Application instructions:

Question #1: Special instructions

Before you can answer Question #1, you will need to find out if your business has been “Impacted” or “Disproportionately Impacted” by COVID-19.

Why this matters:

It is important for Federal reporting to identify if your business is considered a “disproportionately impacted” business. All businesses applying for this grant will need to answer questions and show proof of COVID-19 related financial impacts. Your business may fall into one or more “disproportionately impacted” categories, but you only need to qualify in ONE disproportionate category to be considered “disproportionately impacted”. If your business is “disproportionately impacted” you will still need to show proof of your COVID-19 hardship by selected one of the four Methods but, you will do this later in the application. Please refer to the Program Guide for complete instructions and all elgibility requirements.

If you have been "impacted" but not considered "disproportionately impacted" by COVID-19, you can still apply but, must be considered eligible which is determined by your application and supporting documentation. 

Are you a "Disproportionately impacted" business?

Review the following three categories to find out if you have been disproportionately impacted:

Category 1: Your business is owned by a Tribal government or located on Tribal land

If your business is located on Tribal land or owned by a Tribal government, you are considered disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Check the first option under Question #1.

Category 2: Your business is located in a Qualified Census Tract (QCT)

If your primary place of business is located inside the boundaries of a low- and/or moderate-income community as defined by the HUD and the US Census Bureau (more information available online here: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sadda/sadda_qct.html), you are considered disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Only certain portions of the City of Port St. Lucie qualifies as a QCT, so go through the steps below to find out if your business is inside the QCT boundary:

Step 1: Go to the City's QCT interactive map website: https://pslgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=57d59e8f4e9547fdb87ee511c21210b3 

Step 2: Enter your business address in the upper left-hand side and click the magnifying glass button.

Step 3: The result bar under your address in the upper left hand corner of the map will let you know if you are located in one of the QCTs colored pink. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: if you are located right on the border of a QCT, please note that in your application.

Category 3: Your business is in the Travel, Tourism or Hospitality industry

Your business industry is defined by your NAICS code. You can find your NAICS code on your tax documents or look it up here: https://www.census.gov/naics/

• • Travel: Travel agencies, water transport, passenger services. Note: Uber and Lyft contractors do not qualify as they are not independently owned.
  • Tourism: Tour guides & operators, performing arts, entertainment, live events, recreation.
  • Hospitality: Accommodation: Hotels, motels, hostels, camping services, bed and breakfasts. Note: Airbnb operators and chain hotels do not qualify as they are not independently owned. Food and Beverage: Restaurants, catering services, cafés, pubs, coffee houses, food carts. Note: Franchises that are independently and locally-owned may qualify, but not chain businesses.

If you are in the travel, tourism, or hospitality industry, you are considered disproportionately impacted. Check the third option under Question #1.

My business is NOT disproportionately impacted – what do I do?

If you do not qualify as disproportionately impacted, you may be an “impacted” business.” You can still apply for the small business grant and will need to answer questions about your COVID-related financial impacts as well as determine eligibility through additional documents providing proof that you are located in or on the border of a QCT or you may qualify as a low- or moderate- income household. Check one of the last four options under Question #1 (options 4-7). The option you choose will be based on what documentation you would like to provide to prove your COVID-19 hardship. Please read the full Program Guide for more detailed information.

Please answer all of the remaining questions in this application no matter what selection you made in Question #1. All applicants must determine a selection in Question #1, AND be located within a QCT or qualify as a low- to moderate- income household AND show a loss caused by COVID-19 sometime after 2019 using 2019 as a reference year.

All Applicants:

1. Required: Upload a copy of your Driver's License or other government-issued identification (front & back).

2. Required: Upload your 2019 Tax Return:

• LLC's and Sole Proprietors, attach Form 1040: Schedule C
• Registered Corporations, attach Form 1120
• Registered Partnerships, attach Form 1065

3. Required: Upload your current local business tax receipt (commonly known as a business permit or business license) from St. Lucie County.

4. Required: Upload your current local business tax receipt from the City of Port St. Lucie.

5. Required: Upload proof of your current registration with Sunbiz.com (Florida Division of Corporations).

COVID-19 Impact:

You must upload documents showing how COVID-19 negatively impacted your business. You are only required to choose ONE method from the list below, although you may submit information for more than one method if you choose. The documents must support the claim that you suffered an economic impact due to COVID-19. Use whole-year reporting.

• Method 1: Decline in revenues (Documents to upload: Any tax return after the 2019 tax return showing a loss compared to 2019)
• Method 2: Increased Payroll Costs (Documents to upload: 2019 Payroll and/or Accounting reports and reports for any year after 2019 showing an increase in payroll costs)
• Method 3: Decreased FTE (Documents to upload: 2019 Payroll and/or Accounting reports and reports for any year after 2019 showing a decrease in FTEs)
• Method 4: Increased Costs of Goods Sold/Supply Chain/Goods Shortage (Documents to upload: 2019 Cost-of-Goods Sold reports and reports for any year after 2019 showing an increase in cpsts of goods)

Income Qualification: 

Only, if your business is NOT located in a Qualified Census Tract "QCT," you must upload documents showing all of your households' income. All income for all members of the household, 18 years or older, and identification for all members of the household must be uploaded on the Income line below if your business is not located in a QCT.

Please refer to the City's "Program Guide" for this grant (located in the Library tab at the beginning of this application) for more detailed information.