The Southeast Iowa Union launches community marketing grant program

The Southeast Iowa Union has launched a community grant program to help local businesses continue marketing themselves as they move through, and then beyond, the COVID-19 pandemic. The program allocates up to $50,000 in matching advertising dollars to assist local businesses during this difficult time.

'Many local businesses are being impacted in potentially devastating ways with the sudden and dramatic loss of customers,” said Matt Bryant, Publisher of the Union. 'Our business relies heavily on a strong local economy, so we are experiencing the fall out as well. By offering heavily discounted advertising, it is our hope that we can help local businesses maintain, and then as things begin to re-open, welcome back old and new customers. It certainly benefits all of us if the local business community is successful. This is our way of helping that process.”

To apply for a marketing grant through this program, please visit www.southeastiowaunion.com/marketinggrant and complete the online application. This program is open to locally owned and operated businesses impacted by the coronavirus. For every dollar a business spends on advertising, the Union will match that amount in credit towards additional advertising, effectively doubling an advertising budget with the paper. Credits are available for a minimum of $100 and a maximum of $1,000 in a month and can be used toward print or digital advertising in the Southeast Iowa Union, Fairfield Ledger, Mt. Pleasant News, Washington Journal, any of the shopper publications or on southeastiowaunion.com. Credits will be awarded in May, June and July and must be used within the month they are awarded.

Completed applications will be reviewed by the Union team and a representative will contact recipients to confirm approval.