What is the status of the NJEDA Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program? (Phase 4)
Updated: May 26, 2021
Phase 4 of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program provides grants up to $20,000 to small- and medium- sized businesses and non-profits that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pre-registration for Phase 4 reopened at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 26, 2021. Business owners who did not pre-register in April can pre-register at programs.njeda.com. Businesses that have already applied for Phase 4 funding can check their application status at programs.njeda.com.
Pre-registration and grant applications will be available in English and Spanish. The NJEDA is also offering interpretation services to support speakers of ten additional languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Gujarati, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, and Tagalog.
The State recently announced plans to enact an additional $235 million in State funds for various small business relief programs administered by the NJEDA. $200 million of this funding will be used to fulfill all eligible pending Phase 4 small business grant requests.
Business Are Required to Pre-Register
Businesses must pre-register to apply for Phase 4 grant funding. Pre-registration reopened at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May26, 2021 and will remain open until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 30, 2021. Pre-registration is not first come, first served, but businesses are encouraged to begin the process as early as possible.
Interested business owners who did not pre-register in April need to pre-register at programs.njeda.com. Business owners who submitted a pre-registration in April, but did not apply, do not need to pre-register again. Business owners who did not pre-register in April or who began the pre-registration process, but did not complete and submit, will need to pre-register.
A step-by-step guide to the pre-registration process is available in English and Spanish. You can also watch a video walk-through of the pre-registration process or call 844-965-1125 for assistance.
Make Sure Your Businesses is Properly Registered
In order to receive a Phase 4 grant, your business must be registered to do business in the State of New Jersey with the NJ Division of Taxation. If your business is not recognized by the Division of Taxation, you must provide a valid Business Registration Certificate. You can check your business registration certificate status online.
If your business is properly registered, you will receive immediate confirmation after entering your information. If your business is not properly registered, email njdorescustomerservice@treas.nj.gov (allow up to 2 days for follow-up) or call 609-292-9292. You should state clearly that your request is connected to an application for the NJEDA’s Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program – Phase 4. Most issues can be resolved quickly.
For more information on the business registration process, watch one of the webinars on the topic the NJEDA hosted with the NJ Department of Treasury. Recordings are available here: Session 1 and Session 2.
Applications
Applications for the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program – Phase 4 closed at 5:00 p.m. on May 19th, 2021. Applicants can check the status of their submitted application at programs.njeda.com. The NJEDA is currently evaluating applications.
Applications will reopen in July for business owners who pre-registered in April and did not apply or who pre-register during the May-June pre-registration period. Applications will reopen according to the following schedule:
· 9:00 a.m. on July 7, 2021: Restaurants (0 to 50 full-time equivalent employees), childcare providers (0 to 50 full-time equivalent employees), and Small businesses with 6 to 50 full-time equivalent employees. Calculate the number of full-time equivalent employees at your business.
· 9:00 a.m. on July 8,2021: Micro businesses with 0 to 5full-time-equivalent employees that are not restaurants or child care providers. Restaurants and child care providers with 0 to 5 employees can apply on July 7. Calculate the number of full-time equivalent employees at your business here
Applications will remain open through July 15, 2021, 5:00 p.m. and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, based upon the date and time the Authority receives a completed application submission. Applicants must complete the full application to be considered for grant funding.
Awards
Grant awards will be calculated based on the number of full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) businesses employ. Micro-businesses with five or fewer FTEs and sole proprietorships will receive up to $10,000; businesses with six to 25 FTEs will receive up to $15,000; and businesses with 26 to 50 FTEs will receive up to$20,000. Access the grant size estimator.
In line with the State’s commitment to a stronger, fairer recovery, Phase 4 funding will be allocated to support the most adversely affected businesses, including restaurants, micro-businesses, and child care providers, as well as other small businesses. To ensure grants reach businesses in the hardest hit communities, including communities of color, one-third of funding will be targeted to businesses with a primary business location within the 715 census tracts designated as eligible to be selected as an Opportunity Zone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about Phase 4 of the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program are listed below in a variety of languages: