The Tarpon Springs City Commission has authorized Small Business Endurance Grants to assist local small businesses with the economic challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant will provide a one-time payment of $1,000 to eligible small businesses in the City of Tarpon Springs experiencing hardships due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

The grant application period will run from Thursday, April 9, 2020, until Thursday, April 23, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. The application involves a simple online application on the City’s website. Applicants without Internet access can obtain a hard copy at the drive-through window at the City Clerk’s Office, 410 N. Ring Street

Funding will be on a first-come, first-served basis until the funding is exhausted or through the application deadline. The City Commission authorized the use of $100,000 from the City emergency reserve funds.

In order to be eligible, businesses must meet the following criteria (see website for complete instructions and eligibility):

• Be public-facing
• Be directly impacted by the public health requirements of COVID-19
• Principal place of business must be within the incorporated city limits
• Have 50 or fewer employees prior to March 1, 2020
• Must demonstrate a loss in revenue and be in need of working capital to continue operations.
• Business mush have no outstanding code enforcement fines and must have a current business tax license
• Owners of multiple businesses are eligible for only one grant. If additional funding is made available, the City may make additional grants available in the future.