Part II: Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for grant funds under the Program, Summit County businesses must meet the following requirements, as of March 15, 2020:

The business must operate for profit. Non-profit entities of any type are not eligible. (Business that are for-profit generally file an IRS Form 1040 with a Schedule-C, 1040-SR with a Schedule-C, 1065, 1120 or 1120-S.)

The business may be a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation (both S and C), professional association, limited liability company, limited partnership, or limited liability partnership. If a corporation, professional association, limited liability company, limited partnership or limited liability partnership, the business must be registered with the Ohio Secretary of State to do business in the State of Ohio. If a sole proprietorship, the business shall provide documentation of its existence as a business, including, but not limited to income tax returns for the business, trade name registrations, business banking or credit accounts, or similar documents. If a partnership, the business shall either be registered with the Ohio Secretary of State to do business in the State of Ohio, or, if not registered, shall provide documentation similar to that required for a sole proprietorship.

The principal place of business, or headquarters, for the business must be located within Summit County.

The business must have been in operation for at least fifteen months prior to March 15, 2020, which, at a minimum, may be evidenced by a filing on or before that time of documents with the Ohio Secretary of State incorporating or organizing the business or evidencing operation of the business prior to that time.

To be eligible for a grant in an amount of up to $5,000, the business must employ a minimum of two employees and a maximum of thirty employees. Businesses that employ one employee will be eligible for grants of up to $2,000. For purposes of this criteria, “employee” shall mean an individual who (i) is employed as an employee who regularly works at least 20 hours per week and who is provided an IRS Form W-2 at the end of each calendar year, (ii) is independently contracted with the business, regularly works at least 20 hours per week and who receives an IRS Form 1099 at the end of each calendar year, or (iii) the principal owner(s) of the business, the sole proprietor, or partners, whichever is applicable, provided, however, that the principal owners, sole proprietor or partners need not be included in the number of employees if it would cause the business to exceed the maximum number of individuals employed.

At least 50% of the individuals employed by the business, as defined herein, must be permanent residents of the County of Summit.

The business must be current on all Summit County municipal and Joint Economic Development District income tax obligations and Summit County property tax obligations. All businesses will be required to provide the businesses’ federal employer identification number, or, if the business does not have a federal employer identification number, the social security number under which the business operates.

The businesses shall not be one of the following, regardless of its general eligibility under subsection (A), above:

Any business operating as an entertainment device arcade, as defined in Chapter 755 of the Codified Ordinances of the County of Summit, regardless of the location within Summit County.

Any business operating as a sexually oriented business as that term is defined in Section 2907.40 of the Ohio Revised Code.

Any business that primarily sells tobacco products, cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, or vapor products as those terms are defined in Section 2927.02 of the Ohio Revised Code.

Any financial institution that makes loans or issues credit to the public, including, but not limited to, banks, credit unions, payday lenders, or any other similar business.

Any business that has received grant funds previously from through this Program or from another Summit County local government or private grant fund related to relief for small businesses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic shall be ineligible to receive grant funds under the Program if:

they employ two to thirty employees and they were awarded $5,000 or more in grant funds, or, in the event the business received less than $5,000 in grant funds from the other grant, then any grant they receive under the Program shall be reduced by the amount of the grant funds already awarded, or

they employ one employee and they were awarded $2,000 or more in grant funds, or, in the event the business received less than $2,000 in grant funds from the other grant, then any grant they receive under the Program shall be reduced by the amount of the grant funds already awarded.