Section 691.100  Selection Process

a)         The Department or its Qualified Partners shall select awardees under the Program using a competitive scoring model.  Businesses will receive a higher score if they meet any of the following priority codes:

1)         Deemed a smaller business;

2)         Located with a DIA;

3)         Has yet to qualify for state or federal assistance; or

4)         Has been prioritized as a hard-hit industry (full list of priority industries on Department website).

b)         For eligible applicants selected, excluding hotels, the amount of financial assistance made available by the Department will be based upon one-sixth of the decline in revenue from the 2019 calendar year to the 2020 calendar year, as supported by relevant information provided by the applicant in their federal tax return filings. The award will be equal to one-sixth of the revenue decline experienced by the applicant between the 2019 and 2020 calendar year, rounded up to the nearest $5,000. Each eligible applicant may qualify for an award of financial assistance up to $150,000. Eligible applicants who applied on behalf of various entities owned by the applicant may receive an award for each business. However, the total amount of funding an eligible applicant that owns multiple eligible businesses may receive shall not exceed $300,000 in assistance.

c)         Hotels that annually earn gross receipts equal to or less than $35 million may qualify for an award of financial assistance up to $250,000.  All other requirements of subsection (b) apply to this provision.