Lee, based in Davenport, publisher of the Quad-City Times, Moline Dispatch-Argus and Muscatine Journal, provides news, information and advertising in 77 markets.

“This stimulus program follows the highly successful grant program we launched in March of this year,” said Ray Farris, Lee operating vice president and vice president of advertising. “While providing nearly $5 million of much-needed marketing grants to local advertisers, we gained great insight into the challenges our customers are facing. We’ve shaped the business stimulus program to meet those challenges and help local business not only recover, but flourish, in today’s business climate.”

The company will make up to $5 million available to locally owned and operated businesses through monthly grants ranging from $250 to $15,000. It will provide matching advertising credits for use in print and digital products, as well as the company’s broad suite of digital services such as website design, text marketing, managed email marketing and more. The grants will be awarded in August, September and October of this year.

“Our goal with the local business stimulus program is to assist our advertisers in being far better prepared to communicate with their customers regardless of external challenges,” said Lee Vice President of Local Advertising Joe Battistoni. “Our company has made significant investments in multiplatform communication technologies that allow our clients to have one–on-one conversations with their customers, which is essential in these business conditions.”

“We’ve heard from partners big and small how significant the grant program was at a time when they needed it the most,” Battistoni added. “Now it’s time to focus on the future and help them move forward.”