Frequently Asked Questions
How can I check my status with the Virginia State Corporation Commission?
Applicants can view their status on the Virginia State Corporation Commission by accessing their Clerk’s Information System here. An inactive status for nonpayment of annual registration fees can be corrected online.
Please visit the Virginia State Corporation Commission Clerk’s Help Page for information on paying overdue registration fees. A help sheet for paying registration fees online can be found here.
How do I register for a Unique Entity ID?
In order to process your application, you must have a valid Unique Entity ID. If you don’t have a Unique Entity ID, register on the Sam.gov website.
Can I change my application after it’s been submitted?
No, it is recommended that before completing and submitting the online form, respondents review answers carefully, as your work may not be saved if you leave the web page before submitting the application. You may also lose your work if your internet is disconnected, or as a result of other potential web browser issues. LISC cannot accept changes to the application once it has been submitted, so please review it carefully.
Do grant applicants receive a confirmation that they submitted their application?
Yes, every applicant receives a confirmation screen after hitting "done", if all fields are filled out correctly.
If I received a Covid Relief Grant from the City of Virginia Beach or VBRelief.org Small Business Grant, may I apply for funding through this grant?
Yes, prior awardees from earlier Covid Relief Grant pools including VBRelief.org Small Business Grant are eligible to apply for funding through this grant program.
When will LISC’s online application portal close for submission?
We have extended the deadline! Applications are now being accepted through May 3, 2022.
How will I be contacted or know if I will receive a grant?
LISC Hampton Roads will primarily utilize email to communicate with all applicants. Be sure to check email regularly, including spam folders. Email updates to all applicants will come from Hampton Roads LISC. Selected applicants will receive next steps from Hampton Roads LISC (notifications@lisc.org).
Selected applicants will be notified by email and must respond promptly. The return of any grantee notification message or document as undeliverable may result in disqualification of the applicable grantee, the forfeiture of his or her interest in the grant and the selection of a substitute from among all remaining eligible applicants.
What does it mean to be a “selected applicant” and will there be additional documentation required?
If your business is a selected applicant, you will be notified via email. Being a selected applicant does not guarantee you will receive a grant. As a selected applicant, additional documentation will be required to screen and verify business information for due diligence, parameters of which are required by the funding source. This may include a background search that LISC will conduct at our expense and submission of additional information to include verification information such as date of birth, SSN, TIN/ITIN, EIN, W-9 and appropriate banking information in order to receive funds via ACH if awarded. The background verification does not involve a credit check or credit score pull.
Please be aware that valid grant applications are only accepted through the links posted on www.lisc.org/Hampton-Roads and that LISC will never request copies of personal documentation such as driver’s license, passports and/or green cards. The VBThrive Business Relief Grant applications are intended to collect basic information about your business and it is LISC’s recommendation that applicants should not pay a fee for assistance in completing this form. Paid professional services will not increase any applicant’s chances of selection. If you see instances of fraud online or have questions, contact us at hamptonroadslisc@lisc.org.
What are the size of the awards?
Grant amounts are up to $50,000 depending on eligibility.
What can the grant be used for?
VBThrive Business Relief Grants are designed to help business owners cover operational costs. The assistance is designed to help make up for lost revenues due to the impact of Covid-19. Eligible Uses include:
- Wages and benefits (including those of the applicant)
- Inventory for on-going operations
- Past-due bills
- Payables (rent, supplies, etc.)
- Weatherization of outdoor spaces (heaters, plastic enclosure, etc.)
- Other operational costs
- Cannot be used to start a business or to pay debt associated with closing a business
- Examples of acceptable documentation can be found here.
The Grantee shall fully comply with all applicable federal, state, local (and any other governmental) laws, executive orders, rules, and regulations in connection with its use of grant funds.
Does anything need to be repaid?
No, these grants do not need to be repaid. However, all taxes associated with the acceptance and/or uses of cash awarded are the sole responsibility of the individual grantee. Cash awarded will be reported by LISC to the IRS as LISC deems necessary according to applicable law. It is further the policy of LISC that all LISC grantees be advised to consult with their own tax professionals and/or legal counsel to ascertain the tax impact of the cash awards. LISC will issue a Form 1099 for all grants made under this program.
Will receiving a grant impact other federal assistance or unemployment insurance eligibility?
A grant may affect your unemployment insurance claim if the grant is used to pay payroll expenses during the period you receive unemployment benefits. The amount of unemployment assistance is usually determined by recent earnings, and most likely, you will have to certify on a weekly basis to any income received the previous week as wages. Please consult your state’s unemployment office for more information about unemployment insurance claims.
The awarding of a grant by LISC will not affect the ability of a business to apply for and receive an SBA PPP loan or other federal assistance available under the CARES Act. However, grantees are advised that the same business expenses cannot be funded by a LISC grant and federal funds. Recipients of PPP loans or other funding under the CARES Act must be prepared to demonstrate, upon request by the SBA or other government agency or as a component of an application for forgiveness of a PPP loan, that no other funding source was used to pay for the same costs as those paid for by the PPP loan or CARES Act funding.