BELMONT- Allegany County and the Allegany County Industrial Development Agency (ACIDA) have made six grant awards to new or expanding businesses through a $200,000 grant from the New York State Office of Community Renewal Microenterprise Program. In partnership with ACCORD Corporation and IncubatorWorks, who provided entrepreneurial training, grants were made to the following eligible business: Genesee Country Produce in Belmont, Hardy Penwrights, Inc. in Scio, The Old Mill Inn, Inc. in Alfred Station, Peligan Inspections in Belmont, Step Ahead in Swain, and Vintage Finds Treasured Memories in Belfast.
To be considered eligible for this grant opportunity, applicants were required to be a microenterprise start-up or existing business seeking to expand, have five or fewer employees, and business owners had to qualify as either a person of low-or moderate- income, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or create at least one full-time equivalent job available to individuals of low- or moderate-income.
The six businesses that received awards represent a diverse cross-section of the Allegany County economy.
Genesee Country Produce is a start-up retail farm market that will feature locally grown, organic food and farm products.
Hardy Penwrights, which has been operating as an online business since 2018, manufactures custom fountain pens.
The Old Mill Inn, which came under new ownership in May 2020, is a restaurant and bar serving a diverse market in Alfred Station.
Peligan Inspections provides property preservation services at vacant residential properties for banks and mortgage companies, as well as home repairs and remodeling for owner- occupied residences.
Step Ahead manufactures and installs entry steps and decks for manufactured homes.
And Vintage Finds Treasured Memories is an antique and collectables business which has been operating online for the past 15 years. In February 2020, the business leased a storefront location in Belfast.
Funds awarded through the grant ranged from $20,000 to $35,000, with many of the applicants requesting funds needed to purchase or upgrade equipment, furnishings, or machinery.
“With the challenging economic environment created due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these much-needed grant funds couldn’t have been made available at a more opportune time,” said Craig Clark, Executive Director of the ACIDA. “Through this generous grant, we’ve been able to offer real financial assistance to our smallest businesses when it has mattered most.”
“The diversity of businesses who received grant awards is indicative of the creativity and tenacity of Allegany County entrepreneurs,” commented Curt Crandall, Chairman of the Allegany County Board of Legislators. “On behalf of the Board of Legislators, we’d like to thank the ACIDA for pursuing this grant opportunity at a time when it is most needed and we look forward to witnessing the continued growth and success of each of these businesses in Allegany County.”
For information about current awards or future funding contact Craig Clark at clarkcr@alleganyco.com or (585) 268-7472.
