Small Business Water Recovery Grant Fund (United States)

The grant fund is designed to help businesses recover from financial losses caused by service disruptions, including temporary closures, reduced operations, and unexpected expenses.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible to apply for the Small Business Recovery Grant Fund, applicants must meet the following criteria:
  • Small Business Status:
    • To be classified as a small business for the grant fund, a business must have an annual revenue of less than $3 million.
  • Location:
    • The business must have a physical place of business located within a commercial space in the City of Richmond. Applicants will need to provide proof of this requirement, such as a current lease agreement or a certificate of occupancy/zoning compliance. Home-based businesses are not eligible to apply.
  • Water-Dependent Industry
    • The business must belong to an industry or sector that is dependent on water for its primary functions. Eligible sectors include, but are not limited to:
      • Restaurants, bars, and caterers
      • Personal services (e.g., hair and nail salons, barbershops, private gyms, spas, massage therapy)
      • Laundromats and dry cleaners
      • Event facilities
      • Pet-related businesses (e.g., grooming, veterinary services)
      • Car washes
      • Water-dependent manufacturers (e.g., breweries)
      • Water-dependent medical services (e.g., dentists)
      • Childcare services
      • Florists
  • Demonstrated Impact and Revenue Loss
    • The business must submit a statement (250 words or less) demonstrating how it was impacted by the water outage. This statement should describe the ways in which the water disruption affected the business’s operations and activities, with particular emphasis on water-related challenges.
    • The business must also provide data showing the loss in revenue during the outage period. Applicants should outline the specific amount of revenue lost during the water disruption, comparing it to a similar period of time before or after the outage.
      • For businesses operational for more than a year, applicants should compare revenue loss to the same dates in 2024 (e.g. if your business was closed from January 6 – 10, 2025, please provide data on your revenue from January 6 – 10, 2024.
      • For businesses that have been operational for less than a year, applicants should compare revenue loss to a similar time frame following the water outage (e.g., if the business was closed from January 6-10, 2025, the business would provide data for January 13-17, 2025).
  • Business Registration
    • The business must be legally registered with the Virginia State Corporation Commission as of January 1, 2025, and possess a valid City of Richmond Business License.
  • Application Submission
    • The business must submit a complete application during the designated application period.
  • Required Documentation
    • If selected for a grant, the business will need to provide the necessary documentation to complete the transfer of funds. This includes submitting a W-9 form, banking information, and any additional necessary contracts.

For more information, visit Metropolitan Business League.