New Hampshire Main Street Relief Fund 2.0 Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MSRF 2.0?

The Governor has allocated $100 million to continue providing economic support to New Hampshire small businesses.  MSRF 2.0 supports businesses that did not receive grants from the initial round of MSRF or the General Assistance & Preservation (GAP) Fund, and prior MSRF and GAP Fund recipients that have received less than the maximum grant amount of $350,000, if eligible according to the criteria described in “What are the MSRF 2.0 eligibility criteria?” below.

How do I access the MSRF 2.0 application?

The application is available here, by clicking on “Main Street Relief Fund 2.0”: https://nhpublichealth.force.com/nhgoferr/Proposal_Core_Listing_Page.

You will need to create an account to complete and submit the application. Your username is emailed to you after registering. You can sign back into your account to complete and submit your application, view your submitted application, or verify that your application status is “Submitted.”

When is the deadline to submit an MSRF 2.0 application?

The application must be completed and submitted electronically at the link above by 4:00 PM on Friday, October 30, 2020. You are encouraged to submit your application as early as possible before the deadline in case you have any questions or need assistance. For assistance, call the MSRF 2.0 Call Center, which is available at (603) 271-7840, from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, or email mainstreet@goferr.nh.gov.

If I complete and submit an application, will my business automatically receive an MSRF 2.0 grant?

No. To receive an MSRF 2.0 grant: (1) your business must be eligible according to the criteria described below; and (2) your business’s grant amount as calculated using the MSRF 2.0 formula described in “How much will my business receive if awarded an MSRF 2.0 grant?” below must be greater than zero.

What are the MSRF 2.0 eligibility criteria?

To qualify for MSRF 2.0, your business (or group of affiliated businesses, as defined below in “What is an affiliated business?”) must:

• Be a for-profit business;
• Have its principal business office in New Hampshire;
• Have typically employed at least one non-owner W-2 employee before COVID-19;
• Have been in operation since at least May 29, 2019;
• Anticipate a loss of gross receipts from 2019 to 2020 due to COVID-19;
• Have total 2019 gross receipts of less than $20 million;
• Have received a total of less than $350,000 from the initial round of MSRF or the GAP Fund, if a prior recipient;
• Not be currently in bankruptcy;
• Not have permanently closed; and
• Not have received a Self Employed Livelihood Fund (SELF) grant.

In addition, the following types of businesses are not eligible for MSRF 2.0:

• Nonprofit organizations;
• Agriculture businesses;
• Childcare providers;
• Elementary or secondary schools;
• Institutions of higher education; and
• Hospitals, or other healthcare providers.

What is an affiliated business?

For purposes of MSRF 2.0, your business is considered affiliated with any other business that:

• Has the same Taxpayer Identification Number (including Social Security Number);
• Has the same corporate parent or grandparent; or
• Is majority-owned (more than 50%) by the same owner or group of owners.

If your business is affiliated with one or more other businesses, you must:

1. Submit only a single application for the entire group of affiliated businesses;
2. Provide the principal business office address of the primary business/applicant;
3. Provide the combined total gross receipts amounts of the entire group of affiliated businesses; and
4. Provide the combined total amounts of COVID-19 assistance – grants and/or loans – received or expected to be received from all sources by the entire group of affiliated businesses since March 1, 2020.

If my business has more than one location, where is my business’s principal business office?

Your business’s principal business office is the single location of your business’s head office, where your business’s books and records are kept and management that controls your business works. Your business’s principal business office should be your business’s principal office on file with the New Hampshire Secretary of State.

How do I know how many non-owner W-2 employees my business “typically employed” before COVID-19?

If your business had employed any non-owner W-2 employees in early 2020 that continue to be employed or would still be employed if not for COVID-19, or your business would have employed at least one seasonal, non-owner W-2 employee at any time during the year if not for COVID-19, then they count as being “typically employed” before COVID-19. However, if your business does not typically employ any non-owner W-2 employees at any time during the year, it is not eligible for MSRF 2.0. Independent contractors or 1099 employees are not W-2 employees. Independent contractors are not eligible for MSRF 2.0.

If my business began operating in New Hampshire after May 29, 2019, but has been in operation since before May 29, 2019, can it still receive an MSRF 2.0 grant?

Yes. Your business is not disqualified from receiving an MSRF 2.0 grant because it began operating in New Hampshire after May 29, 2019, provided that it has been in operation since at least May 29, 2019, outside New Hampshire. However, to receive an MSRF 2.0 grant, your business must meet all of the eligibility requirements described in “What are the MSRF 2.0 eligibility criteria?” above, including having its principal business office in New Hampshire.

How do I determine my business’s “gross receipts”?

Your business’s gross receipts amounts are the gross receipts reported/expected to be reported on your federal tax returns covering calendar years 2019 and 2020.

My business received a grant from the initial round of MSRF or the GAP Fund, am I disqualified from MSRF 2.0?

No, you are not disqualified. Prior MSRF and GAP Fund recipients that meet all of the eligibility requirements described above in “What are the MSRF 2.0 eligibility criteria?” may apply. The MSRF 2.0 formula adjusts for your business’s previous MSRF or GAP Fund award on a dollar-for-dollar basis, as described in “How much will my business receive if awarded an MSRF 2.0 grant?” below.

If my business is doing better than it had anticipated during the initial round of MSRF or the GAP Fund application process, can my business still apply?

Yes. Prior MSRF and GAP Fund recipients that meet all of the eligibility requirements described in “What are the MSRF 2.0 eligibility criteria?” above may apply. However, the MSRF 2.0 formula adjusts for your business’s previous MSRF or GAP Fund award on a dollar-for-dollar basis, and priority is given to new applicants and any prior recipients doing worse than originally anticipated, as described in “How much will my business receive if awarded an MSRF 2.0 grant?” below. Therefore, if your business’s losses are less than previously anticipated, it may not receive an MSRF 2.0 grant.

Why are Self Employed Livelihood Fund (SELF) recipients disqualified from MSRF 2.0?

In addition to SELF grants, self-employed business owners have received expanded unemployment benefits. MSRF 2.0 supplements the initial round of MSRF and the GAP Fund, like SELF supplemented expanded unemployment benefits.

Why are certain business types not eligible for grants under MSRF 2.0?

Those business types were supported specifically through other CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (“flex funds”) opportunities previously authorized by Governor Sununu. A list of current and past funding opportunities is available here: https://www.goferr.nh.gov/covid-expenditures. Programs currently accepting applications are available here: https://www.goferr.nh.gov/apply. Please check back regularly for any updates on new or expanded opportunities.

If my business is not required to file a New Hampshire Business Tax return, could it still receive an MSRF 2.0 grant?

Yes. If your business is not required to file a New Hampshire Business Tax return because it does not meet the filing thresholds, it could still receive an MSRF 2.0 grant if eligible according to the criteria described in “What are the MSRF 2.0 eligibility criteria?” above.

For MSRF 2.0, is there both a Prequalification Application and Final Grant Submission like during the initial round of MSRF 2.0?

No. For MSRF 2.0, there is only one application. The application period runs from October 19, 2020, to 4:00 PM on Friday, October 30, 2020. The application is available here, by clicking on “Main Street Relief Fund 2.0”: https://nhpublichealth.force.com/nhgoferr/Proposal_Core_Listing_Page. The application must be completed and submitted electronically at the link above by 4:00 PM on Friday, October 30, 2020.

I do not have a computer; how can I submit my business’s MSRF 2.0 application?

If you do not have a computer, you can make an appointment to use the public computer at the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. To make an appointment, call the MSRF 2.0 Call Center, which is available at (603) 271-7840, from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.

What information do I need to apply?

Please read the FAQs and all instructions carefully, and gather the following information about your business (and all affiliated businesses) before you begin your business’s MSRF 2.0 application:

• Federal Taxpayer Identification Number and type;
• Principal business office address;
• New Hampshire Secretary of State Business ID;
• Actual calendar year 2019 total gross receipts;
• Actual total gross receipts for the period from January 1, 2020, through September 30, 2020;
• Projected calendar year 2020 total gross receipts, as of the date of your application; and
• All COVID-19 assistance – grants and/or loans – received or expected to be received from all sources since March 1, 2020 (e.g., the initial round of MSRF, GAP Fund, Paycheck Protection Program, and Emergency Injury Disaster loan/advance amounts).

You must complete each step before proceeding to the next step of the application. No information you enter will be saved except by clicking “Save” or until you proceed to the next step by clicking “Continue,” at the bottom of the application page. The application will time out after 15 minutes of inactivity. Save frequently to prevent from losing any information.

What is my username for the MSRF 2.0 application?

You will need to create an account or use your existing account to complete and submit the application. Your username is also emailed to you after registering. However, it is the email you provide while creating an account plus “.egrants” at the end. For example, if your email is applicant@msrf20.com, then your username is applicant@msrf20.com.egrants. If you forget your password, you must enter your username, not your email. You can sign back into your account to complete and submit your application, view your submitted application, or verify that your application status is “Submitted.”

How do I fix errors I have identified in my business’s MSRF 2.0 application?

You may review and/or change the information you enter, including by clicking on any previous step at the top right of the application page or “Previous” at the bottom of the application page. You will also have the opportunity to review a summary of all of the information you enter before submitting your application. However, after submitting your application, you cannot return and make any changes. If you need to make a change after submitting your application, you must submit an entirely new application with the corrected information. Only your most recent application will be considered. You will not be allowed to submit an application after 4:00 PM on Friday, October 30, 2020.

Can my business file more than one MSRF 2.0 application?

No. Only a single application will be considered for each business or group of affiliated businesses. If you submit more than one application to correct errors as described in “How do I fix errors I have identified in my business’s MSRF 2.0 application?” above, only your business’s most recent application will be considered.

What is my business’s “principal business activity”?

Your business’s principal business activity is the one that best describes your line of business. It is usually the activity that generates most of your business’s income. If none of the categories in Question 12 describe your business’s principal business activity, select “No” for each category. DO NOT select “Yes” for more than one category.

Should COVID-19 assistance be included in my business’s 2020 gross receipts amounts?

No. Do not include the amount of any COVID-19 assistance – grants and/or loans – received or expected to be received in the business’s 2020 gross receipts amounts.

What if my business operates on a fiscal year basis?

Your business’s gross receipts amounts must be provided for the time periods requested, including on a calendar year basis, regardless of whether your business operates on a fiscal year basis. Specifically, you must provide your business’s: (1) actual calendar year 2019 (from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019) total gross receipts amount; (2) actual total gross receipts amount for the period from January 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020; and (3) projected calendar year 2020 (from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020) total gross receipts amount.

How should I treat affiliated businesses for purposes of completing the “Gross Receipts” and “COVID-19 Assistance” sections of the MSRF 2.0 application?

If your business is affiliated with one or more other businesses, you must: (1) provide the combined total gross receipts amounts of the entire group of affiliated businesses; and (2) provide the combined total amounts of COVID-19 assistance – grants and/or loans – received or expected to be received from all sources, by the entire group of affiliated businesses since March 1, 2020.

What if my business’s projected calendar year 2020 total gross receipts amount turns out to be incorrect?

Your business’s projected calendar year 2020 total gross receipts amount is your business’s actual total gross receipts from January 1, 2020, to the date of your application, plus a current projection of your business’s total gross receipts from the date of your application to December 31, 2020. If your business’s actual losses are not at least as much as projected on the application, the resulting grant amount, if any, may be subject to recoupment in whole or in part. However, if your business’s actual loss of gross receipts is more than the combined total amount of all COVID-19 grants and/or loans received, including any MSRF 2.0 grant, the state will not seek recoupment except in the case of fraud, intentional misrepresentation, or a failure to submit all required final reporting. Your business will be required to report its actual losses to the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration after the end of the year.

I do not remember my confirmation number from the initial round of MSRF. Where is it?

As a prior MSRF recipient, by Tuesday, October 20, 2020, you should be receiving an email notifying you about MSRF 2.0 that contains your confirmation number. If you do not receive the email, call the MSRF 2.0 Call Center, which is available at (603) 271-7840, from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.

How much will my business receive if awarded an MSRF 2.0 grant?

Your business’s grant amount cannot be calculated without knowing the pro rata percentage to be used in Step 3 below. The pro rata percentage is currently unknown and cannot be determined until later because it is based on all recipients’ gross receipts losses adjusted for COVID-19 assistance from all sources, compared with $100 million. The pro rata percentage will be made available after the review process following the close of the application period. The pro rata percentage for the initial round of MSRF and the GAP Fund was about 17%.

The MSRF 2.0 grant formula is similar to the initial round of MSRF and the GAP Fund, as
follows:

Step 1.

Calculate the business's “anticipated loss” by subtracting the business’s projected calendar year
2020 total gross receipts from the business’s actual calendar year 2019 total gross receipts.

Step 2.

Subtract:

1. 50% of the business’s total Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) amount received or expected to be received; and
2. 100% of the business’s combined total amount of all COVID-19 assistance – grants and/or loans – received or expected to be received from all non-GOFERR sources since March 1, 2020.

This equals the business’s “eligible loss.”

Step 3.

Multiply the business's “eligible loss” by the pro-rated percentage to be determined based on all recipients’ gross receipts losses adjusted for COVID-19 assistance from GOFERR funding
sources, compared with $100 million.

This equals the business’s “pro-rated calculated amount.”

Step 4.

Subtract all grant amounts the business received from the initial round of MSRF, the GAP Fund,
and any other GOFERR funding source from the business’s pro-rated calculated amount on a
dollar-for-dollar basis.

The business’s grant amount is the amount calculated in Step 4, up to $350,000.*

* The maximum MSRF 2.0 grant amount is $350,000, but only for first-time recipients that have
not previously received COVID-19 assistance from GOFERR funding sources. For prior
recipients, the maximum MSRF 2.0 grant amount is $350,000 less all COVID-19 assistance
previously received from GOFERR funding sources. In other words, a prior recipient’s
maximum MSRF 2.0 grant amount combined with all COVID-19 assistance previously received
from GOFERR funding sources cannot exceed $350,000.

If a business’s “eligible loss” is not more than zero, or its “pro-rated calculated amount” is completely offset by state/GOFERR program grants previously received, the business will not receive an MSRF 2.0 grant. Furthermore, all first-time recipients and any prior MSRF or GAP Fund recipients doing worse than originally anticipated will receive the same percentage of “eligible loss” as defined in Step 2 below, up to 17.1671% (from the initial round of MSRF). No amount of the MSRF 2.0 will be allocated to prior MSRF or GAP Fund recipients doing better than originally anticipated unless all first-time recipients and any prior recipients doing worse than originally anticipated receive the full 17.1671% of “eligible loss.” However, assuming it covers all first-time recipients and any prior recipients doing worse than originally anticipated, all applicants – both first-time recipients and all prior recipients – will receive the same, higher percentage of “eligible loss.”

When will the State issue MSRF 2.0 grants?

The State will begin issuing MSRF 2.0 Grants after the review process following the close of the application period. The State will notify applicants of their grant amounts or the reasons they are not eligible to receive grants or request more information.

If my business receives an MSRF 2.0 grant, will my business name, address, and grant amount be made public?

Yes. If a business does not want this information to be made public, it should not submit an application.

If I receive an MSRF 2.0 grant, what can the funds be spent on?

The State of New Hampshire is not directing businesses on how to spend the money (“no strings attached”). Businesses must demonstrate they have experienced or anticipate they will experience a financial loss due to COVID-19 in order to qualify for an MSRF 2.0 grant. It is expected that businesses will use the funds to assist in covering their operational costs and legal obligations.

Is the receipt of an MSRF 2.0 Grant gross income taxable to my business?

Yes. The receipt of an MSRF 2.0 grant is not excluded from your business’s gross income under the Internal Revenue Code and therefore is taxable: www.irs.gov/newsroom/cares-act-coronavirus-relief-fund-frequently-asked-questions. The starting point for the New Hampshire Business Profits Tax (BPT) is the amount of taxable income reported for federal income tax purposes. Thus, also for New Hampshire BPT purposes, the receipt of an MSRF 2.0 grant is included in the tax base.

What information will my business need to provide after I receive an MSRF 2.0 grant?

Your business will be required to report its actual losses to the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration after the end of the year.

Where can I find additional information on MSRF 2.0?

Information regarding MSRF 2.0 and all relief funding opportunities available through the CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund to the State of New Hampshire is available on the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR) website: https://www.goferr.nh.gov/covid-expenditures.

If I have questions that are not addressed by these FAQs, where can I find answers?

Please call the MSRF 2.0 Call Center, which is available at (603) 271-7840, from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, or email mainstreet@goferr.nh.gov.