Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Topeka, Kan. Within 48 hours of Governor Laura Kelly announcing the establishment of the Hospitality Industry Relief Emergency (HIRE) Fund, all $5 million allocated for the loan program have been awarded.
The hospitality industry in Kansas was one of the first to be hit financially by the COVID-19 crisis, Governor Kelly said. Department of Commerce Secretary David Toland and the teams at Commerce and NetWork Kansas moved swiftly to stand up the HIRE Fund program and process applications in a short period to help us quickly get these critical dollars into the hands of hospitality businesses across the state.
The initial response to the HIRE Fund program was overwhelming. More than 1,400 applications for funding were received, with more than 800 submitted within 24 hours of the program being announced.
