Grants handed out in less than three days

TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Downtown Partnership has handed out 50 grants totaling $50,000 under its recently announced Tampa’s Downtown Reinvestment and Relief Fund (“REfund”) Grant Program.  The money, which does not need to be repaid, was given to businesses in the Downtown Tampa Special Services District impacted by COVID-19.

“In less than three days, we had almost 75 businesses apply for a grant under the REfund program,” said the Tampa Downtown Partnership President and CEO Lynda Remund.  “I think that speaks to the financial hardships that businesses are experiencing because of the pandemic, and we must do our part to provide a bit of relief to these locally-owned restaurants, art galleries, retail stores, and others that make up the fabric of our Downtown.”

The grants can be used for lease or mortgage payments, utilities, supplies, and administrative expenses deemed critical for business operations and for equipment or programs needed to assist the business with a transition to temporary digital services.

Grants applications were considered on a first-come, first-serve basis and distributed until the funds were depleted. Payments were distributed directly to the eligible applicants with less than a week turnaround time to help expedite payments to the businesses.