Mayor Walsh Announces Another $350,000 in COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grants to City Small Businesses

With focused outreach by City of Syracuse, nearly two thirds of businesses are minority- and women-owned

During the past year, the City has made more than $1.3 million available to Syracuse small businesses and organizations

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced the Syracuse Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) awarded COVID-19 relief grants totaling $350,000 to 39 small businesses and organizations in the City. The second round of grants, made possible by federal CARES Act funding, brings the total money distributed to city businesses in the Syracuse to more than $1.3 million dollars during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With this round of grants, we successfully reached more women and minority businesses. To ensure equity in the assistance being provided, our Department of Neighborhood and Business Development conducted outreach directly by email and through social media,” Mayor Walsh said. “More than half of the recipients are minority-owned and a total of 22 of the awardees are women and/or minority businesses.”

Among the awardees, 35 of the recipients are individual businesses representing the following industries: restaurant/food service, consumer retail, professional services, office, and day care/child care. Grant amounts to businesses range from $2,250 to $10,000. Four grants, ranging from $15,000 to $20,000, were made to neighborhood business organizations to be used for marketing and promotional efforts to attract customers to businesses in their areas.

The recipients come from 18 different neighborhoods in the City. The funds are being used for a wide range of needs, including: equipment for grab and go takeout service; construction of outdoor service space; website and marketing updates; and equipment to enable social distancing.

Businesses and organizations receiving grants are:

All About Me Childcare Center

Art of Message/Spa @ 500

Beer Belly Deli

Bellows Construction Specialties

Blarney Stone

Casa Mia Foods

Cathy’s Cookie Kitchen

Clinton Street Pub

CNY Uniforms Plus

Coleman’s Irish Pub

Crouse Marshall Business Improvement District (CMBID)

Interior Innovations

Diversify-NY

Domain Construction Group

Downtown Syracuse Foundation

East Genesee Regents Association (EGRA)

Evergreen Restaurant

Freedom of Espresso

Gypsy Freedom

It Takes a Village Family Childcare

La’Tonia Creative Specialists

Miss Prissy’s BBQ

Northeast Hawley Development Assoc. (NEHDA)

The Hop Spot

Phoebe’s Restaurant

Pretty & Pink Party Planning

Salt City Coffee

Solvay Food Market, Inc.

Sound Univercity

Southside Fitness

Spoon & Chopsticks

SubCat Studios

Surf City Enterprises

Taste of Africa

Tier One Building Services

Time 2 Eat Catering

Westcott Coffee Company/Recess Coffee

Yvette Edwards Day Care

XO Taco

Since the start of the pandemic, the City of Syracuse, through the Syracuse Industrial Development Agency (SIDA) and SEDCO, has distributed a total of 124 grants and loans to local small businesses and non-profits. The support provided by the City under Mayor Walsh totals $1,308,000.