Regina Economic Recovery Grant

• Businesses may only receive grant funding once from the Regina Economic Recovery Grant program. You may not reapply for any additional funding in Phase I or II once you have been awarded funding.
• You must match the funds being requested. (For example, if you are requesting a $10,000 grant, your total budget must be at least $20,000 and you must be able to cover half of the total budget.) 
• Grant funds can only be used for the purpose outlined in the grant application.
• For grant applications of $10,000 and $25,000, complete your Planned Project Expenses by estimating the anticipated spending on eligible expenses for the total cost of the project which must include both the grant and your matching portion. View an Example of Planned Project Expenses.
• Depending on the nature of the project, the City may require two estimates for any expenses exceeding $5,000.
• You are required to submit receipts and invoices to the City of Regina within 90 days of the payment being issued.
• The City may change or clarify the grant criteria at any time to be responsive to the needs of businesses. Updated information will always be found on Regina.ca.
• We understand that timely access to funds is important. We will do our best to process the successful applications within one week of receiving payment instruction and the signed declaration. From the time you submit your application it is estimated you will receive payment (if successful) within two to three weeks. 
• Funding to successful applicants will be issued by electronic funds transfer (EFT) once the completed EFT form has been received. 
• Funding decisions are final and cannot be appealed. 
• The City reserves the right to audit applications and projects that receive funding. Additional information may be requested to verify the funding was used for the intended purpose outlined in the application.

• Applications that best meet the intent of the program and the core criteria will be funded. Due to budget constraints, not every application that meets the eligibility criteria will receive a grant. Please see the Evaluation section for more details.

View the Regina Economic Recovery Grant Policy.

• Businesses must be located within Regina City limits and operate within a non-residential property since February 2020.
• Businesses must have experienced a decline in net revenues or financial hardship as a result of COVID-19.

• Businesses/organizations must not be in tax arrears or owing fees or fines to the City of Regina. If leasing space, the business/organization must be in good standing with their landlord. ‘Good standing’ means either that lease payments are up to date or the lessee has a formal agreement with their landlord to address overdue lease payments.

• Only business owners or an appropriate designated authority can apply.

Before you begin to fill out this application form:

• Ensure you have reviewed all the information thoroughly.

• All questions must be answered completely in order to administer the grant. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
• Eligible costs include goods or services purchased for the use identified in your application. Costs incurred after May 19, 2020 and prior to applying to the program are also permitted for retroactive funding. Ineligible costs include rent, lease, or mortgage payments, wages and/or payroll, membership fees, professional association fees and debt servicing costs.
• Requested grant amounts are not guaranteed and amounts less than requested may be allocated at the  discretion of the City.
• Approval of an application does not constitute an agreement by the City that any financial support will be disbursed.
  
• All decisions made by the City regarding whether to approve or reject an application are final and cannot be appealed.
• Applications that have met the application requirements but have not been ranked high enough by the adjudication committee during an intake period may be rolled over for consideration in the subsequent intake periods.
  

Information you will need for your application:

• Applicant name, mailing address, and contact information

• Legal Name of Business (payment to be issued to)
• Operating name of business, business address, and website

• Information about your business: Who does your business serve? What industry does it belong to? 

• Business demographic information

• If you lease your space, your property owner’s contact information (name, phone number and email).

• Proof that your business has experienced a financial hardship or decline in revenue due to COVID-19 since March 2020.  

• Information about how the funding will be used and why it's important to your business (maximum 2,000 characters).

• Outline how your project aligns with each of the program's core criteria. (up to 500 characters each) This will be used to evaluate applications (For more detail on each core criteria, see Evaluation section below). 
  • Jobs
  • Financial Sustainability
  • COVID-19 Impact
  • Partner Leverage
  • Economic Diversification
  • Business Transformation
  • Tangible Placemaking Benefits
  • Environment Alignment
  • Community Impact

• How much money do you anticipate spending on the project you described in the previous question, in total, including grant funding (if awarded)? 
• A completed Planned Project Expenses sheet if grant request is for $10,000 or $25,000 (email to RERG@regina.ca)
• A signed declaration in digital form will be required if you are accepted for a grant. 
• A signed EFT form and banking information will be required if you are accepted for a grant (to ensure timely payment of funds)

Jobs
Will the funds help people return to work or create new positions? For example, funding will provide safety measures or training to allow staff to return to work. 

Financial Sustainability
Will the funds be used to help keep the business open? For instance, funding will allow a business to keep operating or re-open sooner than anticipated. 

COVID-19 Impact
Will the funds counter the impacts of COVID-19 on businesses during the relaunch and recover stages? For instance, funding will support business costs related to social distancing and keeping customers and employees safe. 

Partner Leverage
Will the funds support a project that could unlock funding from other partner organizations to amplify impact? For instance, funding will be supplemented or supported by other businesses or organizations.

Economic Diversification
Will the funds contribute to diversification of the business? For instance, funding will support adding new products or services, or changing what the business does. 

Business Transformation
Will the funds used help the business succeed by responding to a changing market? For instance, funding will add online sales, delivery to homes, or marketing/delivering existing products or services in a new way. 

Tangible Placemaking Benefits
Will the funds be used to support or contribute to main street vibrancy? For instance, funding will attract people to the street by installing a walk-up counter or a new patio.

Environment Alignment
Will the funds be used to create a ‘green’ impact, and would they support increased resilience and a low carbon future? For instance, funding will support purchasing biodegradable packaging or installing “green” or “clean” technologies. 

Community Impact
Will the funds benefit members of marginalized groups or those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, such as women, newcomers, people of colour, or people with disabilities?

These core criteria provide a framework to evaluate and distribute the grants, as well as set metrics to review grant performance. Grant applicants must demonstrate that they meet one or more criteria in order to demonstrate business need and ensure the effectiveness of the funding.

Who do I contact if I need help? 
Send email to rerg@regina.ca 

What costs are eligible?
Eligible costs include goods or services purchased for the use identified in your application such as materials, equipment, website development or costs associated to installing or changing structures. Ineligible costs include rent, lease, or mortgage payments, wages and/or payroll, membership fees, professional association fees and debt servicing costs.

Do costs incurred before receiving a grant count as eligible costs? 
Receipts for related costs dated May 19, 2020 and later will count as eligible.  

What does “phase 1” and “phase 2” mean? 
There are two grant phases. Phase 1 (August - December 2020) grants are for small, urgent needs. Phase 2 (starting December 15, 2020) grants are for longer-term diversification initiatives to support business sustainability. 

Are larger grants available? 
Larger grants are available in Phase 2 (starting December 15, 2020). Applicants can only receive one grant and should assess their short- and longer-term plans when applying. 

How much funding is awarded per week? 
Grants will be awarded based on a weekly budget of approximately $65,000 in Phase 1 and $100,000 in Phase 2. The number of grants issued per week may vary depending on the number of eligible applications we receive.

If I’m unsuccessful, do I need to reapply every intake period?
This is up to you. On the application you will indicate whether you would like your application carried forward to the next intake period or if you would like to cancel and resubmit it. 

If I don’t receive a grant, can I appeal the decision? 
No. The decision is final and there is no appeal process.

Can I receive feedback on my unsuccessful application? 
If you have questions about your application, please contact rerg@regina.ca.  

Is the grant considered taxable income? 
Please consult with a tax advisor or accountant.  

What if I own two businesses? Can I get a grant for each business? 
Yes. You can fill out a separate application for each business.  

Why do I need to match the funds? 
To ensure funds are provided to viable businesses, we are requiring businesses match the City’s contribution.  

How long will it take to receive funding?
We will do our best to process successful applications within one week of receiving payment instructions and the signed declaration. From the time you submit your application it is estimated you will receive payment (if successful) within two to three weeks.

How will I receive the funding? 
An EFT payment will be issued upon receipt of a completed EFT form.

Do I have to provide estimates and quotes?
On the application, you should be specific about how you plan to use the money. For applications requesting $10,000 or $25,000, you will need to submit your Planned Project Expenses to list your anticipated costs before you application will be reviewed. For expenses exceeding $5,000, the City may request two quotes however you will be notified if that is the case.

What are some examples of projects that I can request funding for? 

• Updating a website to allow for online sales 

• Installing a walk-up customer window 
• Purchasing masks, gloves and other safety equipment 
• Investing in production or manufacturing equipment that will allow you to access a new market