The Erie County Back to Business Grant Program

  • October 13, 2020

Update: 10/26/2020 – Please do not call our offices regarding this grant.

We strongly encourage you to read the FAQ or contact backtobizgrants@ureeka.biz

FAQ – can be found here. https://grants.ureeka.biz/backtobusiness-faq

Attention all Erie County, NY-based small businesses! Ureeka and 43North have partnered to put some of the county’s CARES act funding to great use!

Ureeka, a one-stop-shop platform for small business growth, is open to all entrepreneurs but has been dedicated to underrepresented founders since its inception. The platform offers coaching, mentorship, grants, and programs to help entrepreneurs in the United States and Canada to reach their dreams.

43North is one of Buffalo, NY’s most notable entities dedicated to attracting and retaining high-growth startups in Buffalo, most notably through its annual $5M startup competition. Apply today to the Erie County Back to Business Grant Program and you could win a portion of the $20million prize pool! Award amounts range from $10,000 to $45,000.

The Fine Print

Here is what you need to know before you apply for the Erie County Back to Business Grant Program. To be eligible, your company must be a for-profit (e.g., Sole Proprietorships, LLCs, LLPs, C-Corps, and S-Corps are all welcome) that was formally established and in continuous operation since at least Oct. 1, 2019. The business must be based in Erie County, NY. This means the founder/CEO and 90% of staff must be located in the region, and the company must have generated less than $7.5M in revenue over the course of 2019. This opportunity is open to businesses with 50 or fewer W-2 based FTEs (Consultants and 1099s do not count towards this total). Companies must be able to provide evidence of a significant loss of gross revenue, or a reduced level of production, sales, employment, or service due to COVID-19 and must not have received any CARES act of PPP funding before the award.

What Can it Be Used For?

The Erie County Back to Business Grant Program must be used for allowable expenses only, including Rent, lease, or mortgage payments, utility payments, payroll costs, supplier payments, personal protective equipment, and sanitation supplies, physical building adaptation, including interior and exterior updates, and equipment, technology and digital resources including tools and services as well as purchases for remote access, website development/enhancements, marketing/advertising, replacement of perishable inventory lost due to COVID, regulatory compliance fees (permits and licensing, insurance, workers’ comp, etc.), marketing expenses, capital improvements, technology, and facility upgrades, new hires.

How To Apply

The Erie County Back to Business Grant Program will be excepting applications until November 2nd, 2020. Applying is easy, and applications can be found online. There is no cost to apply, but each founder can only apply with one business in the event they have more than one. All applicants must be 18 years or over to apply.

Erie County Back to Business – 43North

43North and Erie County, NY have partnered with Ureeka as our grant application and community partners, providing businesses with grant application support. Ureeka is a community of peers, mentors, and coaches who have the experience and knowledge of best practices to grow a strong business.


We work with high-growth startups and organizations that support the startup and innovation ecosystem. We build highly specific non-dilutive funding menus, provide proposal preparation services, and measure outcomes of funding through evaluation. Schedule a consult call with us HERE.

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