Mississippi is opening a grant program for small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said Wednesday that the application process begins at noon Thursday at backtobusinessms.org. Photo courtesy Back to Business Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi is opening a grant program for small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said Wednesday that the application process begins at noon Thursday at backtobusinessms.org.

Grants of $1,500 to $25,000 are available to businesses with 50 or fewer employees. The grants can cover mortgage interest, rent, payroll, utilities and other expenses related to the pandemic. They cannot cover businesses' lost profits.

Mississippi has received $1.25 billion in coronavirus relief money from the federal government. Legislators voted last month to use $300 million of that to help businesses, and Reeves signed off on the plan. One part had $60 million to provide $2,000 grants for businesses that were forced to closed by government orders. The other had $240 million for the grant program that's is opening for applications Thursday.