Businesses and nonprofits can both apply for the Relief Fund! For Businesses: A business independently owned and operated that was established on or before the date of enactment of any applicable public health order issued by the state or any local government of Wyoming (March 31,2020) that required closures of businesses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic Independently owned and operated Headquartered in Wyoming and has its principal operations located in Wyoming Must have been adversely impacted as a result of COVID-19 pandemic or as a result of business interruptions due to a required closure or public health order As of March 31, 2020, had employed one hundred (100) full-time employees or less for applicants requesting COVID-19 Business Relief Program For Nonprofit Organizations: If IRS designated organizations - 501 (c)(3), 501(c)(6), 501(c)(12) and 501(c)(19) and have at least one paid full-time employee, in addition to meeting the other eligibility requirements, you may apply. If your nonprofit’s primary activity is lobbying (if 50 percent or more of your time is dedicated to lobbying), you will not qualify.

You can apply for the Relief Fund if you are a 501 (c)(3), 501(c)(6), 501(c)(12) and 501(c)(19) and have at least one paid full-time employee, in addition to meeting the other eligibility requirements, you may apply. However, if your nonprofit’s primary activity is lobbying (if 50 percent or more of your time is dedicated to lobbying), you will not qualify. Any government-owned entity, including tribal government-owned businesses, is not eligible. 501(c)(3)- Charitable, educational, religious, literary, testing for public safety, promotion of amateur athletics, prevention of cruelty to children or animals 501(c)(6) - Business Leagues, etc. 501(c)(12) - Benevolent Life Insurance Associations, Mutual Ditch or Irrigation Companies, Mutual or Cooperative Telephone Companies, or Like Organizations (if 85 percent or more of the organization's income consists of amounts collected from members for the sole purpose of meeting losses and expenses) 501(c)(19)- Veterans' Organizations

Governmental or government-owned entities are not eligible to apply for the Relief and Mitigation Funds. This includes tribal government-owned businesses.

The following businesses were officially named in public health orders and are deemed “required to close” for the purposes of the Relief Fund: theaters, bars, nightclubs, coffee shops, employee cafeterias, self-serve buffets, salad bars, unpackaged self-serve food service, gyms, conference rooms, museums, restaurants, nail salons, hair salons, barber shops, massage therapy services, tattoo, body art and piercing shops, cosmetology, electrology, esthetic services, and child care centers or home daycares.

No. You are only allowed one application for each fund. You can only apply once for the Relief Fund and once for the Mitigation Fund. The maximum you can apply for is $800,000 between the two (Up to $300,000 from the Relief Fund and up to $500,000 from the Mitigation Fund).

Please refer to the graphic, worksheet and details above. An Excel worksheet as been provided to help you enter your gross revenue figures, operating expenses, COVID-related expenses, Interruption Fund awards, federal funds received and other data necessary to calculate your fund amount. Once you complete this worksheet, you will enter your numbers directly into the application. We encourage all business owners and nonprofit managers to contact their accountant, banker or another finance expert like your SBDC regional director for assistance with these application calculations.

We are looking for gross revenue figures, whatever income a business has from normal business activities. Gross revenue is the total amount of sales/services recognized for the reporting period, prior to any deductions. 2020 Gross Revenue: We are looking for 2020 Gross Revenue from March 13, 2020 to the application date. DO NOT include Cost of Goods Sold or any CARES Act money received in 2020 Gross Revenue. 2019 Gross Revenue: We are looking for 2019 Gross Revenue from March 13, 2019 to the application date in 2019. DO NOT include Cost of Goods Sold in 2019 Gross Revenue.

The section on extraordinary COVID expenses is ONLY to be filled out by businesses that were required to close. If you were not required to close, please move to the Expenditure Plan section. COVID-19 Related Payroll Expenses (Between March 13, 2020 and Application Date): Past Payroll can only include payroll expenses specifically due to COVID-19. Past Payroll could include: Expenses related to hiring/training new or current staff to comply with health orders (cleaning, temperature checks, training, etc.), COVID-19 compliance expenses, etc. Past Payroll CANNOT include: Normal business operation payroll expenses. Past Business Supplies (Between March 13, 2020 and the Application Date): Past Business Supplies can only include supplies necessary to operate the business during the COVID-19 pandemic. Past Business Supplies Could Include: office supplies, serving supplies, and other supplies needed to maintain normal business operations during COVID-19. Past Business Supplies CANNOT include: Any supplies expenses that the business would have continued to incur if COVID had not happened. Past Business Equipment (Between March 13, 2020 and the Application Date): Past business equipment can only include equipment expenses specifically due to COVID-19. Past Business Equipment could include: computers and equipment for telework, protective barriers, telephones, food serving equipment, personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, sanitizer dispensers, etc.), thermometers, etc. Past Business Equipment CANNOT include: Any equipment expenses that would have been incurred if COVID didn't happen. Past Business Rent & Mortgage (Between March 13, 2020 and the Application Date): Past Business Rent & Mortgage can only include rent and mortgage expenses incurred specifically due to COVID-19. Past Business Rent and Mortgage could include: Renting out or purchasing an office or workspace to comply with social distancing. (Expenses must have already been incurred at time of application) Past Business Rent and Mortgage CANNOT include: Any rental expenses in the future, any business rent/mortgage that was in place before COVID, etc. Past Other (Between March 13, 2020 and the Application Date): Past Other can ONLY include other expenses that are a direct result and due to COVID-19. Past Other could include: Any other expenses that have been incurred as a DIRECT result of COVID-19. Past Other CANNOT include: Any expenses that the business regularly incurs in the absence of COVID.

By tying revenue loss to expenses through this calculation, we can help businesses and nonprofits receive a more proportional amount of income to expenses to help make it through this time. The idea is that you would've received that gross revenue to pay for these expenses and we are trying to fill that void as much as possible.

Yes. Eligible businesses that received dollars from the Interruption Fund can apply for the Mitigation Fund. These businesses must certify new or increased revenue loss and expenses due to the public health orders between March 13, 2020 and their Mitigation Fund application date.

All CARES Act-related funding received that will not be required to be paid back must be included in the application for the Relief Fund and Mitigation Fund, even if you included it in your Interruption Fund calculation. These funds include but are not limited to the Payroll Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance, and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

We recommend using an average of the first few months in 2020 and using that figure to come up with the full 2019 picture. If you have more questions, we encourage you contact your accountant, lender or other financial advisor, or reach out to the Wyoming Business Council at 1-877-257-7844.

Monies will be disbursed either via electronic funds transfer or by paper check from the Wyoming State Auditor’s Office. Checks will be mailed to the mailing address listed in the application. Businesses/nonprofits set up in the state Vendor Management System will receive an electronic funds transfer; businesses/nonprofits not in the system will receive a check mailed to the mailing address listed in their application. If the applicant applied for the Relief Fund and the Mitigation Fund, they will receive two separate checks, one for each fund allocation. All applicants receiving stipends under any of the Wyoming Business Relief programs will have their name (or business name) and the amount of any stipend(s) received listed on the Wyoming State Auditor's transparency website at wyopen.gov All funds received under the Wyoming Business Relief Programs must be reported as taxable income on your next federal tax filing. Applicants are encouraged to work with a qualified accountant to determine how funds awarded under this program affect their tax situation; the Wyoming Business Council cannot advise you on tax or business matters.

Someone who works 30 hours or more per week.

Eligible entities must have more than 50 percent of their primary work located in Wyoming and at least 60 percent of their employees employed in Wyoming or 60 percent of the business payroll paid to individuals living in Wyoming.

Have more than 50 percent of your primary work located in Wyoming and at least 60 percent of your employees employed in Wyoming or 60 percent of the business payroll paid to individuals living in Wyoming.

Applications must be completed and submitted online at wyobizrelief.org.

Although there is no formal end date or due date, we expect demand for funding to be high and recommend not waiting to apply for the fund.

Most applications will not require any attachments, but there are a few documents you’ll want to have handy before you apply: The most recent tax documents for the business entity you’re applying for. For most businesses with an EIN, this will be IRS Schedule C or Schedule F, and non-profits will use IRS Form 990. Sole proprietors and some single-member LLC’s applying using a Social Security Number will want to have their most recent federal income tax documents. Your business financial records from March 2020 to the date you apply, as well as your records for the same time period in 2019. Records for any other federal COVID-19 assistance your business may have received, such as Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), as well as funds received under the WBC’s Business Interruption Stipend Program (aka Program 1). A justifiable and reasonable calculation of any future “Extraordinary Expenses” your business may incur as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. You may also use our helpful Calculation Worksheet available above.

No, applications must be completed and submitted online at wyobizrelief.org.

If the applicant is applying as a business entity, they need to provide the EIN (Employer Identification Number) that exactly matches the business' legal name on IRS registration documents. If the applicant is applying as an individual (i.e. sole proprietor), they need to provide the SSN (Social Security Number) that exactly matches the Business Representative's name as used for filing IRS tax forms.

Each application will be assigned a unique identifying number. Wyoming Business Council staff reviews to ensure accuracy, eligibility, and completeness. Secretary of State’s Office reviews for accuracy and to insure the entity is in good standing. The Wyoming State Auditor’s Office performs a final check to ensure accuracy for IRS reporting requirements. Monies will be expended on a first come, first served basis.

After you submit your application, you will receive an email confirming the successful submission and a unique application number.

Timing to receive funding after approval depends on a number of factors; however, most applicants should receive their funds within 21 business days from their review date.

Any money received from the Relief Fund should be used to offset normal revenue that would have been realized were it not for the COVID-19 pandemic or to cover general operating expenses. If you entered any Extraordinary Expenses in your Relief Fund application, you will be required to report how those funds were used and provide information detailing those COVID-19 related expenses. Any funds not used or meeting the criteria of "extraordinary COVID-19 expenses" will have to be paid back with a two percent penalty.

Recipients will be required to report on how these requested funds were used by December 1, 2020 and may include submitting receipts/documentation/etc. to show how funds were spent in accordance with the program. Inaccurately reporting future expenditures or failure to comply may result in repayment plus a 2 percent penalty. Future Payroll Expenses (Between Application Date and December 1, 2020): Future Payroll can only include continued payroll expenses specifically due to COVID-19. Future Payroll could include: Expenses related to paying new or current staff to comply with health orders (cleaning, temperature checks, training, etc.), COVID-19 compliance expenses, etc. Future Payroll CANNOT include: Normal business operation payroll expenses. Future Business Supplies (Between Application Date and December 1, 2020): Future Business Supplies can only include supplies necessary to operate the business during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future Business Supplies could include: office supplies, serving supplies, and other supplies needed to continue normal business operations during COVID-19. Future Business Supplies CANNOT include: Any supplies expenses that the business would have continued to incur if COVID had not happened. Future Business Equipment (Between Application Date and December 1, 2020): Future business equipment can only include equipment expenses specifically due to COVID-19. Future Business Equipment could include: future expenses for computers and equipment for telework, protective barriers, telephones, food serving equipment, personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, sanitizer dispensers, etc.), thermometers, etc. Future Business Equipment CANNOT include: Any equipment expenses that would have been incurred if COVID didn't happen. Future Business Rent & Mortgage (Between Application Date and December 1, 2020): Future Business Rent & Mortgage can only include rent and mortgage expenses incurred specifically due to COVID-19. Future Business Rent and Mortgage could include: Continued expenses resulting from renting out or purchasing an office or workspace to comply with social distancing. (An office space or building must have already been bought or rented at time of application) Future Business Rent and Mortgage CANNOT include: Any business rent/mortgage that the business would’ve incurred had COVID-19 not happened. Future Other (Between Application Date and December 1, 2020): Future Other can ONLY include other expenses that are a direct result and due to COVID-19. Past Other could include: Any other expenses that will continue to be incurred as a DIRECT result of COVID-19. Past Other CANNOT include: Any expenses that the business regularly incurs in the absence of COVID.

Yes, applicants must first notify the Wyoming Business Council of their intent to appeal via email at wbc.brp@wyo.gov within three (3) business days of the application denial date.  After three (3) business days the application will no longer be eligible for funding. Denied applications may appeal with a typed summary of business’ activities, history, industry, etc. plus one or more of the following documentation: Tax Return forms filed with the IRS; (B) Schedule C of IRS form 1040, Schedule F of IRS form 1040, any other form necessary to establish a business’ existence  Documentation of EIN from IRS  Failure to submit the aforementioned documentation within three (3) business days will result in denial of the application.  Any eligible business found using multiple methods (EIN and SSN) to apply for numerous awards may be denied any or all applications at the Business Council’s sole discretion.  The approval or denial determination of the Business Council is final.

Funds awarded under these programs are subject to random audits as provided in statute and program rules. Current rules may be found online at rules.wyo.gov. Knowingly making a false statement to obtain funding under these programs may require total or partial repayment of the funds and is punishable under the law, including under 18 USC 1343 by imprisonment of not more than thirty years and/or a fine of up to $1,000,000 and Wyo. Stat. Ann. 6-3-402 by imprisonment of not more than ten years and/or a fine of up to $10,000.