Centennial CARES Business Grants Still Available
In partnership with Arapahoe County, Centennial’s City Council has directed $5 million of City funding to be used to support our small business community. The Centennial CARES: Small Business Grants are intended to help small businesses in Centennial who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with reopening and adapting to COVID-19 compliance requirements.
Grant applications are still available. The application can be found here. Applications are reviewed in the order they are received.
Eligible businesses could receive up to $30,000 in two separate grants. The Business Interruption Grant will be awarded at an amount up to $10,000 to eligible businesses for business operation expenses including, but not limited to, lease/mortgage, payroll, inventory, and supplies/equipment necessary to operate the business. The Business Infrastructure and PPE Grant will be awarded for up to $20,000 to eligible businesses for expense incurred or planned to facilitate compliance with public health orders. Expenditures may include, but are not limited to, building and property modifications, touchless payment systems, online ordering platforms, personal protective equipment, and safety training.
“Our businesses have experienced unpredictable and unprecedented impacts throughout these last few months. The City is pleased that we can assist in providing support to them through the CARES Act funding shared from Arapahoe County," says Centennial Mayor Stephanie Piko. “Our local businesses are imperative to the health and well-being of our community and Centennial is now able to respond to their need for financial support.”
If you have questions or need more information, send an e-mail to nmarciniak@centennialco.gov.
Business Eligibility Requirements:
- Currently licensed with the City of Centennial
- Business license issued no later than October 1, 2019
- Physical address within Centennial
- Business is in good standing with the City of Centennial (tax returns, code violations, etc.)
- For-profit, privately-held business
- 1-100 full-time equivalent Full-Time Employee (FTE) positions prior to COVID-19 pandemic
- Business has been forced to temporarily close or forced to dramatically limit operations due to the Public Health Orders related to the COVID-19 public health crisis
- Able to demonstrate economic injury of 25% or more in revenue loss during the COVID-19 pandemic and a need for a grant to help mitigate the economic injury
- Able to provide a total estimate of current and anticipated business losses (revenue and other losses) due to the pandemic
Click here to see which business types are not eligible, as well as a list of prohibited uses of funds.
Please note:
- Safari Web Browser is not supported.
- We do not recommend applying via an iPad.
- Please turn-off autofill in your browser before starting the application.
- .png files are not recommended for documentation upload.
- Be sure to upload a completed W-9 form (link below under Process tab).
- When uploading Revenue Loss documentation, please include calculations of your 25% or more revenue loss.
For additional information on the application and the process, visit centennialco.gov/caresgrants.
City of Centennial Allocates Funds for Utility, Rent and Mortgage Assistance
The City of Centennial receives annual funding for the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administered by Arapahoe County. This year, the City also received funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The City of Centennial has allocated $205,192 with the primary goal being to keep families in their homes, preventing loss of housing by assisting with utility/rent/mortgage assistance for households with income up to 80 percent of AMI (Area Median Income). Arapahoe County administers this program on behalf of the City.
To be eligible for this assistance program, applicants must:
- Be a Centennial resident (County residents may be eligible for funding under a similar program)
- Provide proof of applying for unemployment compensation.
- Provide proof of who lives in your household (must be the ID’s or the lease showing all household members).
- Provide proof of income for everyone in the household for the past month. (i.e. pay stubs, social security award letters, proof of child support, or proof of other income).
- Applicants must provide a current signed lease or mortgage statement.
- Applicants must provide landlord or mortgage company contact information. Either must be willing to provide a W9 and accept payment from Arapahoe County.
HOW TO APPLY
Click here to get the application. Download it to your desktop or mobile device. Fill out the application and submit it via email to housingassistance@arapahoegov.com including attachments from the eligibility list above.
Fast Scanner is a free app to assist in sending documents.
For assistance or questions, please call 303-738-8040 or email housingassistance@arapahoegov.com.
Remember, funds are limited. Providing this information is not a guarantee of rent assistance.
CDPHE Approves Arapahoe County Variance Request with Amendments
On June 29, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) approved Arapahoe County’s recent request for a variance from Public Health Order 20-28, with certain conditions.
The county filed the variance request on June 10 and requested that allowances be made for area gyms, restaurants, houses of worship and indoor malls. The CDPHE granted these requests “based on the low disease prevalence” within the county, and the agency stipulated some restrictions. Learn more.
Join the #ThinkLocalCentennial Contest!
To encourage Centennial’s residents to support local businesses, Centennial created the Think Local Centennial Contest. People who post selfies with an item they purchased from a Centennial business or in front of a Centennial business and tag them with #ThinkLocalCentennial will be entered to win a $50 gift card to a Centennial restaurant.
Anyone is eligible. The social media account on which the message is posted must have at least one post prior to May 10, 2020.
Photo must be public and posted on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with the hashtag #ThinkLocalCentennial – if possible, be sure to tag the Centennial business also! Each winner will receive a $50 gift card to a Centennial restaurant.
State Reminds Businesses to Adhere to State and Local Guidelines Over Holiday Weekend
With the Fourth of July holiday approaching, the state is reminding businesses of the importance of following and adhering to state and local guidelines for health and safety practices to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Recent data has pointed to a possible second wave of coronavirus infections, and Governor Jared Polis has stressed the importance of continuing to adhere to current guidelines to protect Colorado from additional outbreaks.
Licensed businesses are required to follow state and local guidelines, including limiting capacity and following social distancing and mask-wearing recommendations. Department of Revenue investigators will be in the field this week conducting inspections and checks to ensure compliance. Any licensee found to be out of accordance with COVID-19 guidelines, executive orders, or public health orders could face significant fines, penalties, or administrative actions based on activities found by investigators. You can view public health orders and executive orders on the state's website.
32 Tips for Working From Home
Are you among the many who work from their home office? This handy guide for working from home can help you maximize productivity. These tips don’t only apply to individual contributors, but also managers and team leaders. Working from a home office affords many benefits to increase performance, business continuity, and achieve greater work/life balance.
Although working from home was once a luxury, it is now a mainstay among large companies and small businesses. The key reason? Productivity. Working from home is great, but it can be problematic if it’s not well managed. View tips and best practices for working from home.
General Business Resources
Aurora - South Metro Small Business Development Center | Business Licensing & Registration | Arapahoe/Douglas WORKS! | Arapahoe Libraries Business Support Services
WANT TO KNOW MORE? Contact Centennial's Economic Development Division
Neil Marciniak, Economic Development Director | 303-754-3351 | nmarciniak@centennialco.gov
Stewart Meek, Economic Development Specialist | 303-754-3410 | smeek@centennialco.gov
City of Centennial, 13133 E. Arapahoe Road, Centennial, CO 80112 | 303-325-8000