Deadline nears for minority- and women-owned firms to apply for Lowe’s COVID grants 

Lowe’s is accepting applications for its $25 million grant program for minority- and female-owned small businesses — but they need to act fast. The deadline is Wednesday night.

The Mooresville-based home improvement company’s program provides emergency grants to minority- and women-led small businesses nationwide during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“Lowe’s has been committed to helping minority small business owners — the very backbone of our economy — rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impact,” said Lowe’s President and CEO Marvin Ellison in a press release.

Local Initiatives Support Corp., a nationwide community development group, will manage the process. LISC has 35 offices, including one in Charlotte.

“The need for this kind of relief is overwhelming,” said LISC President and CEO Maurice Jones in a press release.

Eligible expenses include: paying rent and utilities, payroll, debt to vendors, upgrading technology infrastructure and other immediate operational costs.

Grants will be made in the amounts of $5,000, $7,500, $10,000 and $20,000, according to the LISC website.

All applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. To apply, visit LISC.org/lowes.

This is the first of several planned rounds of the grant offering, said Lowe’s spokeswoman Jackie Hartzell.

LISC has raised more than $17 million for COVID-19 rapid relief grants and helped 955 organizations access $91 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program loans—including nearly 200 PPP loans funded by LISC, according to the release.

The Lowe’s grants are part of the company’s $50 million pledge to support communities during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the company. That includes providing more than $10 million in protective gear to medical workers, buying $1 million worth of flowers from local growers donated to seniors for Mother’s Day and giving personal protective equipment to minority businesses.

Lowe’s announced in March it would commit $105 million in coronavirus response support, which included worker bonuses and extended paid leave for people at risk, and funding to Charlotte area’s COVID-19 Response Fund that helps nonprofits assisting people affected by the pandemic.

This story was originally published June 15, 2020 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Deadline nears for minority- and women-owned firms to apply for Lowe’s COVID grants ."