In September, the Town of Oro Valley teamed up with the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce to roll out OVSafeSteps, a helpful new program for local businesses. This initiative is a great way for eligible businesses in Oro Valley to get some financial support. So far, 107 businesses have been approved, with over $133,000 already handed out in grants. The best part? These grants don’t have to be paid back.
At first, the Town offered $1,500 to help cover costs like personal protective equipment, marketing, and professional services. However, they’ve now boosted the grants up to a generous $4,500.
Susan Swan, owner of Swan Pilates, shared her thoughts: “The Town of Oro Valley shows its dedication to our community’s health with programs like OVSafeSteps. This support for unexpected pandemic-related expenses really highlights their commitment to local businesses and the well-being of Oro Valley.”
Every business in the greater Oro Valley area is welcome to join OVSafeSteps. The program offers free signage and lists participants on their website, www.ovsafesteps.com. Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees can also access extra resources.
The program is funded by CARES Act money allocated to the Town by the state of Arizona. Oro Valley received over $5 million to help offset the costs of COVID-19, like the payroll of public safety and health staff. This freed up some of the Town’s funds for other priorities. In fact, the Oro Valley Town Council set aside $1 million in the FY20-21 budget to support local businesses during the pandemic.
For more details on business assistance or to check out the safety measures in place, head over to www.ovsafesteps.com.
Sources
– OVSafeSteps Program Website