Lancaster businesses receive over $6 million in CHIRP funding

Lancaster County businesses received over $6 million through Pennsylvania’s $145 million COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program (CHIRP).

This week the state Department of Community and Economic Development announced that 316 Lancaster County businesses were awarded $6,045,000 million in CHIRP funding.

Applications opened in March to receive a grant through the program, which was approved by the legislature in February. Grants were awarded in increments of $5,000 and range from $10,000 to $40,000.

Businesses awarded the grant funding include hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, bars and campgrounds. Funding was distributed through each county’s Certified Economic Development Organization or Community Development Financial Institution and was based on population size.

“This program provided critical support to local small businesses this spring,” said Lisa Riggs, president of Economic Development Company of Lancaster County. “Being able to deploy these resources at a local level, given our knowledge of our small business landscape here in Lancaster, helped get these funds out the door and to businesses in need efficiently.”

Gov. Tom Wolf visited Lancaster city restaurant Silantra Asian Street Kitchen on Monday to celebrate the impact the grants will have on local businesses.

“I applaud our small business owners for their courage, tenacity, and creativity during the past year and a half, and my administration stands firm in our commitment to continuing to support them as they move forward in recovery,” said Wolf.

“We thank Governor Wolf and his team for their swift action in rolling out the vaccine, securing funding for local small businesses and putting our health and wellbeing as their first priority,” said Sam Guo, Silantra Asian Street Kitchen owner.