Twenty-six small businesses across Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties are splitting $100,000 in storm relief grants after a brutal stretch of summer weather left many of them scrambling to recover. The Duke Energy Foundation granted the money to the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which is now distributing individual awards ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 to businesses still digging out from the damage.
The grants trace back to an August 11, 2026 derecho that tore through Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, knocking out power to more than 340,000 regional utility customers, according to Northern Kentucky Tribune. Duke Energy mobilized over 2,000 lineworkers and support personnel in the storm's aftermath, restoring 85% of outages in less than 48 hours, per the Duke Energy investor relations site. But getting the lights back on was only half the battle for business owners staring down repair bills and lost revenue.
To qualify, recipients had to have 50 or fewer employees, be Duke Energy small business customers, and be located in Boone, Campbell or Kenton counties, the report notes. Applications opened in late August and closed September 16, with eligible uses eventually expanded well beyond basic repairs, as LINK nky reported, to include physical space modifications, e-commerce technology, storefront beautification and employee recruitment or training. Funds could reimburse past expenses or cover future needs tied to reopening, retaining employees and continuing to serve the community.
Who Made the List
The 26 recipients span a wide mix of Northern Kentucky's small business landscape. Retail and hospitality names include BB Riverboats, Roebling Books & Coffee, Carabello Coffee Company, Unataza Coffee, Jerry's Jug House, The Gruff and Southgate House Revival. Childcare providers Aunt Kathy's Child Care & Preschool and JJ's Playhouse Childcare & Learning Center also received grants, alongside Heekin Animal Hospital, 4 Hounds Gear and Grooming, and Allie's Walkabout.
Arts and culture organizations were represented too, with Baker Hunt Art and Cultural Center and ArtMarkit among the awardees, along with Headquarters Wedding and Event Venue. Rounding out the list are Applied Imagination, Ltd., City Coffee Inc., DBA Fort Thomas Coffee, City Wide Facility Solutions, Doubt It, Dress for Success Cincinnati, Earl Franks & Sons Co, Jason Bowen Mechanical, Kentucky Royal Elite, and Olla LLC.
Among the grant recipients are Samaritan Car Care Clinic and Master Provisions.
Chamber and Duke Energy Leaders Weigh In
Nancy Spivey, vice president of talent strategies at the NKY Chamber, said targeted support is important to the recovery of local small businesses after flooding and severe weather, according to the Tribune report. The Chamber and Duke Energy Foundation worked together to identify impacted businesses and direct resources their way, with officials saying the partnership strengthens the region's economic resilience.
Amy Spiller, president of Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky, struck a similar note. “Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy and vital to the communities we serve,” she said, adding that the Duke Energy Foundation aims to help local businesses recover, rebuild and move forward.
Part of a Broader Bi-State Response
The Northern Kentucky grants aren't happening in isolation. Duke Energy also committed $100,000 in September for small business storm relief across southwest Ohio, working with the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, according to a Cincinnati Regional Chamber post.
The relief grants also land alongside existing municipal programs, such as Covington's Small Business Incentive Program, which sets aside $150,000 annually for commercial property upgrades and storefront enhancements, as Hoodline has previously reported. Taken together, the programs point to a region treating small business continuity as infrastructure in its own right.
