116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Iowa City awards pandemic grants to 27 businesses, many owned by women and people of color
Lee Hermiston
Feb. 4, 2021 6:40 am, Updated: Feb. 4, 2021 9:56 am
IOWA CITY - The city of Iowa City helped 27 small businesses - a majority of them owned by women or people of color - stay afloat during the pandemic.
The city awarded the businesses $360,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant dollars allocated through the CARES Act, money made available by Congress to alleviate the pandemic's effects, according to a news release.
The businesses - 22 of them owned by women or persons of color - were required to be in business as of Jan. 1, 2020, have $1 million or less in annual gross revenue and 25 or fewer employees.
In allocating the funds, the city prioritized the financial impact of COVID-19; how much federal, state or local funding had been awarded to date; and if the business qualified as a Minority of Women Business Enterprise.
All the businesses had to retain jobs held by low- to moderate-income employees or qualify as a U.S. Housing and Urban Development-defined microenterprise, according to the city.
The city was assisted by the Iowa City Area Business Partnership, which was responsible for marketing and outreach to the businesses. Community CPA assisted the applicants with accounting services.
The East Central Iowa Council of Governments scored the applications and administered the funds.
The businesses that received grants were:
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K&Q Nails, 1641 S. First Ave.
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Banditos, 630 Iowa Ave.
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BB's Dispatching, 2930 Industrial Park Road
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Enjoy a Bowl, 316 Burlington St.
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One Twenty Six Restaurant, 126 E. Washington St.
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Crepe De Luxe, 309 E. College St.
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CRWN, 6 E. Benton St.
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NaNa Boutique, 5 Sturgis Corner Dr.
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Dublin Underground, 5 S. Dubuque St.
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Grace Nail Salon and Spa, 1301 S. Gilbert St.
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Estela's Fresh Mex, 184 E. Burlington St.
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Extraordinary Pysch, 935 S. Gilbert St.
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Gabes, 330 E. Washington St.
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Maker's Loft, 125 S. Dubuque St.
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George's, 312 E. Market St.
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Get Fresh, 109 Iowa Ave.
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Glassando, 201 S. Clinton St.
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Haunted Bookshop, 219 N. Gilbert St.
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Iowa Recovery Room, 1509 Mall Dr.
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Buzz, 110 S. Dubuque St.
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Beadology, 220 E. Washington St.
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Mo's Angel, 1024 Gilbert Court
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Om Gifts, 105 S. Linn St.
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Sun Cafe, 953 S. Riverside Drive
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Oryza Asian Cuisine, 5 Sturgis Corner Dr.
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Thai Spice, 1210 S. Gilbert St.
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Uncle Sun, 100 S. Linn St.
Comments: (319) 339-3155; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com