In one of its largest COVID-19 economic recovery funding releases to date, the Greene County Commission announced almost $818,000 in funding for 68 different small businesses .
The commissioners approved a funding package for 68 small businesses to offset lost revenue as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The funding brings the total to more than $3.27 million in economic recovery funding for 272 small businesses.
Hospitality, entertainment businesses and restaurants were among the most affected businesses by the “Stay at Home Missouri” orders of 2020, and are among the top recipients of recovery funds in 2022. Across Missouri, the number of persons employed in leisure and hospitality fell from more than 303,000 people to 167,000 people from March to April of 2020, a 44.8-percent workforce reduction.
Today, the number of Missourians, employed in leisure and hospitality, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is about 298,200.
O’Reilly Hospitality Management, which owns the Holiday Inn and Suites on North Kentwood Avenue, the Fairfield Inn and the DoubleTree by Hilton on North Glenstone and the Hilton Garden Inn on Nature Center Way, received a $32,000 allocation. One O’Reilly Hospitality property, the Towne Place Suites by Marriott of Springfield took in a $26,250 compensation award in a separate line item.
Seven of the 68 recipients are restaurants, bars or nightclubs, including Progress, a high-end restaurant in Farmers Park.
Additionally, gyms and fitness centers, specialty retail stores and service businesses stand to recover some costs through the action taken Nov. 3.
Jan. 19, 2022, the Greene County Commission established a nine-member ARPA advisory team to screen and review applications for small business funding.
The Greene County Commission and ARPA team focused on small businesses with 50 employees or less for this group of awards. Greene County has received a total of $56.9 million in ARPA funds. Approximately $8 million dollars has been allocated for small business ARPA applications.
“They employ our citizens and pay taxes which fund vital services,” Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon said. “It made sense to make small business relief a cornerstone of our recovery efforts.”
More than $4.72 million in funding remains marked for COVID-19-related economic recovery for small businesses. Greene County’s ARPA team is in the process of reviewing about 400 applications for small business funding.
The application period for nonprofits to apply for ARPA funds closed Sept. 14, 2022. Those applications are currently being reviewed. All Greene County ARPA funds must be allocated by Dec. 31, 2024. All ARPA projects must be completed by Dec. 31, 2026.
Small businesses to receive ARPA funding
from Greene County Nov. 3, 2022
417 Taphouse - $16,250
Advanced Car Care Center - $13,750
Alpha Social Media - $11,750
Andrew T. Robinson Farms - $8,000
Anvil Customs - $11,500
Bates, Preston - $5,000
Buckingham Smokehouse BBQ - $16,200
Central Home Systems - $13,000
Contender eSports - $14,000
Contender eSports SPFLD LLC - $11,500
Crossfit Raw Steel - $11,000
Crossfit Republic - $12,000
Cultivating Wellness - $8,608
Darst Properties - $10,000
Dirt Bikes Unlimited - $11,250
Diversified Metalworking - $13,750
Doughboy Military Collectables - $10,000
Dr. Anna Hertel - $5,000
DRW Mechanical - $10,750
Elite Pain Management - $23,000
Express Closing Firm - $13,000
Express Mart - $14,500
Ginger A. Holczer PSYD - $10,000
Git Fit Headquarters - $10,000
GreenTeam Renewables - $6,750
Jason C. Gaynor Investment Services - $10,000
JMC Management - $5,000
Keepsake Diamond Center - $12,000
Kinney Billiard Sales - $17,250
Kinny Amusement and Vending - $18,000
Linde Esthetics - $10,250
Lloyd’s Dry Cleaners - $21,750
Love 4 Life Wellness - $9,101
Midnight Rodeo - $12,750
M.J. Schibler Vet Services - $5,000
Nurse Hustle Recruitment - $8,000
O’Reilly Hospitality Management - $32,000
Platinum Peaks Travel - $11,500
Premier Choice Agency - $6,250
Premier Choice Tax - $10,750
Progress Springfield - $20,500
Puroclean Certified Restoration - $11,500
QContrive Marketing - $11,250
Red’s Giant Hamburg - $20,000
Revel Advertising - $13,500
Ring the Bell Fitness - $12,500
RPM Towing and Recovery - $16,500
Ruff, Thelma - $10,000
Salvage Renovation - $10,000
Simply Smiles Family Dental - $13,000
SmartClips - $5,632
Smile Dental - $17,500
Soap Refill Station - $6,952.84
Solar Energy Services - $12,000
Sssence Solutions - $10,000
St. John’s Medical Transit - $5,000
Stick It In Your Ear - $12,000
Sugarfire Sweethouse - $16,250
Sushi Village - $15,250
Swet Hot Yoga and Fitness - $12,250
Telechoice - $14,500
Terry’s Deluxe Stump Grinding - $5,000
Tiger Town Car Wash - $5,500
Towne Place Suites by Marriott - $26,250
Triple S Properties - $10,000
Twilight Horizons Enterprises - $5,000
Upward Housing Group I - $5,000
Wicked Wok - $10,750
Your Choice Lawn Care - $12,000
