FAIRMONT — Fairmont area 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 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.

“We know businesses and workers here are hurting; we’re hurting too,” said Sentinel Publisher Gary Andersen. “But if we can pull together as a community, we can weather this. Here at the 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 Fairmont area market can apply for a grant of up to $15,000 today at ogdennews.com/community-grant. Applicants will receive a response to their application within one to two business days.

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

“We’re all a little bit in unknown territory and it’s going to be very tough for local businesses in many cases, but this is just one more case of local businesses and local ownership pulling together and trying to help people rebound,” said Ned Koppen, president of the Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce. “This will benefit the Sentinel, obviously, but it will give area businesses a great chance, a great opportunity to get some free money, matching funds and advertising to people how they can continue doing business with them during this time of a mandatory stay-at-home order, and after when we get back on our feet.”

“A community newspaper is only as strong as the community it serves,” said Robert Nutting, CEO 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.”

For more information and to apply, visit ogdennews.com/community-grant

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