Danbury Mayor Dean Esposito Distributes Final Round of ARPA Small Business Assistance Program Funds

Today, Mayor Dean Esposito and the City of Danbury’s Director of Economic Development Shay Nagarsheth distributed the final round of ARPA Small Business Assistance Program (SBAP) Funds. The City of Danbury SBAP program offered limited, one-time direct financial assistance to eligible small businesses recovering from the pandemic and accepted applications earlier this year.

A total of $135,000 was awarded to 27 small businesses in Danbury through the SBAP program. “We are very happy with the number of small businesses we were able to help through this initiative. This program was created to help ease the financial burden the pandemic caused for many of our local businesses, and we hope this funding provides some relief as they move forward,” said Shay Nagarsheth.

“Small businesses are the backbone of Danbury’s economy, and I am proud to support them in any way I can. This program is just one of the many ways we have made Danbury the best place to work and open a business in all of Connecticut. I want to thank our Director of Economic Development Shay Nagarsheth for his dedication and service to our business community,” said Mayor Esposito.

Local small businesses were able to apply for a share of the $380,000 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) COVID-19 federal relief funds earmarked for this program. Grants of up to $5,000 were awarded to eligible area businesses based on specific parameters around business need and the intended use of funds.