Suffolk County Legislature Minority Leader Jason Richberg recently joined Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, representatives from Suffolk County Economic Development & Planning, and a number of other state and county officials at stops across the county to announce the awardees of Suffolk County’s JumpStart and JumpSMART grant programs, a multi-million dollar investment in support of Suffolk County’s small businesses and downtowns.
“I’m proud to stand alongside County Executive Bellone and my colleagues to announce this historic investment in our communities,” said Legislator Richberg. “These funds are an important contribution towards our future that will help keep the county’s downtowns and small businesses thriving for years to come. I was honored to be a part of the process and was thrilled to see we received hundreds of applications from a variety of organizations and businesses all across the county. The process was incredibly competitive, and applications went through a thorough review. I’m confident that the grants are going to worthy organizations, and believe we’ll see tangible results sooner rather than later. Thank you to County Executive Bellone and everyone who worked on these programs, and a special thanks to Senator Chuck Schumer, who played a critical role in securing federal funding.”
The JumpStart and JumpSMART grant programs are designed to help small businesses and communities effectively recover from the pandemic, with a focus on stimulating downtown revitalization, economic activity, tourism, and the arts. The grants are funded through the county’s capital program and Federal ARPA funds. As a result, nearly $50 million will go to the county’s municipal, nonprofit, and small business partners to help strengthen communities and provide economic support.
“Our downtowns are the lifeblood of our communities and through these two programs we are working to fund significant projects that will bring new life into our downtowns and ensure economic growth for years to come,” said County Executive Steve Bellone. “I would like to thank my partners in the legislature for their support of these vital initiatives.”
"The pandemic negatively impacted tourism, small businesses, and local arts organizations. I'm grateful to County Executive Bellone and the Steering Committee which determined the awards, as well as our federal partners especially Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer,” said Legislator Bridget Fleming. “The County's JumpStart and JumpSMART grant funding will help enrich our downtown businesses and cultural arts organizations that help bring our communities together. With this generous funding, many of our local organizations like Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, Ma's House & BIPOC Art Studio on the Shinnecock reservation, the Southampton History Museum, and others, will now be able to recuperate their losses and revitalize their programming to once again positively contribute to our local economy.”
“The JumpSMART and JumpStart programs are critical to the economic growth of our communities and downtowns,” said Legislator Sam Gonzalez. “These grants are key in support of the foundations of our local businesses, community organizations, and educational centers. This will put life back into our towns and overall empower those living in Suffolk County.”