(Radio Iowa) – Iowa bars and restaurants have begun to apply for another round of state grants to cover pandemic-related losses. Governor Kim Reynolds says the grants are available to bars and restaurants that saw sales slump in the second and third quarters of 2020 compared to the year before. “The one-time grants are intended to assist with short-term cash flow and award amounts, up to $25,000 will be tiered based on lost sales,” Reynolds says, “…to help them recover, bring their employees back to work and to keep their doors open.” The state began accepting applications at noon yesterday (Monday).

The deadline for making an application is Monday, February 15th at 5 p.m. According to the Iowa Restaurant Association, total sales at the bars, taverns and restaurants in Iowa dropped by 33 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. Forty-one percent of those business owners expected to close before this summer if they can’t get additional relief from the state and federal government.