State offers $400M in COVID-19 relief for small businesses

CONCORD — Gov. Chris Sununu said Friday he has authorized an allocation of $595 million to help in the COVID-19 relief effort, including $400 million for small businesses.

The money comes from $1.25 billion the federal government has sent to the state to provide emergency financial help. 

“Instead of the usual strings attached, this will empower small business owners to make decisions for themselves,” Sununu said in an afternoon news conference.

“The need is now. We don‘t want to be in a situation where we are holding on to funds that could help these businesses.”

To apply for the program, business owners go to www.goferr.nh.gov and fill out the “Main Street Relief Fund Prequalification” by May 29.

Businesses will be asked to provide information concerning lost revenue and whether they received Paycheck Protection Program loans or other federal relief.

In order to be eligible, a business must have its main place of business in New Hampshire and must have generated less than $20 million in revenue during the 2019 tax year.

Sununu also announced a $60 million allocation to help nonprofit organizations.

He said the Health Care Relief Fund, which has helped hospitals and other health care facilities keep their doors open, would be doubled to $100 million. Long-term care facilities would get $30 million.

As businesses reopen there will be a need for additional child care, so Sununu said $25 million would be allocated for this purpose. Another $10 million would go to farming operations and $5 million to the New Hampshire Food Bank. A public higher education relief fund will get $15 million and $30 million will go to forgivable loans to businesses.

The state previously committed $250 million in relief funds out of the $1.25 billion federal cash infusion.

Also at the news conference, Health Commissioner Lori Shibinette announced 88 new positive COVID-19 tests, eight new deaths, seven of which occurred in long-term care facilities.

There have now been 3,464 total positive COVID-19 tests in New Hampshire, 335 people hospitalized and 159 deaths.

She said testing has increased markedly, including antibody tests that show whether a person was once infected with the disease.

She said those numbers spiked Thursday, with about 3,700 tests administered, including 2,882 diagnostic tests and 823 antibody tests.