City expands Fighting Chance Fund to St. Pete business owners who live outside city

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman announced Tuesday that he would expand the City’s Fighting Chance Fund to help more business owners affected by Covid-19.

The Fighting Chance Fund provides emergency grants to service-based industries like restaurants, bars, retail stores and personal services, like hair and beauty, laundry, fitness and pet care, as well as event services. The fund provides emergency grant funding of $5,000 for businesses and $500 for individuals in order to offset the losses caused by mitigation efforts.

The first round of Fighting Chance Fund applications opened April 9. The city has received 1,800 applications for individuals and businesses to date and has awarded $77,000. The next round of expanded funding will go live on Thursday, April 30.

Kriseman announced during a press conference that the Fighting Chance Fund would be expanded to businesses located in St. Petersburg whose owners live outside of the city. The city also expanded relief to businesses in operation for six months, loosening the one year requirement of the previous round. The funds have also been expanded to include travel agencies and tour operators.

Kriseman also announced the closure of dog parks, tennis courts, pickleball courts and skate parks, and asked residents not to congregate in parks.