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$1M fund to help Mid-Ohio Valley businesses recover from coronavirus

APPLY FOR GRANT HERE

PARKERSBURG — Mid-Ohio Valley businesses can now apply for a grant to help them recover from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ogden Newspapers Inc., the parent company of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel, has established a $1 million fund to help local businesses get back to full strength by subsidizing local marketing efforts through matching advertising dollars.

“If we can pull together as a community, we can weather this,” said Publisher James Spanner. “Here at the News and Sentinel, we want to do everything we can to help everyone get through the pandemic and get back to work. With these matching grants, we can help local businesses tell their story as they rebuild.”

Businesses operating in the Mid-Ohio Valley market can apply for a grant of up to $15,000 today at newsandsentinel.com. Applicants will receive a response to their application within two business days.

“The fund is open to all locally owned and operated businesses impacted by the coronavirus,” Spanner said, whether or not they are current News and Sentinel advertisers. “Grant money can be used for local print and online advertising in the News and Sentinel and on newsandsentinel.com between April 1 and June 30, 2020.”

“Every day we see examples of how our area businesses are helping fellow businesses during this challenging time,” said Jill Parsons, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley. “From a local bank ordering take-out lunch for its associates from a local restaurant to our local university using 3D printers to make (personal protective equipment) for the hospital– these are just a couple examples of how leaders recognize we are in this together.

“Today’s announcement is another wonderful opportunity of a local business helping other businesses,” Parsons said.

She noted businesses are exploring many ways to communicate with their potential customers, to update them on how they are providing their services and products during this challenging time.

“A community newspaper is only ever as strong as the community it serves,” said Bob Nutting, president of Ogden Newspapers. “As a family-owned business operating for almost 130 years, we have learned that the only way to pull through the hard times is to stand with your partners and customers. We are proud to offer this assistance to the local businesses that form the backbone of the communities where we publish.”

Ogden Newspapers operates more than 40 daily newspapers across the country, plus a number of weekly newspapers and a magazine division.

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