SACO — More than 50 small business owners in York County and Southern Oxford County were awarded grants from a new Economic Recovery Hub Program launched by Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC) and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). The program offers new businesses — that were not eligible for previous pandemic funding relief — financial assistance grants, technical assistance grants (for bookkeeping, web design and social media planning), business counseling and classes. The $450,000 program was funded by the federal American Rescue Plan.

“Fifty-four recipients of the first round of grants have been notified of the financial boost with the average financial assistance grant being $10,000 and the average technical assistance grant at $1,500,” SMPDC Program Coordinator Nelle Hanig said. “It’s particularly gratifying to see the diversity of businesses that applied for and received awards, as well as the positive impact the funds will have on businesses that struggled during the pandemic yet fell through the cracks for federal financial relief.” A second round of funding is coming up in early spring but dates have not yet been finalized. Online applications will eventually be available at www.smpdc.org.

Rhona Deah, owner of Rhona Beauty, a salon in Biddeford, said she feels honored to receive this grant. “It’s a beacon of support that means the world that regional leaders believe in us. The grant will help us invest in cutting edge equipment and provide even better experiences for our clients. We’re not just shaping hair — we’re shaping dreams and confidence!”

Michael Gill, co-owner with his wife Joan Gill, of River Junction Brewing in Sanford talked about how the pandemic affected his startup brewery, “While we knew opening a brewery during a pandemic was a big risk, we didn’t have the luxury of waiting. Therefore, we designed our business plan to be lean and conservative in the face of such economic uncertainty. However, this careful start put us at a competitive disadvantage to other businesses that had already established a foothold in the market and had received Covid relief funding to help stay afloat. Regardless, we moved forward. Hearing about the grant from SMPDC for small businesses was a true blessing. The grant money we receive will be used to hire an assistant brewer/distribution manager to get our production and distribution where it needs to be for a sustainable future.”

Vickie Charity-McGuirk, co-owner with her daughter/business partner, Melanie McGuirk, of Vickie’s Veggie Table in Biddeford, said, “We will be able to keep our doors open! We will be able to revamp our business and marketing plans, and we will be able to hire two additional staff members. This will also help us to make our customers happy because more staff allows us to be open more hours.”

The financial assistance grants of up to $20,000 were available to businesses with 25 or fewer employees that opened between Jan. 1, 2020 and May 11, 2023. The businesses needed to demonstrate negative impacts due to the COVID pandemic. Small businesses can use the grants for rent, utilities, inventory, equipment, insurance, payroll (excluding owner), and other working capital needs. Small business owners could also take advantage of technical assistance grants in the form of bookkeeping, web design and social media planning/implementation services; free training, which includes banking/finance workshops offered by Kennebunk Savings Bank, and free workshops by SCORE, Small Business Development Center, and New Ventures Maine. In addition, there is access to workshops and classes at York County Community College and York County Adult Education.

In addition to SMPDC, program collaborators include Heart of Biddeford; Sanford Regional Growth Council; Saco Main Street; SCORE; Kennebunk Savings Bank; Black Owned Maine; New Ventures Maine; Small Business Development Center; York County Community College; and York County Adult Education Programs.

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