Asheville Recovers Together Grant Fund

The Asheville Recovers Together Grant Fund is a locally funded disaster recovery initiative designed to support small businesses within the City of Asheville that were impacted by Tropical Storm Helene. The program is funded by the City of Asheville and administered collaboratively by ArtsAVL, Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation, and Mountain BizWorks, along with other community partners. This coordinated effort reflects a municipal response to economic disruption, aiming to stabilize and revitalize the local business ecosystem following the storm’s financial impacts. The primary purpose of the grant is to provide financial relief to eligible small businesses that experienced losses due to the storm and have not had those losses fully covered by insurance or other assistance. The program offers reimbursement-based grants ranging from 5000 to 75000 dollars to help businesses recover, maintain operations, and adapt for future sustainability. The funding is structured to support stabilization, recovery, and growth phases, allowing businesses to address immediate operational needs while also planning for longer-term resilience. Allowable uses of funds include a wide range of operating expenses such as payroll, rent, utilities, inventory, supplies, equipment, and marketing. The program explicitly allows businesses to use funds to rehire staff, replace lost inventory, and expand or adapt operations. However, the grant operates strictly as a reimbursement model, meaning recipients must first incur and document eligible expenses before receiving funds. Only expenses incurred from February 2026 onward are eligible for reimbursement, and all claims must be supported by receipts or proof of payment for review and approval. Eligibility is limited to for-profit businesses with a primary location within Asheville city limits that were operational prior to September 27, 2024. Businesses must demonstrate financial losses due to Tropical Storm Helene and meet several additional criteria, including having at least 20000 dollars in revenue in one of the past three years, maintaining good standing without bankruptcies or tax liens, and having owners who are legal United States residents. The program excludes nonprofits, cannabis-related businesses, passive real estate entities, political organizations, adult entertainment businesses, corporate-owned national chains, and short-term residential rentals. The application process includes submitting an application during the defined window, which opens June 15 at noon and closes July 14 at noon. Applicants can access application resources and guides, and they are encouraged to utilize free one-on-one support services offered through partner organizations to assist with completing and submitting their applications. While specific application components are not fully detailed, the process requires documentation of eligibility and financial losses, along with submission of supporting materials for reimbursement claims. Applications are reviewed based on eligibility compliance and documentation of losses and expenses. Although specific evaluation criteria are not outlined in detail, the emphasis is on verified financial need and alignment with program goals of recovery and stabilization. The timeline is fixed for this funding round, with no explicit indication of recurring cycles, and applicants are advised to submit complete and accurate documentation within the application window to be considered for funding.

Ensure all financial losses are well documented and receipts are organized before applying to streamline reimbursement approval; leverage one-on-one support services to improve application accuracy