Businesses and nonprofits on the closed stretch of Military Trail can apply from Thursday for county grants of up to $5,000. Awards are first come, first served and need a tax return, a W-9 and proof of address.

Businesses and nonprofits cut off by the Military Trail closure after the Nov. 1 Learjet crash can apply for county grants of up to $5,000 starting Thursday, Nov. 12.

The Palm Beach County Commission approved $250,000 for the Military Trail Business Interruption Grant Program on Tuesday, Nov. 10, the county said in a release. County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo started the program on Nov. 2 under the county’s local emergency powers.

The crash site is on Military Trail near Greenacres, about 7 miles southwest of downtown West Palm Beach. The closure “disrupted business operations and limited access for customers and deliveries,” the county said. Military Trail is still closed between 10th Avenue North and Cresthaven Boulevard; our crash story has the latest on the road and the detour.

Who can apply

The grant area runs along Military Trail from Broadway Street in the south to Kelly Drive and Sussex Avenue in the north. The county will check each address against the boundary on its official program map.

To qualify, a business or nonprofit must:

  • have been operating at a physical address inside the mapped area before Nov. 1
  • certify that the closure disrupted its operations or access
  • intend to keep operating or reopen

How much and how it is worked out

Each grant is a one-time payment of up to $5,000. The county’s Department of Housing and Economic Development runs the program. It will estimate lost revenue from the latest filed business tax return, based on a 30-day interruption.

The money can go toward operating costs such as rent, payroll, utilities and essential inventory. Awards are first come, first served, until the $250,000 runs out or every eligible applicant has been paid. At $5,000 each, that covers at most 50 full grants.

What to bring

The application and the program rules go up Thursday on the Department of Housing and Economic Development website. The county lists these documents:

  • a signed application
  • a W-9 form
  • the latest filed business tax return
  • proof of the business address
  • photo ID for the person signing
  • Sunbiz and business tax receipt records, or proof of an exemption

What it means for you

  • If you run a business or nonprofit on that stretch: gather your tax return and the other documents now. Grants go first come, first served from Thursday, Nov. 12.
  • Questions: the program contact is Meri Weymer at 561-233-3675 or MWeymer@pbc.gov.
  • Getting there: the detour uses 10th Avenue North, Haverhill Road and Cresthaven Boulevard; see our road closures page.
  • Flood damage is separate: businesses hit by the Nov. 1-2 flooding can report it to the state. Our county emergency story explains how.