Private donors set up grant fund for downtown businesses facing financial hardship

Anonymous donors have stepped up to create a grant fund — worth up to $1 million — for downtown businesses faced with unprecedented challenges due to construction and the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an email sent out Friday, the Rochester Downtown Alliance said businesses located in the downtown special service district (SSD) area will be eligible for grants up to $20,000 each. The program is targeted at non-hotel hospitality businesses — such as retail stores and restaurants — that are independently owned and have less than 50 full-time employees.

The goal, according to the the RDA, is to "maintain vibrancy” downtown through a tough winter in which the pandemic is expected to persist.

“We sincerely hope this grant opportunity will provided much needed relief to our downtown small business community,” said Holly Masek, executive director of the RDA. “We are immensely grateful to the contributors to the fund, who at this time wish to remain anonymous.”

The RDA says the grant fund was set up by a private donor who views “downtown’s continued vibrancy as vital to the overall success of Rochester.” A number of other private parties have since contributed financially and in-kind to the program.

In addition to being downtown, businesses must meet a number of other criteria; they must be able to demonstrate the business was in good standing prior to the pandemic, have seen revenues decrease by at least 15 percent, and have a Covid-19 preparedness plan.

The RDA says while it will be administering the fund on behalf of the donors, it will not be involved in selecting grant recipients.

Additional info on the program can be found here.

Cover photo courtesy the RDA