CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More businesses in Greenbrier County received grant funding from the RISE West Virginia program than any other county hit hard in June 23 storms.
In all, 229 small businesses in ten counties received $1.8 million in grant funding via RISE West Virginia, according to numbers from the state Department of Commerce.
The awards by county were as follows:
Clay – 13
Fayette – 9
Greenbrier – 121
Jackson – 1
Kanawha – 37
Nicholas – 33
Pocahontas – 2
Roane – 7
Summers – 1
Webster – 9
The application deadline for mini-grants of up to $10,000 was Nov. 23.
RISE West Virginia was created to help the Mountain State’s small businesses keep their doors open and their operations up and running after the June flood.
Applicant criteria included being located in one of the affected counties, being in good standing with the state, having a verifiable business at the time of the June flooding and a plan for usage of the grant assistance.
“It was enough to, maybe, make payroll or pay the rent or replace some equipment that was lost,” Keith Burdette, state commerce secretary, previously said.
“We think it’s had a positive effect and we think it’s a model to be used in other situations.”
Initial funding for RISE West Virginia, which launched in July with a combination of public and private dollars, was $2 million.