As you are aware, restaurants and gyms have been severely impacted during COVID.  In Philadelphia, there were significant restrictions for any indoor activity. especially for the period November 2020 to mid January 2021. The City has created a new program to provide some relief to those businesses

The eligibility for this program is the following (see link below for more details):

  • Be operating as a: restaurant that has indoor dining; gym; or business whose primary activity is indoor exercise.
  • Be an independently-owned and operated for-profit business or franchise.
  • Occupy a storefront, retail, or commercial space physically located in Philadelphia.
  • Be operating at time of application or have operated in the last 90 days and intends to be operating again within 90 days.
  • Earn less than $2 million in annual revenue, pre-COVID-19.
  • Report at least a 25 percent decline in revenue from the 4th quarter of 2020 compared to the 4th quarter of 2019.
  • Be in compliance with all local, state, and federal taxes, or be on an approved payment plan or can prove they are in the process of getting on a payment plan.
  • The Philadelphia Department of Revenue is offering flexible payment plans due to COVID-19.
  • Have required federal, state, and local licenses and permits to legally operate.

Program Priorities – The following parameters are not required to apply for the program, but businesses that meet any of these criteria will be prioritized when evaluated. Due to limited funding, this program will prioritize businesses that:

  • Are located in high poverty areas or on neighborhood commercial corridors.
  • Are minority-, woman-, or disabled-owned.
  • Provide jobs to Philadelphians.
  • Suffered damage in 2020 due to civil unrest.

Where and how to apply – Eligible business owners can apply online at www.phila.gov/RGR , beginning at 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 28. The deadline to submit applications is 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9.

What You’ll Need to Apply – Business owners should gather the following information before applying:

  • Basic information about your business, such as:
    • Type and structure of business.
    • Employer Identification Number (EIN), social security number of business owner, or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) of business owner.
    • Business Income and Receipts Tax (BIRT) account number from the City of Philadelphia.
    • Annual and quarterly revenue from 2019 and 2020.
  • Number of full-time and part-time employees, pre-COVID and currently.
  • Photo(s) of your business, exterior and interior.
  • If applicable, details about any damage incurred during civil unrest in 2020, including photos of all damage reported and/or a report from the Philadelphia Police Department.
    A completed and signed W-9 in PDF format. – https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf

 

More details in the Official City Link –  http://Philadelphia COVID-19 Restaurant and Gym Relief Program