West Lafayette shifting city funds to help small businesses

West Lafayette shifting city funds to help small businesses

At-home order -- west lafayette is shifting one its grant programs to benefit various businesses.

News 18's micah upshaw tells us... john: we're realizing that we're basically in crisis mode when it comes to small business.

Micah: it's no surprise that small businesses are among the first to feel the effects of the stay-at-home order amid covid-19.

For a city like west lafayette, this struggle can be detrimental.

John: our population has basically dropped by half, the students are home, they're not here, and in college towns across the country, that hurts.

Micah: the city of west lafayette is shifting the funding from its community development block grant to help small businesses survive during these times.

John: in the past a lot of that funding has been used for infrastructure, sidewalks, access ramps, things like that.

Micah: now it'll help small business owners keep up with their internal needs.

John: when it comes to comes to making sure that they can make payroll, when it comes to making sure that they can just keep the lights on, it is an opportune time for government to sort of step up and do the right thing with whatever available funding we have.

Micah: city leaders have set aside 500- thousand dollars for small businesses.

They've also set aside nearly 263-thousand dollars to assist public service agencies like non-profits.

John: we will get through this and i know that's becoming a clich?

But when you think about what we are, who we are and how we all pull on the same side of the rope here in greater lafayette, we are ready to ensure that our businesses succeed.

Micah: the city is working on an official application for small businesses.

Until then, owners are asked to call city hall for guidance.

In west lafayette, micah upshaw.

News 18.

West lafayette's initiative to help small business came just in time.

The nation's small business paycheck protection program has recently run out of money.

It's a 349-billion dollar loan-program designed to assist businesses during tough times.