How to Apply for a PPP Grant
The US federal government introduced a stimulus package for small businesses. Under this, eligible companies were allocated funding through the Paycheck Protection Program, part of the CARES Act.
These funds are part of the CARES Act, which the government approved.
This stimulus package is offered through two distinct small-business programs that offer loans and grants that can be forgiven. The first of the two programs is the Paycheck Protection Program.
What is a PPP Grant
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) offers loans of up to $10 million to small businesses. These loans can even be forgiven if the recipient cannot repay the amount. At least 60% of the forgiven amount must be used for payroll expenses.
7 Steps to Apply for PPP Grant Application
If you wish to apply for the PPP grant, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we’ve listed the steps in the PPP grant application:
Step 1 – Access the PPP application
Submit a PPP loan application through a participating lender. You should already be on this web page if you recently submitted your application.
At this stage, you must complete your application and gather all necessary information and documentation. Then, you must verify and submit this to the lender in an approved PPP lender market.
You can return to the same web page if you have already left the online application portal. You need to check if you’ve received an email from the SBA.com partner with your account details.
These are necessary to gain access to the application portal. If you cannot find this email, you can access the application portal by resetting your password.
You can do this by logging in with the email address associated with the loan request. Your login details remain the same throughout the application process.
Once logged on to the application portal, you should choose the “Edit Application” option.
This helps you to review the information and details you have already entered into the application form. This step helps you to fill in or correct any erroneous details or information in the application form.
Step 2 – Confirm current business details
Ensure that everything in this section is filled. Here are some sections you should pay attention to at this stage of the PPP grant application:
- Business address – Reaffirm that the entered address is complete and correct. It should include the 5-digit ZIP code (do not enter the 9-digit ZIP code in this form).
- Business type – Confirm that you have selected the right business type in the application form. This will determine the documents you will need to provide for evaluation.
- Business tax ID – Confirm or enter a valid 9-digit tax ID. Make sure that the ID numbers are all correct.
- Requested loan amount – The amount you request can be up to 2.5 times your average monthly payroll costs.
- Employee count – Ensure that the employee count submitted in the application form is accurate. Eligibility criteria dictate that an applicant should have 1 to 500 employees on the payroll. Include yourself in the employee count if you are a sole proprietor.
Step 3 – Add requirements for business information
When you are on the “Business Information” page of the application form, you will need to fill in the below-given details:
- Business launch date – Enter the same date as on your Secretary of State filing documents.
- Industry type – Begin typing in your industry and then select it from the drop-down menu. If you cannot find the specific industry, then select the one that is the closest. It’s essential to accurately reflect your industry type, but the application’s approval depends on multiple factors, not just the industry type field.
Step 4 – Confirm ownership
You must confirm the ownership percentage on the “Owner Information” page. The ownership percentage entered should always be higher than 0.
Step 5 – Confirm additional owner information
Next, you can add or confirm all relevant information if your business has multiple owners. List all individuals with 20% or more ownership in the business on the application form. Fill in all the fields under the “Additional Owner” page. This includes the date of birth.
Step 6 – Confirm and upload documents.
Once you get to the next page, “Upload your Documents,” you must upload all required documents. This step also confirms the information and details entered into the application form.
If you do not have the below-listed documents as attachments to your application, you must upload them manually.
Make sure to keep these documents handy for uploading and attaching to the PPP grant application form:
- Driver’s license for all owners with more than 20% shares in the business.
- Acceptable payroll documents (listed under SBA’s preference).
- Business bank account statements
- Any other document that proves payroll expenses
Step 7 – Check your email for additional instructions
Once a lender approves your PPP loan application, the lender will work with you to finalize the loan.
Here, a PPP lender will accept your application and provide you with the PPP loan you need. Once a lender accepts your loan request, you will receive a confirmation email from the SBA.com partner or the lender.
Read any such email carefully and follow every instruction to ensure you receive the PPP grant successfully.
Conclusion
The federal PPP grant initiative has helped thousands of small businesses stay afloat after the devastating economic effects of the worldwide pandemic.
Thanks to the PPP grant initiative, the federal government has released a much-needed lifeline for small businesses to flourish in the United States.
The billions of dollars spent on payroll expenses have enabled innumerable businesses to keep employees on the job.
The PPP grant program has been immensely successful in preventing massive employee layoffs in various American industrial sectors.
Interactive US Map for Small Business Grants
See Also
Wisconsin Small Business Grants
Minority Small Business Grants
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