(AP) - Nearly 21,000 Louisiana businesses received more than $262 million in grants to help them weather the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, under a program managed by state Treasurer John Schroder and financed by lawmakers with federal aid.
The Republican state treasurer said Thursday that grants averaged about $12,600. The Main Street Recovery Grant Program ended in December after it ran out of cash and hit a federally-mandated deadline to spend the coronavirus money.
The state's grant program denied nearly 14,000 Louisiana businesses the assistance because they didn't meet the criteria set by state lawmakers.
Another 6,000 applicants were deemed eligible, but the program had no money to give them.