Eligibility: - Be located within the City of Lorain and have fifty (50) or fewer employees on March 22, 2020 when Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton announced a stay-at-home order in response to the coronavirus pandemic
- Operate from a commercial or retail storefront in the following sectors: restaurants, bars, salons, barber shops, gyms/workout facilities, tattoo parlors, bowling alleys, dry cleaners, event and banquet centers and general retailers, including automotive repair shops
- Be organized as a for-profit entity as defined by the IRS
- Hold a certificate of registration with the Ohio Secretary of State to do business in the State
- Maintain a valid registered business license with the City of Lorain
- Have been in operation as a business for at least one year prior to March 22, 2020; If a business has not been in operation one year prior the business will need to provide documentation of business-related activities for the entity applying for the program
- NOT be currently in receivership, bankruptcy or have any Federal, state or county tax liens against the business
- If non-storefront businesses apply they must provide a significant impact of COVID-19 and a plan to re-implement into the community in a storefront
| Ineligibility: Businesses that are not eligible to apply for the program include: - Any business with more than three (3) locations
- Originated as a non-storefront based small business and/or home-based businesses
- Gas stations, automotive parts shops
- Professional Service businesses
- Any business operating as an entertainment device arcade
- Any business operating as a sexually oriented business as that term is defined in Section 2907.40 of the Ohio Revised Code
- Any business that primarily sells tobacco products, cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, or vapor products as those terms are defined in Section 2927.02 of the Ohio Revised Code
- Any financial institution that makes loans or issues credit to the public, including, but not limited to, banks, credit unions, payday lenders, or any other similar business
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