Burns urges local businesses to apply for hospitality grants

Small businesses could receive up to $50,000

EBENSBURG, March 3 – As part of his tireless commitment to supporting local businesses, state Rep. Frank Burns is urging small businesses in the hospitality industry to apply for a grant program that could provide up to $50,000 to qualifying businesses.

“Since the start of the pandemic, I’ve fought for our local businesses, voting to keep their doors open and to provide this grant funding to those hit the hardest,” Burns said. “Strong businesses mean good jobs and strong families, and I’ll never stop working for them.”

In Cambria County, the COVID-019 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program is being administered by Johnstown Area Regional Industries, a nonprofit economic development organization. The application process opened today. Interested business owners can contact JARI at 814-535-8675 or visit jari.com/chirp/ for more information to access the grant application and to sign up for email updates about the program. Potential applicants can also contact Kiersten Wills in Burns’ Ebensburg office at kwills@pahouse.net for further assistance.

The grant program, which targeted $1.47 million for Cambria County businesses, was created by Act 1 of 2021, a bipartisan bill Burns helped to pass through the General Assembly earlier this year.

“This is a new, one-time grant program, so I’m urging local businesses to apply now while they can,” Burns said. “This was a bipartisan program and I’ll keep looking for opportunities to work with my fellow legislators to get resources to those who need them the most.”