Scott Administration Announces Initial $20 Million Relief Grant Program for Businesses, Details Coming Next Week

Governor Scott, ACCD, and State Treasurer Pieciak announced multiple initiatives today to provide financial support to businesses and municipalities impacted by the severe flooding.

The Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program will be administered by the Department of Economic Development and provide $20 million directly to impacted businesses and not-for-profits who suffered physical damage due to the severe flooding in the form of grants. The program is still under development and program specifics will be released next week. Business owners can expect grants to support demonstrated losses to their physical space and replacements of inventory, machinery, equipment, and supplies.

ACCD will update businesses on program specifics, eligibility, and grant application opening date next week. At this time businesses are encouraged to collect, document, and prepare photographs of damage, insurance adjuster damage assessments, estimates for repairs to physical structures, equipment, inventory, or supplies purchases, and/or actual paid expenses.

For the latest updates on this developing program, as well as federal SBA updates, and other resources for businesses, please subscribe to the ACCD Flood Newsletter and visit the ACCD Flood Recovery Resource page (click here).

In addition, the Treasurer’s Office will be accelerating $11 million in State payments to 40 Vermont towns most impacted by last week’s flooding. Originally scheduled for disbursement later in the fiscal year, these funds will now be fast-tracked to towns to ensure they have a steady cash flow to support ongoing recovery efforts. This will ensure municipalities have access to immediate funds while awaiting FEMA reimbursement. It may also help prevent municipalities from taking on borrowing costs while waiting for FEMA reimbursements.

The Treasurer’s Office also announced a pause on its $85 million local investment program for economic development. The Office will work with the Administration to determine if these funds may be better employed to support flood response. The Treasurer’s Office is also working closely with the Vermont banking sector, the Vermont Economic Development Authority, and the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank. All are ready to fill any gaps that may emerge in the flood recovery effort.

There are additional federally funded recovery resources available through FEMA for municipalities and individuals in counties that have been approved through President Biden’s Major Disaster Declaration. The Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program is being designed to provide emergency grants for small businesses because they are not eligible for the FEMA Individual Assistance program.

For a comprehensive state response to the flooding, click here.