5.29.20 – WREG – JACKSON, Miss.
Gov. Tate Reeves has launched a website to help small businesses recover from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Reeves made the announcement during his daily briefing on Mississippi’s COVID-19 response.
The website, backtobusinessms.org, is designed to help businesses apply for the Back to Business Mississippi Grant Program. The website outlines eligibility requirements and the paperwork needed for the applications.
The governor’s office says Reeves has been working with the Mississippi Development Authority to give out grants as quickly as possible.
“We are working to quickly get out funds from the CARES Act to small businesses,” Reeves said. “The team at MDA is reviewing the competitive bids to administer these funds—those were due today—and should have all the details out by the evening. Then they can put out the application as soon as next week if all goes according to plans.”
The governor’s office says businesses with 50 or fewer employees will be able to apply to the grant program for help recovering from the pandemic, including operating expenses and salaries.
The state’s Safer at Home order is set to expire Monday, June 1. Wednesday, Reeves said the Safer at Home order would be replaced with a “Safe Return” order, which will reopen businesses while still having health and safety guidelines to enforce social distancing.
Mississippi is currently reporting 14,790 coronavirus cases and 710 deaths. The state department of health says 418 new cases and 17 new deaths were reported Friday.