The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Duke Energy Foundation have joined forces to support small businesses recovering from recent flooding and severe weather. Through a $100,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, relief funding will be distributed to eligible small businesses across Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities and helping them recover from unexpected extreme weather events like the recent flooding and derecho is essential to our region’s long-term viability,” said Amy Spiller, president of Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky. “Through our partnership with the NKY Chamber, we are providing meaningful support to local business owners as they recover, grow their operations and continue creating jobs and economic opportunity across Northern Kentucky.”
The NKY Small Business Relief Grants will be awarded in varying amounts, ranging from $2,500 to $10,000, to businesses with 50 or fewer employees that are Duke Energy small business customers in Boone, Campbell or Kenton counties. Funds may be used to reimburse past expenses or cover future needs, including:
• Enhanced service or commerce opportunities, such as modifying physical space, technology to improve online sales or expanding capacity for delivering goods and services.
• Furniture for expanded outdoor capacity, materials for construction of takeout windows, accessibility compliance for additional outdoor seating, additional fixtures required for compliance with public health issues.
• Storefront beautification projects enhancing the appearance of the business and downtown region. For example, new exterior paint, awnings, signage or planters.
• Tools or programs to support the business’s workforce needs. For example, working with a recruiter, paying to list job opportunities or tuition for a training program.
“Small businesses are critical to the economic growth and vitality of our region, and recent storms have tested their strength,” said Nancy Spivey, vice president of talent strategies at the NKY Chamber. “We’re grateful to the Duke Energy Foundation for their generous support of this grant program, which gives our business owners the targeted resources they need to recover and come back even stronger.”
Award recipients will be selected by an application review panel of NKY Chamber staff and board members in good standing. Grant winners will be notified in mid-September.
Applications are open now through 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Eligible small business owners can submit applications online at NKYChamber.com/talent.
Questions regarding the application process should be directed to Nancy Spivey at 859-426-3654 or nspivey@nkychamber.com.
Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce