today will supplement the $115 million in CARES Act funds already allocated for economic development and re-employment programs and the $100 million allocated for housing assistance programs. On Friday, the Department of Human Services announced its new Housing Assistance Program, which will use $12 million from the CARES Act to provide rental or mortgage assistance payments on behalf of eligible households that have suffered a financial hardship due to COVID-19. More information on that program is available here.

Murphy unveils $100M in business COVID-relief

By: Daniel J. Munoz

October 13, 2020 3:05 pm

The Murphy administration is rolling out another $100 million of relief aid for businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, many of whom were forced to close for months on end or dramatically scale back operations.

Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday, at the Flounder Brewing Co. in Hillsborough, said the money would be vital to “keep our economic recovery moving” and to “help businesses get through this pandemic but emerge primed and ready for growth.”

The money is coming out of the state’s $2.3 billion federal COVID-19 relief aid, with the largest chunk of aid handled by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

Earlier in the year, businesses such as restaurants, gyms, nail and hair salons, and non-essential retailers had to shut down or scale back operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Other businesses, like malls, theaters and casinos, also had to close down for several months, having just been allowed to reopen late in the summer.

Murphy said $70 million will go toward the small business grant program run by the NJEDA, of which $35 million goes toward the foodservice industry – like restaurants, bars and dining – and $15 million goes toward micro-businesses with up to five employees.

Many restaurants, while seeing varying degrees of success with outdoor, sit-down dining over the summer, have warily eyed how they will fare during the chilly weather of the fall and winter, which could render most outdoor dining arrangements useless.

Under the Tuesday announcement, another $10 million is going toward an NJEDA program to subsidize the cost of businesses to purchase personal protective equipment, such as gloves and facemasks, with an eye toward propping up New Jersey-based producers.

Tim Sullivan, the agency’s chief executive officer, said last week that upward of 55,000 applications have been processed by the NJEDA, compared to a “normal year” where it typically interacts with less than 500 companies for state financial assistance.

Roughly 14,000 businesses applied for NJEDA grants from a $45 million pool of money an hour after applications opened in July.

As of Oct. 9, the NJEDA approved 20,073 businesses for a combined $74.2 million of business relief, including grants, low-interest loans, and loan guarantees meant to offer a financial cushion for investors putting money into struggling startups.

“The economic impact of this pandemic is extraordinary and ongoing – and our efforts to do all we can to support small businesses must continue as well,” Sullivan said in a statement last week.

The administration announced a $6 million business rent relief program over the summer, run by the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority, for businesses situated in New Jersey’s lowest-income towns and cities.

Another $15 million is going toward that, while $5 million will go toward food banks, soup kitchens and other hunger relief programs, and $15 million toward rental assistance.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) is releasing grant assistance applications due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak and the impact thereof. Small businesses can apply at https://cv.business.nj.gov.

NJEDA expands micro business loan program

By: Gabrielle Saulsbery

June 9, 2020 2:48 pm

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority expanded its Micro Business Loan Program to assist businesses with 10 or fewer employees.

The expanded program will provide financing up to $50,000 for micro businesses and nonprofits with no greater than $1.5 million in annual revenues.

“Micro businesses are a vital component of New Jersey’s economy, providing unique services and employment opportunities, but because of their size, many of these businesses have had a particularly difficult time responding to the challenges COVID-19 poses,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan in prepared statement. “The expanded program will ensure more businesses have access to the resources they need to survive the current crisis and return to full strength soon.”

The Micro Business Loan Program was launched in November, and the expanded program will provide financing up to $50,000 to businesses for inventory, equipment and working capital.

Loans will have a standard 10-year term. No payments will be due for three years, and interest rates will be set at 2 percent thereafter. Businesses that receive financing and are still in operation 12 months after the closing date of the loan will have 10 percent of the loan amount forgiven.

The expanded program is open to for-profit businesses with a business location in New Jersey, as well as home-based businesses and not-for-profit organizations that have been in operation for at least two years. Startup businesses in operation for between six months and one year may also be eligible for the program but will be required to provide a business plan and five-year projections.

To ensure resources are available to micro businesses, eligibility will be limited to businesses with annual revenues under $1.5 million, 10 or less full-time employees, and a demonstrated ability to service the proposed debt.

The chief executive officer, president, or owners of the applicant business must also certify that the business will make its best effort not to furlough or lay off anyone through the end of the current public health emergency, and companies that have already furloughed or laid off workers must make a best effort pledge to rehire the same workers as soon as possible.

Of the $10 million in total funding available from the NJEDA, $3.5 million will be set aside to support businesses within Opportunity Zone-eligible census tracts.

NJEDA Link to info and application: https://www.njeda.com/financing_incentives/small_midsize_business/Microbusiness-Loan-Program

Written by Business.NJ.gov Team

Updated yesterday

Applications for the NJEDA’s Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program launched on April 3rd, 2020. Within an hour the program was oversubscribed; within a week the NJEDA received more than 30,000 applications. UPDATE 5/22/2020: NJEDA will be providing an additional $5 million to fund waitlisted applicants.

Information for Phase 2 of the NJEDA Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant

Applications for the expanded Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program Phase 2 will be available at 9:00 a.m. on June 9, 2020 in both English and Spanish. NJEDA staff will process the applications on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be no application fee.

To assist businesses with application preparations, translated copies of the application are available now in the following languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Gujarati, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, and Tagalog. Because the live application will only be available in English and Spanish, please contact NJEDA at languagehelp@njeda.com should you require translation assistance.

Phase 2 Program Overview and Eligibility

NJEDA will award a total of $45 million in federal CARES Act funding to small businesses. To support the Governor’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, $15 million will be reserved for businesses in Opportunity Zone-eligible census tracts, $15 million of Phase 2 funding will be set aside to support qualified businesses located in one of the 715 census tracts that were eligible to be selected as a New Jersey Opportunity Zone.

[This census tract map is provided as a courtesy and for informational purposes only. The link directs you to a site not hosted by the State. Although the data used by that website may have been provided by NJEDA as a courtesy to the public, the State and NJEDA are not responsible for and make no representation with regard to any information or content on that website. The State and NJEDA may use the same software and information to review grant applications but reserves the right to use any other appropriate software and/or information to determine the location of an application in relation to Opportunity Zone eligible census tracts.]

Additionally, all NAICS code restrictions from Phase 1 of the grant will be removed for Phase 2.

Your organization may use Phase 2 grant funding to…

Reimburse revenue lost as a result of a business interruption caused by COVID-19. Funding cannot be used for capital expenses, including construction.

Phase 2 Grant Award Amounts

Businesses will receive $1,000 per full-time employee, (based on WR-30 filing). Sole proprietorships or other companies with no full-time employees will receive the minimum grant amount ($1,000).

• Minimum grant amount (per application): $1,000

• Maximum grant amount (per application): $10,000 (for entities with more than 10 FTEs)

Your organization is eligible for a Phase 2 Emergency Relief Grant if…

• You have 25 or fewer full-time employees, as reported on most recent WR-30 filing with the New Jersey Department of Labor

• You have a physical commercial location in the State of New Jersey

• Home-based businesses must be based at a home located in New Jersey

• You are a non-profit organized as 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 501(c)(7) organizations

• Your CEO certifies that your business: 1) Was in operation on February 15, 2020; 2) Will make a best effort not to furlough or lay off any individuals from the time of application through six months after the end of the declared state of emergency; 3) Has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 declared state of emergency on March 9, 2020; 4) Has a material financial need that cannot be overcome without the grant of emergency relief funds

• Your Business: 1) Is registered to do business in the State of New Jersey; 2) Does not have any outstanding tax liabilities; 3) Is in good standing with the New Jersey Department of Labor

You can learn about other NJEDA programs and see what you may qualify for using the NJ COVID-19 Business Support Eligibility Wizard. Explore how NJEDA determines grant size with the Grant Size Estimator.

To address the massive need for support, the NJEDA has created a process for corporate and philanthropic partners to make donations to further expand the Program. For the NJEDA to effectively administer the Program, gifts to support the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program must be at least $100,000 and without conditions. To avoid conflicts of interest, donors must have no existing contracts with the NJEDA and may not enter into such a contract for at least six months. Individuals and companies interested in donating to support the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program should contact donation@njeda.com.

Information from Phase 1 of Grant Funding

Businesses can access the full Notice of Funding Availability.

The grant program will provide funding as efficiently and quickly as possible to SMEs that are in need. The focus of this round of funding is on the smallest enterprises in industries that are among the most adversely impacted by the COVID-19 containment measures.

The goal of the grants is to try to preserve the ability for SMEs to support and maintain a workforce during this containment period that is as close to pre-outbreak levels as possible.

The Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program will provide up to $5,000 to NJ-based SMEs that have between 1–10 full time equivalent employees (“FTE”). The grant funding is targeted as unrestricted payroll and working capital support, and cannot be used for any capital expenses, including construction.

Grant values are calculated at $1,000 per FTEs reported on business’ WR-30 filed with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

• Minimum grant amount (per application): $1,000

• Maximum grant amount (per application): $5,000

Total available funding of up to $5 million of which $3 million of the program funds will be set aside for SMEs with 5 or fewer FTEs.

Your organization is eligible for the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant if you…

• Have between 1 and 10 FTEs. This means companies non-employee companies (holding), companies that have between 1-10 FTE utilizing 1099 employees, and larger firms are not eligible for this round of grant funding.

• Have a physical commercial location in the State of New Jersey. Home-based businesses are not eligible for this round of grant funding. A home-based business is a business operated out of a residential property where commercial activity is not zoned to take place.

• Are classified in one of the following industries: Retail (NAICS codes starting with 44… or 45…); Accommodation & food services (NAICS codes starting with 72…); Arts, entertainment & recreation (NAICS codes starting with 71…); Other services (only those with NAICS codes starting with 811… and 812). You can look up your NAICS code at naics.com/search

• Are registered to do business in the State of New Jersey.

• Must certify that the company is in good tax standing with the State

• Are in good standing with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, with all decisions of good standing at the discretion of the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

• The CEO of the business must certify that the business:

1. Will make a best effort not to furlough or lay off any individuals from the time of application through six months after the end of the declared state of emergency. SMEs that have already furloughed or laid off workers must make a best-effort pledge to re-hire those workers as soon as possible. Any material breach of its best efforts certification may result in the NJEDA seeking repayment of the grant.

2. Has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 declared state of emergency in Executive Order 103 (e.g., has been temporarily shut down, has been required to reduce hours, has had at least a 20% drop in revenue, has been materially impacted by employees who cannot work due to the outbreak, or has a supply chain that has materially been disrupted and therefore slowed firm-level production).

3. Has a material financial need that cannot be overcome without the grant of emergency relief funds at this time (e.g., does not have significant cash reserves that can support the SME during this period of economic disruption

• Non-profit organizations are eligible for this program. Eligible non-profits must have status of 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(7)

Types of businesses not eligible:

• Related to gambling or gaming activities

• Related to the purveyance of “adult” (i.e., pornographic, lewd, prurient, obscene) activities, services, products or materials (including nude or semi-nude performances or the sale of sexual aids or devices)

• Auction or bankruptcy or fire or “lost-our-lease” or “going-out-of-business” or similar sale

• Traveling merchants

• Christmas tree sales or other outdoor storage

• Any other activity constituting a nuisance

• Illegal under the laws of the State of New Jersey

No fees will be collected by the authority for this program and funding will be fully disbursed as quickly as possible upon approval of grant application.

In order to apply for the grant, businesses will need to provide the following…

Contact information for someone who is authorized to speak on behalf of your company. For example: an owner or an executive such as a CEO or Executive Director

Basic information about your company.

1. Registered legal name and “Doing Business As” name. To confirm your organization’s registered legal name, visit Business Name Search.

2. Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)

3. Year your company was established

4. Full-time employees as of December 31, 2019 and Part-Time Employees as of December 31, 2019

Your organization’s industry as defined by your NAICS code. To confirm your NAICS code, check your federal tax filing or use this site to look up your NAICS code: naics.com/search.

Be able to answer the State’s basic debarment question. To see the full application and read the State debarment questions, you may access a copy of the loan application now,

Be able to affirmatively answer and/or certify that:

1. You are not a home-based business. A home-based business is a business operated out of a residential property where commercial activity is not zoned to take place.

2. You are not a prohibited business.

3. You have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

4. You have a material financial need that cannot be overcome without the grant funds.

5. You will make a best effort not to lay off any additional employees and re-hire any whom you have already laid off.

6. Information you are providing is correct.

7. You will allow the NJEDA to check your entries against other State sources of data.

Updated: June 3, 2020

Source: NJEDA