The Great Bend Chamber of Commerce and Barton County would like to remind all for-profit businesses operating within Barton County to apply for the Barton County SPARK Business Assistance Grant Program. Completed applications and required documents must be received by 3 p.m. on Oct. 14.

Submit applications via mail, in-person, or email. Hardcopies can be delivered in-person (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.), mailed, or emailed to: Great Bend Chamber of Commerce, Attn: Megan Barfield, 1125 Williams St., Great Bend, KS 67530 - Email: mbarfield@greatbend.org.

Applications in both English and Spanish can be viewed online at greatbend.org or by hardcopy at the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce, located at 1125 Williams. Street, Great Bend.

Great Bend Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Megan Barfield encourages businesses to look at their overall impact due to the pandemic and consider applying, “It’s important that we work to keep these funds here in Barton County. State guidelines require the County to return any unspent dollars by Dec. 31st and we know our businesses have experienced loss and have made adaptations resulting in unforeseen expenses.”

The Business Assistance Grant Program has limited funding but aims to provide reimbursement micro-grants for costs of business interruption caused by required closures and expenses in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, to Barton County businesses with a focus to address disproportionate impacts on racial minority owned businesses. 

Eligibility criteria are: 

• For-Profit Small Business located in Barton County and in operation March 1.

• Must still be in operation and operating at the time of application.

• Must demonstrate negative impacts from COVID-19

• Must have less than 100 employees

Award process 

Each request will be reviewed and evaluated on its own merit based on the contents of the application by a committee. This is a reimbursement grant for existing COVID-19 related expenses. Completing an application does not guarantee that an applicant will receive a grant. It is anticipated that requests will exceed available funding. This is not a first-come, first-served grant program, but rather an attempt to fully serve our county with the allocated dollars available currently. Additional information may be requested. Applicants will be notified as soon as possible following the close of application period.

Below is a list of potential eligible expenses but is not all encompassing:

• Cleaning and disinfection expenses

• Personal Protective Equipment (masks, sanitizer, etc.)

• Protective supplies

• Expenses for public safety measures taken in response to COVID-19

• Payroll expenses for employees whose services are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

• Expenses for food delivery to residents to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions.

• Expenses to facilitate and improve telework/remote work capabilities for employees to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions.

• Reimbursements for the costs of business interruption caused by required closures.

• Loss of revenue (must provide financials/statements for 01/01/2020 – 06/30/2020 and 01/01/2019 – 06/30/2019)

• Working capital (must provide financials/statements for 01/01/2020 – 06/30/2020 and 01/01/2019 – 06/30/2019)

• Any other COVID-19 related expenses reasonably necessary to the function of conducting business.

This funding is made possible by the Federal CARES Act and the State of Kansas through the Strengthening People And Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) program. Interested businesses do not need to be a member of the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce to apply.

For more information on how to apply for the Barton County SPARK Business Assistance Grant visit greatbend.org or call 620-792-2401.