Northland SBDC and EDA work together to help Cook County businesses apply for Promise Act grant

A new grant opportunity is available for many small businesses in Cook County to help alleviate and recoup lost income encountered during the pandemic. 

On Mar. 26, the Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) and the Northland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) announced the launch of a Promise Act grant opportunity for northeastern Minnesota business owners. 

Pat Campanaro, the Cook County consultant for the Northland SBDC, said she is very proud and “so happy that the EDA and the SBDC is getting together on this.”

The competitive Promise Act grant opportunity, approved during the 2023 legislative session, is designed to help businesses and communities who have experienced economic hardship during the pandemic. The Northland SBDC will offer $1.1 million in grants to eligible northeast Minnesota small businesses and some nonprofits.  

The grant application criteria for businesses are as follows:

Grants are available for eligible, currently operating businesses with gross annual revenues of $10,000 to $750,000, as documented in their 2021 and 2022 tax returns or Forms 990. Grant amounts will be based on 2022 revenues. Revenues of:

• At least $10,000 but no more than $100,000 may receive a $10,000 grant.
• At least $100,000 but no more than $350,000 may receive a $25,000 grant.
• At least $350,000 but no more than $750,000 may receive a $50,000 grant.

The most competitive applicants are businesses that did not receive significant COVID-19 relief funding of more than $10,000 from the State of Minnesota. 

According to the Northland Foundation, non-profit organizations may also apply, provided they earn 30 percent or more of revenue on an ongoing basis through non-tax-deductible sales or dues in a fee-for-service model. 

Grant applications opened on Mar. 26 and are accepted through May 21. The Promise Act grant program application form is available here. 

Campanaro and Theresa Bajda, the executive director of the EDA, said they will host weekly open office hours at the EDA office in Grand Marais, 425 W Hwy 61, Suite B, to help business owners navigate the application process or answer questions. 

“We’re trying to do some mornings, some afternoons, some evenings to kind of meet folks where they’re at,” Bajda said. To find scheduled office hours, call 218-387-3112 or contact Campanaro at pcampanaro@gmail.com. 

“Our general reason for being there is to support economic opportunity here in Cook County,” Campanaro said. “So it’s been great working with Theresa in many different ways to push that effort forward and to let businesses know that there are services here that can make a difference in their business opportunities.”

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Pat Campanaro, the Cook County Northland SBDC consultant, and Theresa Bajda, the executive director of the EDA, about the Promise Act grant opportunity. The audio from the interview is below. 

Kalli Hawkins April 1, 2024