Late last month, over $48 million in business interruption grants were awarded to 2,136 tourism, travel, recreation, hospitality, and personal care businesses hit hard by the pandemic. In fall 2019, the Arkansas Legislative Council approved $50 million in CARES Act funding for the interruption grants.

• Grant amounts range from a few hundred dollars to $250,000 each.
• Clubhaus Fitness owner Stuart Walker says the shutdown was catastrophic for his business. The gym opened over a decade ago and closed its doors on Dec. 20. However, after receiving an interruption grant, Walker was able to open an additional location and salvage half of his previous memberships.
• Last year the CARES Act provided two rounds of the Paycheck Protection Program to small businesses in Arkansas. A third round of of PPP loans valued at $284 billion are now being made available through the new COVID-19 stimulus program.
• Listen to the full story on KUAF.