Blaise Mesa|Topeka Capital-Journal

Small businesses in Topeka could look forward to more local relief after city council unanimously voted to add almost $600,000 to its business relief fund.

The governing body voted to amend the 2019 Consolidated Action plans budget to add the additional CARES Act money at Tuesday nights meeting. Small business grants will receive $529,131 from the budget amenedment, according to documents attached to the meeting's agenda.

The city was required to amend the 2019 action plan to utilize the funds.

Preference is given to minority and women owned businesses, said Corrie Wright, Housing Services director, last week when she spoke to city council. The additional funds will be a great asset to the community.

This is the second amendment to the 2019 action plan with the current business relief funding projected to soon run out.

CATES Act funds have to be used to prevent, prepare for or respond to the pandemic, Wright said. Businesses must show a need, demonstrate a loss due to the virus and the business owner or 51% of its employees must be low to moderate income to be eligible.

The additional funding could help 26 businesses in Topeka.

Council member Mike Lesser told the Capital-Journal local business relief programs are hoping to help businesses that may have been ineligible for other programs. Lesser is also a member of the Joint Economic Development Organizations local business task force that is working on additional COVID-19 relief.

The citys relief program has different requirements for the money because it relies on federal funds, but JEDOs program has less restrictions because its funded locally.

What we dont want to do is have the same people eligible and leave the same people out, he said.

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Topeka receives over $500,000 in CARES funding to help small businesses - The Topeka Capital-Journal