Pott. County residents express concerns regarding business grant program The Shawnee News-Star During the public comments portion of the Pottawatomie County Commissioners regular meeting Monday, residents in the area expressed their concerns regarding the Shawnee Forward, Inc. Small Business Relief fund grant program. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, Shawnee Forward opened the application process up for local businesses in the county to apply for grants which can be used to sustain their business. In addition, Shawnee Forward released what criteria business owners have to meet to qualify for a grant and the rubric the organization will use to determine who receives awarded funds.