Tampa Mayor Jane Castor announces new relief fund for individuals, and small businesses

Today, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor announced a new relief fund for small businesses, families, and individuals. The City of Tampa has established the Relief Now, Rise Together Fund to provide financial relief to eligible small businesses, families, and individuals negatively impacted by local COVID-19 orders. The relief program is an emergency grant focused on the most basic needs – rent and essential utilities.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor made the announcement on April 14 from Amalie Arena.

For eligible applicants, the program will provide direct payments for up to one month’s rent or mortgage plus one or more essential utility costs (water, gas, electric). 

The City will remit payment, up to the amounts indicated below, directly to landlords, mortgagors, or to TECO on behalf of qualified relief recipients.

• Individuals/Families: Up to $1,000 for rent or mortgage; up to $250 for utilities.
• Small Businesses in Specific Industries: Up to $4,000 for rent/mortgage; up to $1,000 for utilities.

This relief is a grant and does not need to be repaid. It is intended to be a vital financial bridge for those most in need until other state and federal support funds arrive. 

Click here to see if your small business qualifies.

Click here to see if you qualify as a family or individual.

To qualify, businesses must meet the following requirements:

• Have a physical location in one of the City’s designated ‘Low Income Census Tract Zones’, or be in one of the Community Redevelopment Areas / Opportunity Zones.
• Be one of the designated ‘critically impacted’ business sectors 
• Have annual revenue less than $250,000
• Have no more than five (5) employees at the time of application
• Have been continuously operating for 5 years prior to February 1, 2020.
• Experienced at least 50% reduction in revenue as a result of the COVID crisis.
• Have applied for the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan , if eligible.
• Have paid 2020 City business taxes and 2018 property taxes.
• Have no outstanding property code enforcement issues.

Those in the community interested in donating to this relief fund can do so online.

The fund is available immediately and available to anyone residing in the city of Tampa. See the full overview at OneTampa.org.