Mar 26, 2021 4 min read

Throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic, two of the hardest hit sectors of the economy have been the hotel and motel accommodations, and restaurant and food service industries.

These industries have been directly affected, like any other sector, by the public generally staying home more and cutting travel to only the most necessary circumstances. In addition, these businesses had the additional burdens of government mandated closures and capacity limits as well as the overnight, meteoric rise in remote work/meetings severely curtailing the need for business travel and meals.

As a result, many of these businesses had to adapt to the changes by increasing cleaning and sanitizing procedures, altering their public spaces to accommodate social distancing, and providing outside dining options, curbside pickup, or takeout-only services.

Over the past 12 months, it has not been difficult to look around our communities and see the effects of pandemic created hardships – many of our favorite eating spots have closed, our local hotel parking lots have been empty, and many of our friends and neighbors have been temporarily laid off, had their hours cut back substantially, or in some cases lost their jobs.

However, there is reason to be optimistic as spring arrives. Government restrictions have eased, the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out continues, and for now, new cases and hospitalizations are on a downward trajectory for the first time in months.

Considering the damage inflicted upon these industries, our elected leaders at both the state and county levels have been working to help stem the losses, as well. On February 5, 2021, Governor Tom Wolf signed Senate Bill 109, creating Act 1 of 2021, which authorizes the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to allocate funding and allow counties to create a grant program that provides financial relief to businesses with a primary activity in the Accommodations and Food Service and Drinking Places sectors, based on their North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). The legislative delegation from Washington County was unanimously in favor of this legislation and the Washington County Commissioners moved quickly to claim over two million dollars in funding available to Washington County to create a local program to help our restaurant and hospitality businesses.

The result of these actions is the Washington County COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program, or CHIRP program. Two local certified economic development organizations, the Washington Industrial Development Corporation (WIDC) – an affiliate of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce – and the Mon Valley Alliance (MVA) have partnered to administer this grant program in Washington County. This partnership between the WIDC and MVA will accept applications, review required documentation and make recommendations to the county for grants to eligible county businesses.

The WIDC and the MVA have launched a website – www.washcogrant.com – to provide information, detailed program guidelines, and an online portal to accept applications.

To be eligible for a CHIRP grant, an applicant business must be able to substantiate at least a 25 percent reduction in revenue for 2020 vs 2019, be a for-profit entity, located in Washington County and cannot be publicly traded (however, locally owned franchises are eligible). In addition, applicant businesses must have a NAICS code of 721 or 722 as reported on their 2019 federal tax returns and have been in operation on February 15, 2020. In addition, as of February 15, 2020, eligible entities must have had less than 300 full-time equivalent employees and the business entity must have a net worth of less $15,000,000, according to generally accepted accounting principles. Full eligibility details and guidelines are available on at the website www.washcogrant.com.

Given the hurdles that have been placed in front of our hospitality and food service industries, the CHIRP program is a welcome lifeline to these businesses and will help them weather the economic disruption that has been imposed upon them.

As Washington County and the rest of the world continues to recover from this global pandemic, it is important to remember local restaurants and hospitality businesses and their employees. To the extent possible, continuing to patronize these businesses will go a long way in helping them to recover and remain a part of the vibrant Washington County community.