Grants replace failed Plainfield loan program. Which businesses, nonprofits will benefit?

PLAINFIELD — For many small business owners across the country, the pandemic months were a precarious period marked by lost revenue, fewer customers and, in many cases, a time of forced shut-downs.

“We had to close down for three months,” said Marie Dumaine, owner of Marie’s Fitness & Massage Center in the Plainfield Square plaza off Norwich Road. “I started doing online fitness videos to keep afloat, which we did – just barely.”

Dumaine was one of 11 business owners and non-profit principals to be approved on Monday to share a pool of federal pandemic funding set to be disbursed through the town’s Small Business Economic Recovery Grant Program.

In Dumaine’s case, this means she’ll be getting $15,700 to pay for new flooring at the business she’s operated for the last 22 years.

“We already finished Phase I where we added weight training, three massage rooms and a new office,” she said. “This money will help us pay for the second part of our expansion that will include two aerobic rooms with a hard-wood floor. We’ll use that room on weekends for dance socials, things like line-dancing and polkas."

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American Rescue Plan Act money seeded Plainfield grant program

The municipal grant program was seeded with $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding, part of a $4.5 million package of pandemic relief money the town received. The program replaced the town’s Business Revolving Loan program rolled out more than a year ago. That program was pulled almost immediately after opening due to a lack of interest.

Under the modified grant program, eligible entities - ones which could prove a demonstrable loss of revenue or donations due to COVID-19 issues - could apply for up to $25,000 in funding, said Jordan Lumpkins, the town’s grant writer and program manager.

Lumpkins said his office received 20 grant applications with 11 making it through the vetting process and recommendation phase by the Economic Development Commission. The Board of Selectmen on Monday approved all 11 recommended applications whose asks totaled $246,100.

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The board also approved shifting $100,000 into the grant program from a housing hardship program that was deemed duplicative.

The approved applications were submitted by a mix of small businesses - including several hospitality-oriented companies Lumpkins said were hit particularly hard by the pandemic– shops and non-profits. Eight of the applicants were approved for the maximum $25,000 grant.

“We had three applications that were deemed ineligible, incomplete or unresponsive,” Lumpkins said. “The new grant money we just shifted is expected to help fund the six other grant applications we received that were previously tabled.”

The approved applications include $10,000 for new blood pressure monitoring equipment for American Legion Ambulance and $20,400 to cover a loss of sales and the purchase of personal protection equipment for the On the Spot Catering company.

Several $25,000 awards were approved for applicants ranging from the Enchanted Jewelry shop and Hope Lodge to the Hay Burr Inn horse rescue group, a Plainfield football association and the Plainfield Business Association.

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Applicants listed loss of donations and revenue, increased expenses and a jump in supply costs as reasons for applying. The funding will cover equipment purchases, repairs and, in the case of non-profits, promotion of programming affected by the pandemic.

When will Plainfield businesses and nonprofits get the money?

Lumpkins said he anticipates the money will start making its way to recipients beginning March 1, after contracts are finalized.

“I’ll be following up with every grantee, as described in the contracts, to ensure the money is being spent properly,” he said. “Next month, we’ll start reviewing the remaining applications. With some of these companies who applied, they had to close down for so long their equipment ended up breaking and needs to be replaced."

First Selectman Kevin Cunningham said the grant program is on track to accomplish its goal.

“That was to help these businesses stay afloat, move ahead and recover,” he said.

Dumaine praised Lumpkins for the “tremendous help” he offered during the application process. She said she initially applied for funding under the now-defunct pandemic loan program, but scrapped her application before finishing.

“This (grant) program is a lot nicer,” she said. “There's no requirement to go into debt.”

John Penney can be reached at jpenney@norwichbulletin.com or at (860) 857-6965.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Plainfield businesses, nonprofits to get ARPA, pandemic relief funds