Phase Three Restart Grants now available

With the accelerated Roadmap to Recovery now moving into Phase 3, many businesses will be reopening their doors for the first time in over three months. The COVID-19 Restart Grant, through Waterford City and County Council, is available to these businesses to help them with the costs associated with reopening, reemploying workers and reconnecting with customers following COVID-19 closures.

The Restart Grant gives direct grant aid to micro and small businesses with a turnover of less than €5m and employing 50 people or less, which were closed or impacted by at least a 25% reduction in turnover up to June 30th, 2020. The grants will be equivalent to the commercial rates bill of the business in 2019, with a minimum payment of €2,000 and a maximum payment of €10,000.

With almost 1,000 applications already in the pipeline in Waterford and with some €2 million already paid out and with an average payment of over €4,000, these grants are a vital lifeline to Waterford businesses on their road to recovery. However, there are many eligible businesses yet to apply and the Council would encourage these enterprises to apply as soon as possible and preferably well before the closing date of August 31st.

According to Michael Walsh, Chief Executive of Waterford City and County Council the Council is working diligently to process all the approved applications. “We have seen a surge in demand for the Restart Grant from certain sectors, however there are hundreds of small independently-operated businesses still to apply.”

“Across all sectors many of these small businesses are eligible for the Restart Grant, and the direct aid can be used for any number of applications such as helping with the costs associated with reopening, implementing best practice health and safety measures, defraying fixed costs or replenishing stock.”

“We would stress to these small businesses that once you are in a commercially-rateable premises, you qualify for the grant which is the equivalent to the rates bill of the business in 2019, even if that bill is less than €2,000. If the company is in a rateable-premises but was not rate-assessed in 2019, or if the rates are in arrears, these businesses are still eligible to apply.”

The application process is quite straight forward, and businesses will need to submit their Council rates account number, bank account details, a bank statement header, and indication of reduction in turnover. Applicants will also be required to self-declare information.

Applications for the Restart Grant can be made via www.waterfordcouncil.ie and the closing date for receipt of applications is August 31st, 2020.