Six Businesses Get Grants from Small Business Relief Fund

Six businesses in Charlestown joined more than 500 citiwide that received word of funding grants through the recently-established Small Business Relief Fund – a fund announced by Mayor Martin Walsh last month with initial funding of $2 million.

Walsh announced the new business grant recipients during a press conference on Wednesday, May 13.

“The Small Business Relief Fund grants are critical to help struggling small businesses across the city address challenges brought on by COVID-19,” said Mayor Walsh. “These businesses are the backbone of our economy, and the lifeblood of our communities. I’m proud we are able to assist them during this time, and am grateful to our partners who have stepped up in a big way to support Boston’s neighborhood business community.”

In Charlestown, the businesses include:

•Boston Novelties LLC

•Moroccan Suites Boston

•Sleepy Panda

•Sojuba

•VIBE Wellness

•WAGS Charlestown 

Within the overall program, 58 percent of the businesses receiving grants are owned by people of color, 48 percent are owned by women, 44 percent are owned by immigrants, and 95 percent went to businesses with 15 or fewer employees. The top 10 zip codes with the most recipients include East Boston, Jamaica Plain, Brighton, South End, Dorchester, Roslindale, and Roxbury. Charlestown was actually one of the neighborhoods with the fewest applicants and recipients.

An additional $5.5 million in funding is being added to fully fund all eligible grant requests that were submitted during the application process, which combines newly available federal funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development; as well as commitments from Citizens Bank and Eastern Bank.

The City said it would continue to share updates on new small businesses that are funded as that information becomes available.

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