Hennepin County on Tuesday approved a $2 million Small Business Recovery Fund to help small businesses that suffered financial hardship during Operation Metro Surge.
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners, acting as the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, established the fund which will award grants ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 around 200 businesses.
"I think we all understand that the impacts our businesses have experienced are a lot greater than that, so the need is really great," said Hennepin County Economic Director Patricia Fitzgerald.
Applications for the recovery fund can be submitted starting Wednesday, March 18th at 4 p.m. through 4 p.m. on March 25th. Eligible businesses include locally owned, for-profit businesses with a physical establishment in Hennepin County that experienced significant loss in revenue during the period from December 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026.
Significant loss, according to Hennepin County, will be defined as a 30 percent drop in gross revenue versus a comparable period.
"What we are seeing is 60 to 70 percent declines in a lot of corridors," Fitzgerald said. "That's not something businesses recover from quickly. We know this money will be much needed."
In February, Minneapolis city leaders released a grim outlook regarding the overall impact the federal immigration operation had, estimating nearly 20 percent of the city was in urgent need of relief assistance. A preliminary analysis showed over $200 million in losses to Minneapolis' economy, community livelihoods, residents' mental health, and to food and shelter security.
“The damage caused by Operation Metro Surge doesn’t disappear just because the operation is ending,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “Families were torn apart, small businesses lost millions and students had their learning disrupted. That impact is real. But Minneapolis has never let hardship define us. We will do what we’ve always done: rebuild even stronger — united in the city we love.”
