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Funds Aim To Assist Riverbank Businesses
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Businesses in Riverbank have an opportunity to get some extra funds as City staff was directed by the Riverbank City Council at the end of August to proceed with the Riverbank Business Assistance Grant Program. The allocation of CARES act funds received from State and Federal government will be used to fund the grant.

At the regular council meeting on Aug. 25, City Manager Sean Scully presented the city council members with the specifics of the grant where $250,000 will be allocated for the program. The city has collaborated with Opportunity Stanislaus for the development, creation, screening and administration of the grant program.

“They (Opportunity Stanislaus) have done a really good job so far,” stated Scully during the presentation.

The City of Riverbank also partnered with Final Cut media out of Modesto that developed the website www.riverbankbusinessrelief.com that will provide interested parties with the online application.

After the application is completed online, Opportunity Stanislaus staff will screen the applications and do a data analysis of those requesting the grant. The qualifying applications will then be forwarded to the City of Riverbank. The City will have a grant review committee to score the applications based on the criteria required. The highest scoring applications will be selected for the funds and an award letter will be issued.

Scully added that the “City retains the opportunity to audit businesses to ensure funds are used in acceptance with CARES act guidelines. If funds are used appropriately the funds will be considered a grant and not repayable to the City of Riverbank.”

All businesses have the opportunity to apply for the grant for operational expenses like rent and payroll until the economy opens back up completely.

The program began accepting applications from Riverbank on Friday, Sept. 4 and they will be available through Friday, Sept. 25 at 5 p.m.

More information is available by contacting Opportunity Stanislaus at 209-968-6176 or e-mailing aceballos@opportunitystanislaus.com.