NH Launches Main Street Relief Fund

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu has authorized the allocation and expenditure of an initial $400 million in emergency funding from the CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (“flex funds”) to provide emergency financial relief to New Hampshire small for-profit businesses due to the economic disruption caused by COVID-19. 

New Hampshire small businesses are required to provide information concerning their possible COVID-19-related lost revenues and receipt of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans or any other federal relief. This information will be used to determine appropriate relief criteria and amounts to meet the needs of eligible small businesses.

Eligibility:

• principal place of business in New Hampshire
• generated less than $20 million in revenue during the 2019 tax year
• healthcare, childcare, and agriculture businesses are not eligible; those businesses are or will be addressed through other programs.       

Important Dates:

• Mandatory Deadline to Submit Completed Prequalification Form: May 29, 2020
• Announcement of Program Specifics: June 1, 2020
• Deadline to File Completed Application: June 8, 2020
• The prequalification form must be submitted online to: https://new-hampshire.secure.force.com/support/GOV_GOFERR_Business_Survey

Submitting the required information does not guarantee that your business will receive relief. The final eligibility criteria will not be determined until all prequalifying information is received, after May 29, 2020.

Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR) will review all information received and quickly determine relief criteria and amounts that effectively meet the needs of as many New Hampshire small businesses as possible. 

The specifics of this funding opportunity will be announced on June 1, 2020, and any eligible businesses will need to submit a formal application within one week, by June 8, 2020. More information about filing the application will be made available at a later date. The DRA will begin processing relief payments shortly after the filing period closes.

“These funds are a major step forward in our efforts to provide Granite Staters affected by the COVID-19 public health crisis with relief. We are continuing to expand funding for our hospitals and health care facilities, we are committing an unprecedented amount into our non-profits and Main Street small businesses, investing in our farmers and food supply systems, and continuing to put dollars towards our childcare system, frontline workers, and higher education system. This is about delivering relief for Granite Staters as quickly as possible.”