Blueprint Announces $1M LEAN Grant Program for Local Non-Profits Impacted by COVID-19

On Thursday, April 16, the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency Board of Directors (IA Board), which is made up of City and County Commissioners, activated the Local Emergency Assistance for Non-profits (LEAN) grant program to aid local non-profits impacted by COVID-19.

According to a press release from the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency, the LEAN grant program will be administered by the Office of Economic Vitality and will use $1 million in reallocated funds from the Blueprint infrastructure program. The program will award each eligible non-profit $2,500.

“As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted lives in unimaginable ways, especially for our non-profits,” said Bryan Desloge, Chairman of the IA Board and the Leon County Commission. “With this program, we’re investing directly into our local economy and supporting non-profits as they support our community through this public health emergency.”

The OEV initially announced the COVID-19 Economic Disaster Relief (CEDR) grant program, which expended all of its $1 million in funding on April 6. According to the press release, in addition to activating the LEAN grant program, the IA Board voted to award grants to 71 local businesses that were eligible for the CEDR program but could not receive grants after the funding ran out.

The application process for the LEAN program opened today at noon, and the deadline to apply is Friday, May 15 or as soon as all of the program’s funds have been used. The funds will be dispersed on a first-come, first-served basis.