Batavia Reconnected offers grants to select Batavia small businesses

When Illinois moved to Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan, many local small businesses who were previously shut down could reopen. Complying to the required safety guidelines means extra expenses. A new grant program for Batavia businesses aims to help them.

The City of Batavia, the Batavia Chamber of Commerce, and Batavia MainStreet combined forces to create the initiative Batavia Reconnected. It was created to keep residents informed and increase public confidence that Batavia businesses are taking measures to keep their facilities safe. Batavia Reconnected is pleased to provide a grant of $80,000 to be allocated to the local business community to ease their financial burden.

Eligible businesses must be in the City of Batavia, employ less than 10 full-time individuals and accommodate customers in-person. The maximum grant is $1,500 per business and is limited to retail, restaurants, salons, fitness, and dance studios. Requirements, instructions, application and other supporting materials are available via a Google Drive Folder at www.cityofbatavia.net/799/Batavia-Reconnected.

All applications should be submitted to covidgrants@cityofbatavia.net by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16. Fifty qualifying businesses will be selected by lottery on Wednesday, June 17.

Grant monies are to be spent on improvements and safety precautions due to the pandemic, which could include: sanitizer,

touchless door handles and foot handles, sneeze screens, personal protective equipment including masks; signage (specific to announcements due to COVID-19); and table and chair purchase or rental.

For more information or questions about the grants, contact one of these organizations: Margaret Perreault, president and CEO of Batavia Chamber of Commerce, at (630) 879-7134; Sherri Wilcox Dauskurdus, executive director of Batavia MainStreet, at (630) 761-3528

Laura Newman, Batavia city administrator, at (630) 454-2000.