NorCo Has $400,000 For Municipalities and NonProfits

As a result of the statewide shutdown imposed by Governor Tom Wolf, revenue has dried up for many municipalities and nonprofits. Northampton County has $400,000 available to assist them. The catch is that the money must be used for Covid-19 related improvements. For reasons that elude me, this is called the Grow NORCO Program (GNP). The program was just announced yesterday, and applications of a maximum $15,000 grant must be in by June 25, so there's not a lot of time.

Here are some uses considered grant-worthy:

1. Purchase and installation of physical barriers (e.g. plexi-glass, sneeze guards, etc.)

2. Purchase of non-contact sanitation products (e.g. faucets, soap or hand sanitizer dispensers, paper towel dispensers, etc.)

3. Improvements for ventilation systems including the purchase of high-efficiency air filters

4. Software implementation for on-line payments of bills (e.g. taxes, utilities, etc.)

5. Technology upgrades to support telework and virtual meetings.

6. Personal protective equipment (PPE)

7. Other COVID-19 related improvements deemed eligible at the County’s discretion

Applicants have to register with the county and file electronically.

If you have questions, you can contact Northampton County Department of Community & Economic Development's Sarah Ortiz at 610-829-6308 or
sortiz@northamptoncounty.org.

Northampton County is also receiving nearly $27 million in CARES Act funding, and the lion's share of that money is supposed to be for small businesses, which have been hurt more than anyone by this pandemic. That's where the county really needs to grow.