Town increases OVSafeSteps financial assistance

Published on November 20, 2020

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In September, the Town of Oro Valley, in conjunction with the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce, launched OVSafeSteps, a business assistance program to financially benefit eligible Oro Valley businesses. To date, 107 businesses have been approved and more than $133,000 in grant money has been distributed. These are grants and do not need to be repaid.

Initially, the Town provided $1,500 in total financial assistance for personal protective equipment, marketing, and professional services. The Town has increased the grants to a total of $4,500:

  • $1,500 for safety (such as touchless point-of-sale, touchless trash cans, increased air ventilation, costs related to transitioning to virtual classes, Plexiglas partitions, masks, gloves, deep cleaning)
  • $1,500 for marketing (such as social media, print ads & coupons, banners & signs)
  • $1,500 professional & technical services & consultations (such as legal, human resources, technology, business planning, marketing, finance)

“The Town of Oro Valley demonstrates its commitment to the community’s health in many ways, including the OVSafeSteps program. Swan Pilates, like all small businesses, leapt to respond to the needs the pandemic brought with it. The OVSafeSteps program’s reimbursement of unexpected pandemic-related expenses is a testament to their commitment to the health of small business and Oro Valley,” said Susan Swan, owner of Swan Pilates.

Eligibility
 All businesses in the greater Oro Valley area are invited and encouraged to participate in the OVSafeSteps program, which provides free signage and inclusion in the program’s website, www.ovsafesteps.com. Additional resources are also available to qualifying small businesses with fewer than 50 employees.

Funding for this program
 This assistance is made possible by the Town of Oro Valley’s allocation of CARES Act funding from the state of Arizona. The Town received more than $5 million in funding to alleviate the business-related impacts of COVID-19, such as regular payroll costs of public safety and public health personnel. As a result, some of the Town’s previously-allocated general funds were freed up to support other local government priorities. The Oro Valley Town Council authorized $1 million in the FY20-21 budget to support the local business community during COVID-19.

Register
 For more information on business assistance and to search safety measures that are being taken, visit: www.ovsafesteps.com.

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