Relief Available Now for Small Businesses and Healthcare Providers

*** Update: The Small Business and Healthcare Provider Relief Program  application deadline has been extended through October 30.

South Dakota small business and health care providers negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic are now eligible to apply for direct grants from the Coronavirus Relief Fund. Eligible businesses and organizations will be able to apply for these various grants from October 13-23, 2020. 

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem recently announced the launch of the Small Business and Healthcare Provider Relief Program to utilize up to $580 million in Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars to assist small businesses, community-based healthcare providers, and nonprofits negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Coronavirus Relief Fund was established via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act.

There are five components of the Small Business and Healthcare Provider Relief Program.

SMALL BUSINESS COVID INTERRUPTION PROGRAM - to provide direct grants up to $400 million to help eligible South Dakota small businesses who experienced a reduction in business as a result of the pandemic, meeting the following eligibility:

• Are physically located in South Dakota.
• Experienced a reduction in year over year cash flow from operations of at least twenty-five percent between March and August of 2019 and 2020.
•  2019 gross revenues do not exceed $38.5 million.
• Certify that business is a going concern in South Dakota.

SMALL BUSINESS STARTUP PROGRAM - to provide up to $10 million in direct grants to recently started eligible South Dakota businesses whose growth has been impacted or expenses increased as a result of the pandemic, meeting the following eligibility:

• Are physically located in South Dakota.
• Registered with the Secretary of State or Department of Revenue between September 1, 2019 and June 1, 2020.
• Have a net loss in 3 of the 6 months between March 2020 and August 2020 or average monthly income between March 2020 and August 2020 less than 120% of average monthly income prior to March 1, 2020.

ACUTE CARE IN HOSPITALS PROGRAM - to provide up to $15 million to eligible hospitals licensed by the state to provide acute inpatient care, including all Prospective Payment System, Critical Access, Inpatient Hospice, and Specialty hospitals. 

SMALL NONPROFIT COVID INTERRUPTION PROGRAM - to provide up to $40 million in direct grants to eligible South Dakota small nonprofit businesses who have experienced a reduction in business as a result of the pandemic and meeting the following eligibility:

• Are physically located in South Dakota.
• Have Federal or South Dakota nonprofit status.
• Experienced a reduction in year over year cash flow from operations of at least twenty-five percent between March and August of 2019 and 2020.
• 2019 gross revenues do not exceed $38.5 million.
• Certify that business is a going concern in South Dakota.

COMMUNITY BASED HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS PROGRAM - to provide up to $115 million for eligible community providers who have experienced a reduction in business as a result of the pandemic and meeting the following eligibility:

• Licensed or otherwise authorized by the state to provide community-based services in South Dakota.
• Located in South Dakota.
• Provide services funded by the state through Medicaid or other federal or state funding through the Department of Corrections, Department of Social Services, or the Department of Human Services.

Those needing assistance can call 605-937-7243 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday or email covid.bizgrants@state.sd.us or covid.healthcaregrants@state.sd.us. To learn more about the Small Business and Healthcare Provider Relief Program, visit COVID.SD.GOV.