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An opportunity for financial assistance is available for Buckingham, Cumberland and Prince Edward businesses that are trying to work their way through the multiple recovery periods of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A recent press release stated the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance (SVRA) and Virginia’s Growth Alliance (VGA) have joined forces with a number of other collaborative partners to create a Bridge to Recovery program to support the GO Virginia Region 3 service area as it recovers from the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“GO Virginia State Board approved $925,000 for Bridge to Recovery to provide immediate and impactful support to businesses through the multiple recovery periods of the pandemic and bridge supply chain needs of companies with service providers,” officials said in the release.

Region 3 consists of the cities of Danville and Martinsville and the counties of Amelia, Brunswick, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Halifax, Henry, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Patrick, Pittsylvania and Prince Edward, the release noted.

Bridge to Recovery will create a network that enables businesses that need specific professional services or products due to COVID-19 to connect with businesses in the Region 3 footprint that have those services and products, officials stated in the release. Those with the alliances hope to make it an efficient way for businesses to find what they need to reopen or grow during this unusual economic situation.

Virginia’s Growth Alliance Executive Director Jeffrey G. Reed said half of the $925,000 is going to the SVRA and half of it is going to the VGA.

While the GO Virginia Region 3 localities will ultimately benefit, the money will not go to them but rather their eligible businesses that apply.

“There are very specific parameters of how they’re eligible to spend that money,” Reed said. “And they have to match it dollar for dollar, and the largest amount that any one business can get is $20,000.”

The release stated the following businesses are invited to apply as a prequalified supplier:

• suppliers of personal protective equipment (PPE);

• companies that provide PPE conversions (construction and building projects for COVID-19); and

• service providers that help companies with COVID-19 issues (i.e. accounting, legal, human resources, deep cleans, etc.).

The above list does not mean other businesses are excluded from the invitation to apply for Bridge to Recovery grant money.

“By prequalified, that means to be on the preferred vendor list, not to be prequalified for matching grant funds,” Reed said. “That list is not exclusive. That’s just kind of a highlight.”

Area businesses interested in applying can visit www.SOVABridgetoRecovery.com; contact Reed at Jeff@vagrowth.com or (434) 200-8066; or contact SVRA Executive Director Linda Hutson Green at Lgreen@SVRA.org or (434) 766-6707.