Clark County offering $500K in grants to struggling small businesses

Clark County is distributing $500,000 to be spread among dozens of small, locally owned businesses that might be going through a rough patch.

The grant program was introduced by County Commissioner William McCurdy II for establishments in the county’s District D, which includes portions of Sunrise Manor and parts of the cities of Las Vegas and North Las Vegas.

It will provide up to $5,000 for home-operated businesses and up to $10,000 for entities with storefronts, according to the Clark County Office of Community and Economic Development.

With the economy slowing down in recent months, the county had to find “creative ways to support our businesses,” McCurdy told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

“This grant is one more way we can help businesses continue to stay afloat and remain open,” he said.

While the program was crafted before Broadacres Marketplace temporarily shut down last month amid fears of Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps, the program could offer a lifeline to affected businesses there, McCurdy said.

“The timing was perfect,” he said. “Unfortunately, the businesses have been severely impacted.”

There is no indication when the popular weekend swap meet, which offers space on 45 acres in North Las Vegas to hundreds of vendors, will reopen. It’s been closed for four weekends.

ICE said agents hadn’t been at the market before the closure.

The market has not replied to inquiries seeking additional comment.

‘Competitive grant’

The applications will be processed by the Las Vegas Urban Chamber of Commerce and the Nevada Latin Chamber of Commerce, the county said.

“As a competitive grant program, funding will be approved and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis,” the county added.

To be eligible, applicants must have had an active local business license since at least July 1, 2024, and employ fewer than 20 employees, the county said.

The entities must not hold any tax liens, the county said. Businesses, such as massage parlors, cannabis-related establishments, liquor stores and adult-oriented locales are not eligible.

Eligible businesses don’t have to be associated with the chambers of commerce but must be located in District D, which mostly sits between Jones and Lamb boulevards and Charleston Boulevard and Deer Springs Way.

“Recipients have full discretion in how they use the funding, whether for day-to-day operations, growth initiatives, or other priorities,” the county said.

McCurdy said the grants follow in the footsteps of pilot programs previously organized by the county’s office of community and economic development.

“They gave me confidence to launch it on a larger scale,” he said.

Completed applications submitted early will be prioritized, and the window might close soon due to the “sheer volume” of applicants, McCurdy said Monday.

“We are making sure that we’re doing as much for our community residents as we can,” he said.

Applications are available at lvlcc.com and urbanchamber.org.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.