Next Merchants Fund Deadline

See below from Patricia Blakely of The Merchants Fund, and contact us at the CDC (215-743-6580) if you are thinking of applying.


Friends:

The next grant deadline for The Merchants Fund is Thursday, September 15, 2011 (postmarked).  Please forward this email to your clients, colleagues, business owners, community partners, etc.   If you would like to join the list serv, send an email with the subject line “join the list serv” and include your contact information.

Requirement: You must email or call to have a preliminary discussion about your project and application. TMF staff can help you focus your request on projects which are more likely to be funded.  The grant process is competitive and there is no guarantee of funding.  TMF has three core grant making areas for businesses that have been legally established for at least three years in Philadelphia:

• Business Stabilization grants up to $10,000 to help small businesses remain stable, viable and grow in the face of economic challenges and opportunities.
http://www.merchantsfund.org/grant-areas-business-stabilization.html
• Business Loan matches up to $20,000 to match at least dollar for dollar accredited government programs and bank loans.  Loan matches are last dollar which means you will have to spend your loan money before the match is available.
http://www.merchantsfund.org/grant-areas-business-loan.html
• Emergency grants between $1,000 and $20,000 to offset unavoidable harm caused by nature or man and not covered by insurance.  TMF staff must determine if your case fits the criteria for an emergency grant.  The downturn in the economic climate is not considered a valid reason for an emergency application. The application is no longer on the web site and can only be obtained from TMF by request.  

Please visit our web site http://www.merchantsfund.org/  for printable applications and detailed guidelines or contact us directly at info@merchantsfund.org   or call 215-399-1339.  There are also brief descriptions of past grants on the web site to inspire and guide your efforts.


Patricia Blakely 1616 Walnut Street, Ste 802 Philadelphia, PA   19103
215-399-1339   Phoneinfo@merchantsfund.org   http://www.merchantsfund.org/