The Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development recently awarded Community Development Block Grant CARES Act funds to the City of Wells and the Reno-based Audacity Institute to provide $500,000 in grant relief to small businesses in rural Nevada.Grants will be distributed through the “Rural Business Assistance” (RuBA) program, according to an Aug 17 press release from GOED, which will provide up to $25,000 to existing and new businesses.Participants will receive loans that will be forgiven upon completion of a nine-month online business training and mentorship program through the Audacity Institute.“The RuBA program was designed to provide funding and support for business owners and those with amazing ideas,” Danielle Rees, a managing partner with the Audacity Institute. “Audacity will provide mentoring and business training with peer support from a cohort of other Nevada rural business owners. The virtual training will require just a three-hour commitment per month over the nine-month program.”GOED Rural Development Director Patty Herzog said the goal is to help those businesses provide permanent jobs and essential support to entrepreneurs in rural Nevada. Wells City Manager Jolene Supp said training for small business owners is badly needed to ensure long term sustainability and success.Qualified applications will:Have a business or business idea with less than $2 million in annual sales.
Be based in rural Nevada (which excludes the City of Reno, City of Sparks, and Clark County).
Have been impacted by COVID-19.
Online applications will be accepted at www.RuBaNV.com through Sept. 3.
