County of Northampton, Pennsylvania

Recovery Plan 

State and Local Fiscal Recovery 

Funds

2021 Report
County of Northampton, Pennsylvania 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 1

County of Northampton, Pennsylvania

2021 Recovery Plan

Table of Contents

General Overview......................................................................................................................2

Executive Summary.................................................................................................................2

Uses of Funds .........................................................................................................................2

Promoting Equitable Outcomes ...............................................................................................4

Community Engagement .........................................................................................................5

Use of Evidence ......................................................................................................................5

Table of Expenses by Expenditure Category...........................................................................6

Project Inventory.......................................................................................................................8

Covid-19 Vaccination ..............................................................................................................8

Covid-19 Testing ...................................................................................................................10

Covid-19 Relief Small Business Grant Program ....................................................................11
County of Northampton, Pennsylvania 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 2

GENERAL OVERVIEW

Executive Summary 

Northampton County intends to use Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Funds to mitigate the public 

health and economic impact of the Coronavirus on the residents, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations in our community. On June 17, 2021, Northampton County Council adopted 

Resolution No. 71-2021, approving the following investments to promote a response to the 

pandemic and economic recovery. In response to the public health impact, the County will 

invest funds to continue the operation of the Covid-19 testing site in partnership with Lehigh 

Valley Hospital-Coordinated Health Allentown Hospital (LVHCHA), enhance the Covid-19 

testing site to include vaccinations, facilitate the vaccination campaign, and replenish the supply 

of personal protective equipment. The County will use funds to provide premium pay to eligible 

public sector workers who have performed essential work during the public health emergency at 

the county-owned Gracedale Nursing Home. In response to the negative economic impact, the 

County will use funds to provide assistance to Small Businesses and charitable non-profit 

Organizations in our community that have faced closures or revenue loss or are implementing 

new safety measures. Northampton County will use payment from the Fiscal Recovery Fund for 

the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue experienced due 

to the Covid-19 public health emergency. Key outcome goals include sustaining the small 

business sector in Northampton County by providing crucial economic assistance to 1,000 small 

businesses that have experienced an adverse economic impact due to Covid-19 that has 

threatened their ongoing operations; ensuring non-profit organizations remain viable to continue

providing vital services to our community with a goal of assisting 50 organizations; compensate 

the essential workers who have put their physical well-being at risk to meet the needs at 

Gracedale Nursing Home; continued operation of the Covid-19 Testing Site; and expanding the 

Testing Site to include vaccinations which will support meeting our goal of 70% of the population 

with at least one vaccine dose. The site began administering vaccinations on June 3, 2021, and 

has served 556 residents as of August 10, 2021. As of August 17, 2021, Pennsylvania 

Department of Health reports 180,720 Northampton County residents have received at least 

one dose of the vaccine. This represents 65.8% of the population. The Covid-19 Testing Site 

reports 599 tests administered in the period from March 3, 2021 to July 31, 2021. Testing is still 

a critical part of our response to ultimately stop the spread of COVID-19. Increased testing will 

help determine the prevalence of the virus in Northampton County and assist in recovery 

planning. Through the Northampton County Covid-19 Relief Small Business Grant Program, 93 

small businesses that have experienced adverse economic impacts from the pandemic have 

received funding to date to support their ongoing operations. The Northampton County 

American Rescue Plan Non-Profit Assistance Program began accepting applications on August 

2, 2021, and anticipates award notifications in October 2021. 

Uses of Funds

Northampton County is supporting a strong and equitable recovery from the COVID-19 

pandemic through public health initiatives. The Northampton County Covid-19 Testing Site is

operated in partnership with Lehigh Valley Hospital-Coordinated Health Allentown Hospital 

(LVHCHA) centrally located for residents at 3100 Emrick Blvd. in Bethlehem Township, just off 

major thoroughfare Route 33. The site provides drive-through COVID-19 testing that is open to 
County of Northampton, Pennsylvania 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 3

everyone. A physician’s order is not required for a COVID-19 test. In addition, the cost of testing 

is covered by the County for Northampton County residents who do not have health coverage. 

Northampton County supports the national vaccination campaign and has expanded the testing 

site to include a vaccination center. Vaccinations are by appointment only and are only available 

for Northampton County residents ages twelve and over. Patients can choose from all three 

vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Northampton County also intends to invest 

funding in personal protective equipment.

Northampton County is supporting a strong and equitable recovery by addressing negative 

economic impacts. Northampton County is home to thousands of small businesses which are 

the lifeblood of our community and contribute in so many ways to our county’s economic 

prosperity. Northampton County has created the Covid-19 Relief Small Business Grant Program 

to mitigate the effects of mandated closures and sharp declines in revenue due to Covid-19 on 

our community’s small businesses. Non-profit organizations also provide essential services to 

our community and have faced similar economic and financial challenges as a result of the 

pandemic. A lack of donations and the inability to hold fundraisers due to the pandemic have 

created a devastating financial setback for the vital organizations that support our community. 

The County has created the American Rescue Plan Non-Profit Assistance Grant Program to 

provide the funding necessary for our community’s non-profit organizations to continue 

operating.

Northampton County is supporting a strong and equitable recovery by providing services to 

disproportionately impacted communities. According to US Census data, Northampton County 

consists of more than 5,000 low-income tenants, including residents of public housing and 

senior citizens. Local courts and community legal aid agencies provided high estimates of 

renters affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and The Lehigh Valley Regional Homeless Advisory 

Board informed of an overwhelming influx of calls for assistance. Northampton County 

responded and developed the Community Mediation and Eviction Diversion Program (CMED).

The CMED Program is currently funded through the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) 

Program established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021, signed into law by Governor 

Wolf on February 5, 2021, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services; 

ERA1 under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which was enacted on December 27, 

2020; and ERA2 under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which was enacted on March 

11, 2021, administered by the US Treasury. CMED was created to provide emergency financial 

assistance to residents experiencing financial rental arrears challenges related to the COVID-19 

pandemic. For eligible households, the program offers rental assistance to help Northampton 

County residents avoid eviction and prevent homelessness, and utility assistance to prevent

loss of utility service. CMED has since expanded by referring eligible homeowners to programs 

providing foreclosure assistance. CMED is also a comprehensive program consisting of four 

elements: Mediation/Tenant Navigation, Rental Assistance, Financial Counseling, and WrapAround Social Service Support and sustained through partnerships with the following agencies: 

New Bethany Ministries, ProJeCt of Easton, Third Street Alliance, Easton Area Neighborhood 

Center, Community Action of the Lehigh Valley, North Penn Legal Services, and Lehigh Valley 

Center for Independent Living. The County and the experienced navigators of our partner 

agencies are equipped to provide the supportive social services in conjunction with the financial 

support of ERA funds to continue providing a safety net for our most vulnerable residents.
County of Northampton, Pennsylvania 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 4

Northampton County is supporting a strong and equitable recovery by providing premium pay to 

eligible frontline workers. Gracedale Nursing Home, located in Northampton County, is the 

largest nursing home under one roof in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. There are more 

than 600 residents living at Gracedale with approximately 700 people tasked with caring for 

them. Northampton County has done and continues to do everything possible to limit exposure 

to the residents and staff at Gracedale during the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite best efforts, 

positive cases of Covid-19 occurred in both residents and staff at the facility. The County is 

providing premium pay from the Fiscal Recovery Fund to the essential hourly workers who have 

put their physical well-being at risk to meet the needs at Gracedale Nursing Home throughout 

the pandemic.

Northampton County will utilize Revenue Replacement funds on Information Technology related 

expenses to continue providing fundamental government services to the community throughout 

the recovery. 

Promoting equitable outcomes

The Northampton County programs described above have been designed to ensure that 

resources are being effectively and equitably distributed. The Northampton County Covid-19 

Testing and Vaccination Site provides drive-through COVID-19 testing that is open to everyone. 

A physician’s order is not required for a COVID-19 test. In addition, the cost of testing is covered 

by the County for Northampton County residents who do not have health coverage. 

Vaccinations are available by appointment only and are available to all County residents ages 

12 and over. Outreach is shared across social media platforms and throughout our community, 

with the help of partner social service agencies. Materials provide information on the site and 

encourage residents to get tested and vaccinated. Spanish is the most common foreign 

language spoken in Northampton County therefore informational materials are printed in English 

and Spanish for distribution. 

Northampton County’s CMED Program, sustained through ERA Program funding, prioritizes low 

income families and helps renters experiencing rental arrears financial challenges related to the 

COVID-19 pandemic. For eligible households, the program offers rental assistance to help 

Northampton County residents avoid eviction and prevent homelessness, and utility assistance 

to prevent loss of utility service. Extensive outreach to share awareness of this program has 

been targeted to communities most adversely affected through the County’s partnership with 

non-profit social service agencies including New Bethany Ministries, ProJeCt of Easton, Third 

Street Alliance, Easton Area Neighborhood Center, Community Action of the Lehigh Valley, 

North Penn Legal Services, and Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living. As Spanish is the 

most common foreign language spoken in Northampton County, outreach and services are 

available through our partnering agencies in English and Spanish so that eligible families do not 

face unnecessary barriers to access. Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living has 

experienced navigators dedicated to assist individuals with all types of disabilities.

Northampton County Covid-19 Relief Small Business Grant Program is administered in 

partnership with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce (GLVCC). Serving more than 

5,000 businesses, the GLVCC is the largest in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and in the top six 

nationwide. GLVCC boasts thirty-plus affiliated chambers, councils and committees with more 

than 1,500 community focused volunteers who actively contribute, at the grass roots, to develop 
County of Northampton, Pennsylvania 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 5

and achieve their respective and collective goals. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) 

Collaborative is an initiative of the GLVCC and is a result of the growth and success of the 

Chamber’s Diversity Councils: African American Business Leaders Council, Hispanic Chamber 

of the Lehigh Valley, LGBTQ Business Council, Women’s Business Council, and the Young 

Professionals Council. The County’s partnership with GLVCC in carrying out the Small Business 

Grant Program assures that historically underserved, marginalized, or adversely affected groups 

of small business owners are targeted in our outreach efforts to spread awareness of the grant 

opportunity among GLVCC members and non-members alike. GLVCC has conducted outreach 

and marketing in the form of email blasts, newspaper ads, radio promotion, information on the 

Chamber website, and distributed flyers to ensure all businesses, including small, vulnerable, 

and disadvantaged businesses, have access to the grant application platform. GLVCC provides 

technical assistance to business owners during application preparation and online submission 

so that no small business is hindered in the application process due to technical skills. The

application is also available in Spanish. The program is structured to provide aid to small 

businesses, hit hardest by the pandemic, with 100 or fewer employees. Grant applications are 

reviewed by a committee consisting of Northampton County Administration, Northampton 

County Council members, and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce who make 

recommendations to the Northampton County Executive. Priority is given to businesses that 

have not received other state or federal Covid-19 grant funding. 

Northampton County non-profit, charitable organizations form a vital public-private partnership 

with a shared sense of purpose and common incentives with equity in mind. The American 

Rescue Plan Non-Profit Assistance Grant Program is designed to assist Northampton County 

non-profit, charitable organizations that have experienced revenue loss or are implementing 

new safety measures recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and corresponding economic crisis. 

The County is conducting outreach to a wide range of potential applicants for this program by 

holding an open call for grant applications shared on social media, the County website, public 

announcements, and direct email to partners. The County has hosted a Zoom Grant Workshop 

to share information on the grant program and provide an opportunity to ask questions.

Community Engagement 

The Northampton County Executive, Northampton County Council, and Northampton County 

department heads have discussed the intended investment of American Rescue Plan Fiscal 

Recovery Funds at bi-weekly council meetings which are open to the public and livestreamed 

on YouTube. Citizen participation and input are encouraged through announcements on the 

Northampton County website and by providing courtesy of the floor at the beginning of each 

council meeting. Request for Proposals are being utilized to garner input from Northampton 

County small businesses, non-profit organizations, and municipalities to capture the needs of 

the community and ensure Fiscal Recovery Funds are targeting these needs. Northampton 

County Department of Community and Economic Development hosted a Zoom Grant Workshop 

on August 12, 2021, providing information on recently announced grant programs funded 

through the American Rescue Plan. 134 registrants from Northampton County municipalities 

and non-profit organizations signed up to attend the virtual workshop which was recorded. The 

workshop recording was sent to all registered attendees and anyone who requested the 

recording by email. The recording is also posted on the Northampton County Department of 

Community and Economic Development - DCED Home Page (northamptoncounty.org).
County of Northampton, Pennsylvania 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 6

Use of Evidence

The effectiveness of Northampton County’s use of funding will be assessed through rigorous 

program evaluations and data collection. Data received from the Covid-19 Testing and 

Vaccination Site include daily test counts, detection rate, and vaccinations administered 

including first dose, second dose, and fully vaccinated. The number of businesses assisted 

through the Covid-19 Relief Small Business Grant Program will be recorded to determine if the 

goal of assistance to 1,000 businesses is achieved. The number of non-profit organizations 

assisted through the American Rescue Plan Non-Profit Assistance program will be recorded to 

determine if the goal of assistance to 50 organizations is achieved. 

Table of Expenses by Expenditure Category

Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

1 Expenditure Category: Public Health

1.1 COVID-19 Vaccination 10,277.50 10,277.50

1.2 COVID-19 Testing 10,277.50 10,277.50

1.3 COVID-19 Contact Tracing

1.4 Prevention in Congregate Settings (Nursing 

Homes, Prisons/Jails, Dense Work Sites, 

Schools, etc.)

1.5 Personal Protective Equipment

1.6 Medical Expenses (including Alternative Care 

Facilities)

1.7 Capital Investments or Physical Plant Changes 

to Public Facilities that respond to the COVID19 public health emergency

1.8 Other COVID-19 Public Health Expenses 

(including Communications, Enforcement, 

Isolation/Quarantine)

1.9 Payroll Costs for Public Health, Safety, and 

Other Public Sector Staff Responding to 

COVID-19

1.10 Mental Health Services

1.11 Substance Use Services

1.12 Other Public Health Services

2 Expenditure Category: Negative Economic 

Impacts

2.1 Household Assistance: Food Programs 

2.2 Household Assistance: Rent, Mortgage, and 

Utility Aid 

2.3 Household Assistance: Cash Transfers 

2.4 Household Assistance: Internet Access 

Programs
County of Northampton, Pennsylvania 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 7

Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

2.5 Household Assistance: Eviction Prevention

2.6 Unemployment Benefits or Cash Assistance to 

Unemployed Workers

2.7 Job Training Assistance (e.g., Sectoral jobtraining, Subsidized Employment, Employment 

Supports or Incentives)

2.8 Contributions to UI Trust Funds*

2.9 Small Business Economic Assistance (General) 1,491,949.09 1,491,949.09

2.10 Aid to nonprofit organizations

2.11 Aid to Tourism, Travel, or Hospitality

2.12 Aid to Other Impacted Industries

2.13 Other Economic Support 

2.14 Rehiring Public Sector Staff

3 Expenditure Category: Services to 

Disproportionately Impacted Communities

3.1 Education Assistance: Early Learning 

3.2 Education Assistance: Aid to High-Poverty 

Districts

3.3 Education Assistance: Academic Services 

3.4 Education Assistance: Social, Emotional, and 

Mental Health Services 

3.5 Education Assistance: Other 

3.6 Healthy Childhood Environments: Child Care 

3.7 Healthy Childhood Environments: Home Visiting 

3.8 Healthy Childhood Environments: Services to 

Foster Youth or Families Involved in Child 

Welfare System 

3.9. Healthy Childhood Environments: Other 

3.10 Housing Support: Affordable Housing 

3.11 Housing Support: Services for Unhoused 

persons 

3.12 Housing Support: Other Housing Assistance 

3.13 Social Determinants of Health: Other 

3.14 Social Determinants of Health: Community 

Health Workers or Benefits Navigators 

3.15 Social Determinants of Health: Lead 

Remediation

3.16 Social Determinants of Health: Community 

Violence Interventions 

4 Expenditure Category: Premium Pay

4.1 Public Sector Employees

4.2 Private Sector: Grants to other employers 

5 Expenditure Category: Infrastructure
County of Northampton, Pennsylvania 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 8

Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

5.1 Clean Water: Centralized wastewater treatment

5.2 Clean Water: Centralized wastewater collection 

and conveyance

5.3 Clean Water: Decentralized wastewater

5.4 Clean Water: Combined sewer overflows

5.5 Clean Water: Other sewer infrastructure

5.6 Clean Water: Stormwater

5.7 Clean Water: Energy conservation

5.8 Clean Water: Water conservation

5.9 Clean Water: Nonpoint source 

5.10 Drinking water: Treatment

5.11 Drinking water: Transmission & distribution

5.12 Drinking water: Transmission & distribution: 

lead remediation

5.13 Drinking water: Source

5.14 Drinking water: Storage 

5.15 Drinking water: Other water infrastructure

5.16 Broadband: “Last Mile” projects

5.17 Broadband: Other projects

6 Expenditure Category: Revenue Replacement

6.1 Provision of Government Services

7 Administrative and Other

7.1 Administrative Expenses 

7.2 Evaluation and data analysis 

7.3 Transfers to Other Units of Government

7.4 Transfers to Nonentitlement Units 

(States and Territories only)

Project Inventory 

Project: Covid-19 Vaccination

Funding Amount: $10,277.50

Project Expenditure Category: EC1 Public Health 1.1

The Covid-19 Drive-through Vaccination/Testing center is a collaboration between the 

Northampton County Department of Community and Economic Development, Emergency 

Management Services and Lehigh Valley Hospital-Coordinated Health Allentown Hospital (LVHCHA). It is located at 3100 Emrick Boulevard in Bethlehem Township. Vaccinations are by 

appointment only and only for Northampton County residents. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson 

vaccines are available to residents age eighteen and older. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is 

a single dose. Those receiving the Moderna vaccine will require a second dose three weeks 
County of Northampton, Pennsylvania 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 9

after the first shot. Vaccinations became available at the site on June 3, 2021. Appointments for 

a vaccine at the COVID-19 testing site can be made through the following options: 

 1. Schedule at the LVHN website at LVHN.org/appointments. 

 2. Schedule on the MyLVHN patient portal, at MyLVHN.org. 

 3. Call 833-584-6283 (833-LVHN-CVD). 

The COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline is open Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and SaturdaySunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Data received from the Covid-19 Testing and Vaccination Site provide the 

number of vaccinations administered including first dose, second dose, and fully vaccinated.

This data will be analyzed to determine if the project goal of 70% of the population is at least 

partially vaccinated. The site began administering vaccinations on June 3, 2021, and has served 

556 residents as of August 10, 2021. As of August 17, 2021, Pennsylvania Department of 

Health reports 180,720 Northampton County residents have received at least one dose of the 

vaccine. This represents 65.8% of the population. This data will be analyzed to determine if the 

project goal of 70% of the population is at least partially vaccinated.

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County of Northampton, Pennsylvania 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 10

Project: Covid-19 Testing

Funding Amount: $10,277.50

Project Expenditure Category: EC1 Public Health 1.2

The Covid-19 Drive-through Vaccination/Testing center is a collaboration between the 

Northampton County Department of Community and Economic Development, Emergency 

Management Services and Lehigh Valley Hospital-Coordinated Health Allentown Hospital (LVHCHA). It is located at 3100 Emrick Boulevard in Bethlehem Township. A Physician’s order is not 

required for a COVID-19 test. The drive-through site is open to everyone, but only residents of 

Northampton County will have the cost of testing covered by the County if they do not have 

health coverage. All testing will be through HNL Lab Medicine unless insurance requires an 

alternate laboratory. Participants should bring a photo ID and their insurance card, if they have 

one, with them to the testing site. Data received from the Covid-19 Testing and Vaccination Site 

include daily test counts and detection rate which will help determine the prevalence of the virus 

in Northampton County and assist in recovery planning. 

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FULLY VACCINATED
County of Northampton, Pennsylvania 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 11

Project: Covid-19 Relief Small Business Grant Program

Funding Amount: $1,491,949.09

Project Expenditure Category: EC2 Negative Economic Impacts 2.9

Northampton County has partnered with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce 

Foundation and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce (GLVCC) to provide 

administration of the Covid-19 Relief Small Business Grant Program. The funding amount 

above represents half of the delivery fee for the administrative services provided. The remaining 

funds will be released upon completion of the program. The project scope includes:

• Program Design – GLVCC will work with the County to develop the program guidelines, 

application form, and electronic application portal through the GLVCC website

• Marketing and Promotions – GLVCC will promote the program throughout all of 

Northampton County to all eligible businesses regardless if they are a chamber member 

or not. The GLVCC will leverage existing platforms at its disposal including but not 

limited to:

o Radio promotion on Business Matters by Tony Iannelli with Gunther on WAEB 

o Videos promoting this grant opportunity, encouraging all businesses to apply that 

meet the requirements

o Social Media promotion on all our platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, 

Twitter)

 GLVCC Facebook Page, Twitter, LinkedIn

 Nazareth Area Chamber Facebook (covers Nazareth Borough, Lower 

Nazareth Township, Upper Nazareth Township, Bushkill Township, 

Stockertown Borough, and Plainfield Township) 

 Greater Bath Area Chamber Facebook (covers Bath Borough, East Allen 

Township, and Moore Township) 

 Northampton Chamber Facebook (covers Northampton Borough)

 Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber Facebook (covers Hellertown 

Borough and Lower Saucon Township)

 Easton Chamber Facebook (covers City of Easton)

 Bethlehem Chamber Facebook (covers City of Bethlehem)

 The Diversity & Small Business Council Facebook & Instagram

 On the GLVCC website where people can apply: 

https://www.lehighvalleychamber.org/norcogrants.html

o E-Newsletter that goes out weekly with separate email blasts through Constant 

Contact 

• Outreach to municipalities to ensure the small business grant information is included in 

their communications to the business community and promoted on their social media 

pages

• Feet on the Street marketing –GLVCC colleagues that cover the Chambers within

Northampton County will hand out the letter from County Executive McClure and a 

supporting document with the link on where to apply to business owners

• Municipality Meetings - Attend Council meetings throughout Northampton County’s 

boroughs and townships to ensure the small business grant opportunity is on meeting 

agendas, provide additional information, and answer questions
County of Northampton, Pennsylvania 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 12

• Technical Assistance – GLVCC will provide technical assistance to any eligible 

Northampton County business that needs help in filling out and submitting an application

• Application Collection and Administrative Review – GLVCC will collect all applications 

and perform an administrative review to ensure all required documentation has been 

submitted

• Grant Application Review Committee Organization – GLVCC will organize all 

applications and supporting documentation and present the information to the 

application review committee. GLVCC will maintain committee review notes and 

document recommendations of the committee.

• Applicant Communication – GLVCC will be responsible for maintaining clear 

communications with all applicants regarding the status of their applications. Applicants 

shall be notified when their completed application has been received, administrative 

review has been completed, and a funding decision made

• Meeting Attendance – GLVCC will attend County Council Meetings, Grant Application 

Review Committee Meeting and other coordination meetings as requested by 

Northampton County Department of Community and Economic Development 

The Northampton County Covid-19 Relief Small Business Grant Program opened for 

applications on July 7, 2021, and is administered by County Administration in partnership with 

the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. Northampton County businesses with fewer 

than 100 employees may apply for up to a $15,000 grant for COVID-19 related expenses. The 

Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce will conduct outreach and marketing to ensure 

small, vulnerable and disadvantaged businesses have access to the grant application platform. 

The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce will provide technical assistance to business 

owners during application preparation and online submission. Once applications are received, 

Northampton County DCED in partnership with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of 

Commerce will process applications and review for administrative completeness. Grant 

applications will be reviewed by a committee consisting of Northampton County Administration, 

Northampton County Council members and the Greater Lehigh valley Chamber of Commerce 

who will make recommendations to the Northampton County Executive. Priority will be given to 

businesses that have not received other state or federal COVID-19 grant assistance and/or 

funding. The County Executive will make final recommendations to Northampton County 

Council. County Council will consider each application for approval or denial. Northampton 

County will fund grants to approved businesses. Businesses will be required to provide 

certifications regarding accuracy and truthfulness of information submitted in the application.

Grant recipients must agree to comply with and be bound by the terms and conditions set forth 

in Northampton County Administrative Code Section 13.15(g). The Covid-19 Relief Small 

Business Grant Program will consist of several rounds during the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2021. 

The US Census Bureau reports on Census Business Builder: Regional Analyst Edition - 3.4 that 

Northampton County is home to 6,171 small business with fewer than 100 employees. The goal 

of the Small Business Grant Program is to provide funding to 1,000 of these businesses who 

report and certify that their business has suffered an adverse economic impact due to Covid-19 

and the grant request is necessary to support the ongoing operations of the business. Upon 

completion of the program, data collected will reveal the total number of businesses that have 

received the above grant and demonstrate if the intended goal has been met.