SBIG - Small Business Impact Grant

Is my business eligible for a grant?

To be eligible for a grant, you must meet ALL of the following criteria:

• The primary location of your business is in Salt Lake County,
• AND you have fewer than 100 employees on payroll (W-2 earners),
• AND you established and licensed your business before January 1, 2020,
• AND you can document financial loss of more than $500 between March 16 - July 31, 2020, due to COVID-19,
• AND if you received assistance from CARES Act funding (EIDL, PPP, etc), the total was less than $35,000

How can I check that my business is in Salt Lake County?

You can explore Salt Lake County’s boundaries on this map.

I’m not sure my business is eligible. How can I find out?

Begin the grant application here, which includes an eligibility pre-screening. Call the Business Relief Hotline for further assistance at (385) 468-4011. Operating hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Is my business eligible for the grant if I personally received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)?

An individual that received PUA is still eligible to apply for the grant for their business. This grant serves business owners, as well as self-employed individuals. 

 Salt Lake County Non-Discrimination & Equal Access

Salt Lake County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended and Sections 503 & 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended in providing individuals with disabilities equal access to employment opportunities and the services, programs and activities the County offers. Members of the general public may seek assistance from any County employee in contacting the ADA/504 Liaison, Erika Fihaki, at EFihaki@slco.org. Salt Lake County will provide free auxiliary aids and services to qualified individuals, including qualified sign language interpreters, alternate formats, etc.

How much funding can my business receive?

Grant amounts are determined by individual business needs based on documented losses and COVID-related expenses. The minimum grant amount is $500, and the maximum grant amount is $35,000.

Do I need to spend the grant by a specific date?

Yes, grant awards must be spent by November 1, 2020. Any remaining grant amount at that time must be returned to Salt Lake County.

Do I need to repay my grant?

No, if you spend the grant on qualified expenses and submit documentation of your spending, you do not need to repay it.

Will I be taxed on the grant?

Yes. State and local grants are taxable for federal income purposes. Approved grant applicants who are individual/sole proprietors, LLCs and partnerships will be issued a 1099.

What are qualified expenses for the grant?

The grant can be used on operating expenses such as:

• Payroll,
• Rent or mortgage,
• Utilities,
• Insurance,
• Inventory, and
• COVID-related expenses.

You must submit documentation of how you spent the money.

What qualifies as a COVID-related expense?

• Expenses related to business modifications to promote social distancing.
• Expenses related to continuing business operations from the home or by internet.
• Expenses related to business modifications to protect employees or customers such as barriers, distancing signs, hand sanitization centers, etc.
• Expenses related to protective gear and sanitization, such as masks and disinfectant.
• Other expenses that are business-related and would not have been necessary if not for COVID-19.

How do I find out if an expense is qualified or is prohibited?

Call the Business Relief Hotline for assistance: (385) 468-4011.

What will happen if I use the grant on prohibited expenses?

You will be required to pay back the grant amount if you cannot prove your business spent it on qualified expenses.

How many grants will be given?

There is not a set number of grants that will be awarded. Grants will be awarded until the funding runs out.

Beware of phishing

Financial, personnel, business, contract and reporting information will be completed online through the main application at ZoomGrants.

Salt Lake County will contact you by email, from Notices@zoomgrants.com, with eligibility and award status or to provide links to the main application. Salt Lake County will not request that you respond through email. Once you've been approved, Salt Lake County may call to verify your business information.

If you are unsure if an email or call is from Salt Lake County, please contact the Business Relief Hotline for assistance: (385) 468-4011.

Please do not reply to any questionable emails or phone calls.

Applying in Round 2  

Continue on if your business industry was impacted by COVID-19 and/or received less than $35,000 in CARES Act funding:

What to do if you were determined ineligible in Round 1

• I was originally considered ineligible in Round 1's application pre-screening because my business was outside the designated industries and/or because I received CARES Act funding for my business. What should I do now?
• Start a new application. You need to confirm your business is now eligible in the pre-screening step of the application. Refer to the “starting an application” section for detailed instructions. 
•  If you have trouble beginning a new application, call the Business Relief Hotline at (385) 468-4011.

What to do if Round 1 awardees want to extend reporting period

• If your business received funding through the SBIG program in Round 1 and you can prove additional loss for June 16 - July 31, apply for additional funding in Round 2. Total funding received through the SBIG program cannot exceed $35,000. Call the Business Relief Hotline to receive a direct link to the application: (385) 468-4011.

When does the SBIG application close?

Applications must be submitted by September 18 at 5 p.m.

Can I complete the application on my phone or tablet?

Yes, you can complete the application on a phone or tablet, but it may be easier to use a computer.

What documentation is required for a complete application?

Documents are required to prove lost sales and COVID-19-related expenses. Grant awards are limited to substantiated losses and COVID-related expenses, and grants will not be greater than $35,000. Application review may require additional financial documentation, if necessary.

Expected Sales March 16 to July 31, 2020

Note: The expected sales time period was extended in Round 2. If your business was approved in Round 1 and would like to provide new documentation of further losses through July 31, call the Business Relief Hotline at (385) 468-4011 to receive a direct link to the Round 2 application.

Provide the following documents that show business revenues during the same period of last year (March 16-July 31, 2019):

• Bank statements (required)
• Tax Returns (annual, quarterly report 940 or 941) (optional)

--AND--

Documents that indicate expected sales that were cancelled THIS YEAR from (March 16-July 31, 2020) including but not limited to:

• Contracts for services that were cancelled due to closure (partial closure or complete closure)
• Proof of event/appointment confirmation, proof of event/appointment cancellation, AND proof of associated lost revenue (MUST include all three; eg. copy of event contract AND copy of event cancellation AND copy of itemized anticipated revenue)

--OR--

If you cannot provide information from 2019 or expected sales from 2020, provide documentation for average sales for 10 weeks from January 1 to March 16, 2020. This must be shown by providing one or more of the documents listed above.

Actual Sales March 16 to July 31, 2020: You need the following

• Bank statements or deposit slips

Receipts for other COVID-related expenses: Other expenses that are business-related and would not have been necessary but for the COVID-19 pandemic. These expenses must have been made between March 16-July 31, 2020 and include:

• Modifications of the business space to promote social distancing
• Continuing business operations from the home or by internet
• Modifications of the business space to protect employees or customers, such as barriers, distancing signs, hand sanitization centers, etc.
• Protective gear and sanitization

Receipts for Covid-related expenses must include all of the following information:

• Amount, Date, Vendor & Item Purchased

Other Documents

• W-9 for your business
• Copy of Business License OR other applicable document proving legal business operation in Utah (required)
• Copy of Health Department Permit (if applicable)
• Protected Records Request Form (optional)

Who can I ask about substitutions for required documents?

Call the Business Relief Hotline for assistance 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday-Friday at (385) 468-4011.

I am having issues filling out the application.  What should I do?

Call the Business Relief Hotline for assistance: (385) 468-4011.

How can I get translation assistance?

Look at the language resources FAQ at the top of this page, available in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Arabic, or call the Business Relief Hotline for assistance: (385) 468-4011.

• Spanish: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday
• Mandarin: 5-8 p.m. Monday, 1-8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday
• Vietnamese:
  • 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Tuesday
  • Noon-4 p.m. Wednesday
  • 9 a.m.-Noon Thursday-Friday
• Arabic: By appointment. Call to schedule.
• ADA Liaison: Call (385) 468-4900 or email EFihaki@slco.org

What is the application pre-screening?

This first part of the application will assess if you meet initial required SBIG eligibility criteria in Round 2 and will take approximately 5 minutes. 

How do I access the application's eligibility pre-screening?

Use this link to access the application: https://slco.org/covid-19/economy/grants/.

What should I do if I don't receive an email after submitting the application's pre-screening?

Check your spam folder for an email with the name "SLCo Small Business Impact Grant Eligibility Screening'. If you do not receive this email within an hour, you can submit the screening again or call the Business Relief Hotline for assistance at (385) 468-4011.

How do I access the application?

1. After completing the eligibility pre-screening, you will receive an email from the sender "SLCo Small Business Impact Grant Eligibility Screening"
2. The email will say where you are eligible to apply or do not qualify.
3. If you are eligible, the email will include a link to the main application, where you will need to create an account.
4. After creating an account and starting an application, go to https://www.zoomgrants.com/login to log in to your account for updates and edits to your application. 

How do I create a ZoomGrants account to complete the application?

Use the email you received after completing the application's pre-screening to access the SBIG main application. You will only use this link to create your application. Click the orange "New ZoomGrants Account" button.

For detailed directions, watch our SBIG Application Tutorial Video.

What is a collaborator?

If you need someone to see or help with your application in ZoomGrants, you can add them as a collaborator. The person you add can make application changes if you give them permission. You are not required to have a collaborator. You can add someone as a collaborator on the Application Summary tab of your application, in the white Collaborators box below your Finance/Budget Contact information. For more instructions, please see ZoomGrants University: Inviting Collaborators.

How do I access my application at a later time after I created it?

Always log into ZoomGrants at https://zoomgrants.com/login. You will be taken to the My Account Home/My Applications page. Your application will be in one of the white boxes depending on if it is incomplete, submitted, approved or declined. You may need to click the appropriate box's "Show/Hide" to see your application.

Do NOT use the application creation link sent to you by email to login in. You will see a message that says "No additional applications allowed."

TIP: After clicking the "Apply" button, ZoomGrants sometimes takes a few moments to process and open your new application. Only hit the "Apply" button ONCE. If you are not taken to your created application after clicking "Apply," call the Business Relief Hotline at (385) 468-4011, and they can verify if your application was created and how to access it.

What is planned grant spending?

In the grant application, you must share how you plan to use the grant funds in order to submit a complete application for review. Your planned uses must match the total of the grant amount you are requesting. If you have questions about what grant funds can be used on in your business' plans, call the Business Relief Hotline to get one-on-one help: (385) 468-4011.

How do I know if my application is complete?

Once you have answered all the questions, finished your grant worksheet and uploaded all required documents, click the gray "Submit Now" button above and to the right of your application tabs.

If your application is incomplete, the questions you still need to finish will appear in RED. Please go back and finish them. Otherwise, your application will not be reviewed.

You will get an email from Notices@ZoomGrants.com with "Application Submitted" in the subject line. This email will also have important information about what to expect next in the application process.

Please note your application must be submitted by September 18 to be considered for approval. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Applications are not processed until all required documentation is uploaded.

What documentation is required for a complete application?

Refer to the "Starting an Application" section of the FAQ for a list of required documentation.

What is a "Protected Records Request Form" and do I need to submit one?

You are not required to submit this form. Upload this form if you are electing business confidentiality for trade secrets or proprietary information provided in other documents.

What file formats can I use to upload documents?

The most common file formats that can be uploaded to ZoomGrants include: .DOC, .DOCX, .XLS, .XLSM, .XLSX, .TXT, .RTF, .WPS, .SXW, .ODT, .TAB, .CSV, .WKS, .SXC, .ODS, .PDF, .GIF, .JPG, .PNG, .JPEG, .TIF, .TIFF

How do I upload documents in ZoomGrants to complete the application?

1. In your application, click on the Documents tab.
2. Click the orange "Upload" button to the right of the document request you want to complete. This will open a new window. 
3. Enter a file description (eg. bank statement).
4. Select the type of attachment ("File Upload" to attach a file from your computer).
5. Click the "Choose File" button.
6. Select the file you would like to upload.
7. Click "Open" then click the "Upload Now" button. 
8. Close the window and repeat with the remaining document requests.

For visual directions, refer to the SBIG Application Tutorial Video.

Once approved for a grant, your business will be required to sign a contract and provide specific business information to receive your funds. These instructions will be sent in an email. Once the funds are spent, you must report how you spent the money.

How will you send the contract following approval?

If your grant is approved, you will sign your contract electronically in your ZoomGrants application. The email letting you know you have been approved will have instructions on how to access and sign the contract.

Can I make changes to the contract?

No, you cannot make changes to the contract. You can only receive the grant if you sign the contract.

Who can legally sign for the contract for my business?

The person who signs your contract must have authority to bind your organization.

How do I submit my bank account and business information to receive the money?

You will receive a link to the Business Information Form in an email from ZoomGrants. Use this form to submit your payment information to Salt Lake County.

You will NOT be asked to submit business information by phone or within an email. If you would like to verify that the email link is from the SBIG program, call the Business Relief Hotline for confirmation at (385) 468-4011.

How will I receive the grant payment?

You will receive the payment by direct deposit or a mailed check, based on what you choose in the Business Information Form.

If I have done business with or received a payment from Salt Lake County before, do I need to submit my information again?

Yes. All grant recipients must complete the Business Information Form.

I lost the link to submit my business information, how do I get another link?

Call the Business Relief Hotline at (385) 468-4011.

How many payments will I receive?

You will receive one payment for the approved grant amount.

How long will it take to receive payment?

The processing of your grant payment started once your contract was signed, AND we received and verified the information provided in your Business Information Form. You can expect to receive your payment within 14-16 business days of the date that you completed both of these items. If you do not receive payment after three weeks from this date, please call the Business Relief Hotline at (385) 468-4011 for assistance.

When must the money be spent by?

You need to spend your grant money and report on how you spent it no later than November 30, 2020.

Do I need to document how I spend the grant?

Yes, you need to document spending and submit proof through ZoomGrants by November 30, 2020, where you can upload documentation on how the funds were spent.

Receipts for Covid-related expenses must include all of the following information:

• Amount, Date, Vendor & Item Purchased

What type of documentation will I need to submit? 

Submit invoices and corresponding payment receipts, or other documents necessary to verify grant funds were spent on the qualified purposes listed in the application.

What is the deadline to submit my grant report?

The deadline to submit your report on how you spent grant funds is November 30, 2020.