Skip to Content
/ Articles / Business & Economy, Community /

Berks County’s Small Business Restart Grant (SBRG) Program

Jul 31, 2020

Last week, three County Commissioners; Leinbach, Barnhardt, and Rivera approved a few policy changes to Berks County’s Small Business Restart Grant (SBRG) Program.  These policy revisions were made to increase the number of business owners throughout Berks County who take advantage of this HUD-funded program opportunity.  Most notably, the County Commissioners approved the following program policy changes:

  •         SBRG Program Application Deadline: Open until all program funds are expended
  •         Annual Gross Revenues (maximum): $1,000,000 or below
  •         Grant Program Award (range and maximum): $5,000 – $50,000 

*Grant award amounts will vary and be based on the small business’ annual gross revenues (see below)

ELIGIBLE BUSINESSES      GRANT AMOUNT

   Annual Gross Revenue            Available Per Business

    Up to $50,000                           $5,000

    $50,001 – $75,000                    $10,000

    $75,001 – $100,000                  $15,000

    $100,001 – $250,000                $20,000

    $250,001 – $500,000                $25,000

    $500,001 – $750,000                $35,000

    $750,001 – $850,000                $40,000

    $850,001 – $1,000,000            $50,000

Grant must be used to cover the following business-related expenses:

• Rent/mortgage payments for business location
• Payroll costs
• Inventory or supply costs
• Utilities costs

Small businesses that meet these requirements are encouraged to apply:

• Privately held, for-profit businesses located in Berks County but outside the city of Reading
• Small businesses with 2 – 8 employees
• Businesses with gross revenues of $1,000,000 or less
• Businesses that can demonstrate hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Businesses that agree to develop, implement and enforce a “public health and safety reopening plan”

We will be accepting applications on our website. Detailed eligibility requirements and additional information will be posted on our website.

The City of Reading has its own version of the program. If your business is located within the City, please go to the readingpa.gov website for more info.

To learn more about Berks County’s SBRG Program, please click the following program web page on Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Berks, Inc.’s website: https://nhsgb.org/small-business-restart-grant-program/

Berks County’s primary goal for the SBRG Program remains the same: To help and support as many small business owners as possible to recover from the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, restart their operations, and come back strong.

We need your support!

Your contribution makes community media possible.

A donation of any size to your nonprofit media organization supports the future of media access in our community - the things you love, and the places you care about, by the people you know.

Live Streaming