1. be an authorized representative of a for-profit privately held small businesses defined as enterprises of between 1 - 25 employees, with principal place of business in the City of Gary or East Chicago.
2. be registered as a business in the State of Indiana
3. have experienced revenue loss and business distress due to COVID-19.
4. have established on, or before January 1, 2020
5. have been mandated by federal, state, or local government to reduce or close services and/or have a demonstrated reduction in sales revenue due to the loss of business income related to COVID-19.
6. provide written justification of economic loss or injury caused as a result of COVID-19, e.g. sales or income from a previous year compared to current period. Provide documentation of a reduction of sales revenues.
7. pledge in good-faith to remain in business for at least 6 months following the receipt of funding.
8. have 2019 gross revenue not exceeding $1,000,000
9. have an EIN/Tax ID Number
10. make independent decisions regarding its name signage, brand, appearance, purchasing, practices, hiring, and distribution, and must be solely responsible for paying its own rent, marketing, and other business expenses without assistance from a corporate headquarters outside of Gary or East Chicago. Cannot be a chain or a franchise.

• businesses that occupy a commercial space will be given the highest priority
• Gary or East Chicago based businesses that have incurred expenses or cash flow shortages as a result of COVID-19
• small businesses that may have difficulty obtaining funding from other federal or state initiatives
• small businesses owned by women and minorities
• businesses in the following hardest hit industries:
  • Restaurant
  • Retail
  • Hair, beauty, salons, barbers, day spas, saunas, tattoo shops
  • Laundry services
  • Cleaning services
  • Pet care services
  • Disabled and elderly care services
  • Funeral services
  • Personal and household goods repair and maintenance
  • Fitness centers and gyms
  • Event spaces and related event services (floral, photography, event planning)
  • Travel agencies
  • Childcare services

Applications available:  September 16, 2020

Applications due online by 5:00 p.m. CST:  October 7, 2020

Application funding decisions announced:  October 23, 2020

Only application forms with all requested supporting documents will be accepted for review.  The application form must be completed and signed by individual(s) who, individually or collectively, own fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the equity of the business.

One application per business.  

• An advisory committee appointed by the Legacy Foundation will review all applications.
• Funding priority will be determined based on applicant need and a clear indication of COVID-19 impact. Incomplete applications, or applications submitted after the deadline date/time will not be considered.
• Submission of an application is no assurance that the grant will be awarded, in whole or in part. For additional information or help, please email southshorendc@legacyfdn.org
• In an effort to make grants available to as many business owners as possible, principal owners of multiple businesses will only be eligible for one grant.

The funds dispersed to small businesses do not need to be repaid. If businesses who receive the Fund’s assistance do, at a later date, wish to “pay it forward” to another Gary or East Chicago small business in need of assistance, they may do so by directing those dollars back to the Small Business Assistance Fund, which will disburse the funding to another business in need.

Publicity:  If awarded, please be advised that the business/applicant’s name and other information provided during the award process may be used for promotional purposes in all forms and media and the business/applicant may be contacted by Legacy Foundation and/or the program sponsors for such purposes. Until notified, applicants must agree not to share any information publicly, including but not limited to all social media platforms, news media, or local publications.

In addition to receiving funding assistance, a primary benefit of this grant is the opportunity for small businesses to partner with sponsors to receive publicity for their small business.  Sponsoring partners will help arrange social media promotions, attend in person check presentations, share photos of community leaders patronizing select businesses, and collaborate on press releases.

If your business is selected, you will be notified via email. As a finalist, additional documentation will be required, including W-9, date of birth, TIN/ITIN and/or EIN for the applicant and/or the business.

Privacy: Information provided through the application process is the responsibility of each applicant. Applications submitted to the portal remain confidential to the general public and any fellow applicants.

Monitoring: Legacy Foundation may monitor and conduct evaluation activity. This might involve a review of quantitative or qualitative data needed to understand the impact of the fund.

Submission Guidance: Legacy Foundation cannot accept changes to your application once it has been submitted, so please review it carefully.