More than 380 Maine small businesses and non-profit organizations across all 16 counties will share in $5 million in relief grants through the Maine Jobs & Recovery Small Business Grant Program.

Governor Janet Mills announced the grants on Thursday, which provide assistance to small businesses dealing with the financial toll of the COVID-19 pandemic.

These expense-based grants, which average $12,700, will help compensate Maine business owners for pandemic-related costs ranging from supply chain disruptions to infrastructure improvements. Some of the grants are up to $50,000.

“Maine small businesses are the backbone of our economy, providing livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of Maine people. These new awards build on my Administration’s unwavering commitment to support them throughout the ups and downs of the pandemic,” said Governor Janet Mills. “We hope these grants will help them grapple with pandemic-related financial losses and put them in a better position not only to keep their doors open and people employed, but to thrive in the long-run.”

To qualify for a grant, businesses with significant operations in Maine were required to demonstrate at least a 20 percent revenue loss between March 2020 and June 30, 2021.

The $5 million awarded this week is the just first phase of a $20 million initiative of the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to support small Maine businesses and non-profits. Details on the next round of this program will be announced by the Mills Administration in April.

The Governor’s plan, approved by the State Legislature in November, aims to invest nearly $1 billion in Federal American Rescue Plan funds to improve the lives of Maine people and families, help businesses, create good-paying jobs, and build an economy poised for future prosperity.

For more information about the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, visit maine.gov/jobsplan.

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