AS of Dec. 1, 605 applicants or 14.3% of the total applicants had been awarded $10,672,000 through the BOOST or Building Optimism, Opportunities, and Stability Together Program under the Office of the Governor, according to figures provided by the administration.
A total of 4,227 applicants requested $328,374,318.83.
Two hundred forty-one small businesses had been awarded $10,490,000. The average award for small businesses was $40,000.
Business categories included apartment rental, auto rental, auto repair, bed and breakfast, bakery, boat charter, café, clothing store, construction, home rental, hotel, restaurant, retail general merchandise, and wholesale.
The sum of $182,000 was awarded to 364 fishers, farmers, and ranchers of whom 200 were from Saipan and received a total of $100,000; 91 were from Tinian, $45,500; and 73 from Rota, $36,500.
The BOOST Fishers, Farmers, Ranchers Program aims to promote food and nutritional security, protect and promote traditional cultural practices, and diversify and revitalize the economy for those engaged in commercial activity.
BOOST funds are extended to fishers, farmers, and ranchers who produce for sale and trade. A BOOST subsistence stimulus of up to $500 is available for applicants who fish, farm, or work on a ranch for personal consumption.
BOOST CNMI statistics showed that as of Dec. 1, of the total 4,227 applicants requesting funds, 62 from Saipan sought a total of $29,029,913.32; four from Tinian, $237,150; and two from Rota, $145,213.
A total of 171 Saipan fishers, farmers, and ranchers requested $880,500; 258 from Tinian requested $129,000; and 411 from Rota requested $205,500.
On Saipan, 1,425 small businesses requested $264,553,102.78 while 204 requested $21,671,676.65 on Tinian. On Rota, 100 requested $11,522,263.08.
According to BOOST CNMI, applications continue to be reviewed, and no applications have been denied, subject to the availability of funds.
Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, BOOST is financial assistance to businesses and nonprofit organizations in the form of grants and business coaching initiated by the Office of the Governor, the CNMI Department of Commerce, and the CNMI Department of Finance.
A committee composed of representatives from these three entities review the applications, then make recommendations to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres for final approval.
A total of $12 million is available through this program, with no specific allocations for each of the senatorial districts.
For more information, visit https://www.boostcnmi.com/.
