Preserve the Fort

Business eligibility information

• Businesses must have a business address located in the City of Fort Worth.
• Businesses must have been in operation as of Jan. 1, 2020.
• Businesses must be registered to do business in the State of Texas.
• Businesses must have no more than 500 part- and full-time employees/contractors.
• Businesses must have had a minimum of $12,000 gross annual revenue in 2019.
• Businesses must be able to demonstrate a loss or reduction in sales/revenue or employment from March 1-Oct. 1, 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• "Businesses" also include self-employed individuals, independent contractors and sole proprietorships.

Ineligible business activities

Businesses who fall under the following categories are not eligible for Preserve the Fort grants.

• Franchisors
• Real estate developers or investors
• Governmental/taxing agencies or departments
• Hobby businesses, as defined by federal law
• Multi-level marketing concerns
• Gambling concerns, including casinos, racing operations or other organizations whose purpose involves gambling
• Lobbying organizations and political organizations subject to Internal Revenue Code 527
• Sexually oriented businesses (live performances, product sales, items or materials)
• Businesses primarily engaged in lending, investments, or to an otherwise-eligible business engaged in financing or factoring
• Pawn shops
• An individual who employes household employees, such as a nanny or housekeepers
• Concerns engagement in illegal activities under federal, state or local laws
• A business that is otherwise prohibited by federal or Texas law
• A business that is ineligible or precluded to receive federal or State of Texas funding due to federal laws (including but not limited to the CARES Act) or Texas laws

Fort Worth City Council members, City of Fort Worth employees and their immediate family members are not eligible for Preserve the Fort grants.

• Small businesses with less than 500 employees are eligible for a grant worth up to 1.5 times their gross average monthly revenue before the COVID-19 disaster declaration on March 13. The award will be capped at $150,000.
• Bars and music venues that were forced to close as of June 26 are eligible for a grant of up to three times their lost average monthly revenue before the COVID-19 disaster declaration on March 13. The award will be capped at $100,000.

But what if I already received a Preserve the Fort grant?

Businesses who have already received a Preserve the Fort grant earlier this summer are still eligible to receive another one during this second round of funding. However, the amount that they received from the first round will be subtracted from their final amount.

Ex. A bar who received $5,000 from a previous Preserve the Fort grant earlier this summer might be eligible for $30,000 for this second round of funding. They would receive $25,000 during the second round, because their earlier grant would make up the remaining difference.

Businesses that received funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or an Economic Injury Disaster Loan are still eligible for this grant. Credit scores and existing debt will not be taken into account before the funds are awarded.

In order to apply for a Preserve the Fort grant, all businesses will need to submit appropriate paperwork documenting the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on their business.

These documents help ensure that the City of Fort Worth is distributing these tax-funded CARES Act funds appropriately and responsibly, while also keeping the city accountable to the federal government for the funds it distributes.

This documentation is required for approval. If the documentation is not provided with your application, you could be denied funding. Naming the documentation correctly will help your application be processed more quickly and efficiently.

List of required documents for businesses

• State of Texas Certificate of Formation - Get yours online
• • Must be dated on or before Jan. 1, 2020.
  • Name the document OrganizationName_TXSOS before adding it to the application.
• DUNS Number - Get yours online at Dun & Bradstreet
• 2019 Federal Tax Return
• • This will help reviewers compare your current situation to "business as usual" before the pandemic.
  • Name the document OrganizationName_Federal before adding it to the application.
• Proof of Employment: Q1 2020 941 - Get yours online
• • Name the document OrganizationName_Q1941 OR OrganizationName_ScheduleC if you're a sole proprietor/independent contractor, before adding it to the application.
• Profit & Loss (P&L) Statement for 2019
• • This will help reviewers compare your profits and losses during COVID-19 to profits and losses your business made during 2019.
  • Name the document OrganizationName_2019PL before adding it to the application.
• Profit & Loss (P&L) Statement for 2020, showing data by month
• • This will help reviewers compare your profits and losses during COVID-19 to profits and losses your business made during COVID-19.
  • Name the document OrganizationName_2020PL before adding it to the application.
• A completed, signed W-9 Form
• • Name the document OrganizationName_OrganizationTaxID#_W9 before adding it to the application.

Have these documents available for reference

• Tax ID Number
• DUNS Number – Grants of more than $50,000 require a unique nine-digit identification number for each physical location of your business. This number assignment is free for all businesses required to register with the U.S. Federal Government for contracts or grants, and can be obtained online. (Processing takes one business day.)
• Banking institution name, account holder information, routing number, and account number for where the funds to be sent if you choose an Electronic Fund Transfer.