DE Relief Grants Update: PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

On December 4th, the DE Relief Grants program closed to new applicants. If you applied prior to the deadline, there are some important updates to the program we wanted you to be aware of.

First, do not worry if you do not receive funding or approval by 12/30/20. The guidelines from the federal government require that any funds distributed cover expenses incurred before 12/30/20 but do not require that all grants be issued by this date.

Approvals for grants covering valid expenses incurred during the eligible timeline stated in the grant details (generally 4/1/20 to 12/30/20) may be issued after 12/30/20. The Division of Small Business will continue to process applications and issue approvals into January 2021. So, if you do not have approval by December 30th, it does not mean you will not receive a grant.

Second, since the program is now closed it is our goal to ensure that all eligible applications are funded. Since a new application cannot be submitted, we will be working directly with applicants to correct the application you submitted. Division staff is actively reviewing all outstanding applications and will prioritize outreach based on those that need the least amount of adjustments in order to get their application into a form that can be reviewed and approved.

What does this mean for the timeline of 2-3 weeks to process an application?

The Division has thus far held to a 2-3 week timeline, meaning the applicant received a decision (either approved or declined) in this period. Since we are now moving away from issuing declines for applications missing information, and instead adopting a more hands-on approach where we work with the applicant to make corrections, some applications may take longer than 2 – 3 weeks for us to respond.

Again, we will be prioritizing outreach to those that need the least amount of corrections first. This means that if your application requires in-depth adjustments, it may take a bit longer for you to hear from us. We will be sure to keep you updated through newsletters like this to try to keep you informed.

When do you as a business owner need to spend the grant funds?

Businesses that receive a grant are not responsible for spending these funds prior to 12/30. You may utilize the funds any time after receiving them as long as you can show us that eligible expenses in an amount at least equal to the grant award were paid. This goes for original awards and bonus grants.

Finally, if you are awaiting approval from us and have not already registered as a Delaware supplier, you should do so immediately. This process can occur as you await approval. Once you accept the grant and are an approved supplier, it takes 7 – 10 business days to receive payment. If you wait until you are approved to register, this time frame can take quite a bit longer. Please go to this link to register today if you have not already done so.

Thank you all for your patience during this time. We understand the past year has been a very stressful one for you as a business owner. We are hopeful that we can process applications as quickly as possible, but we also want to ensure that no one who needs the funding and qualifies is denied access.