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Emergency Grants Now Available for Small Businesses

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The Washington State Department of Commerce has released $10 million in funding for a second round of emergency relief grants for small businesses. The grants, made possible by the Federal CARES Act, will not exceed $10,000 per business.

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The grant award grants are taxable income.

The Department of Commerce lists the following eligibility requirements for qualifying businesses:

  • Employ 20 or fewer employees
  • Be licensed to do business in Washington State (find your UBI here)
  • Provide proof that it has been impacted by COVID-19

If selected for an award, a successful business must be able to answer “yes” to the following questions:

  • The expense is connected to the COVID-19 emergency.
  • The expense is “necessary” to continue business operations.
  • The expense is not filling a shortfall in government revenues (i.e. taxes, licenses, state, county, federal, and/or city fees).
  • The business will self–attest that the expense is not funded by any other funder, whether private, state, or federal.

King County

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The Seattle Metro Chamber will be managing all grant applications for King County. Grants will be issued in amounts of $5,000, $7,000, and $10,000. King County has been awarded $580,000 in federal funding for small business grants, enough to fund awards for 60-115 businesses or organizations.

In July 2020 the Seattle Metro Chamber had the Greater Seattle Region Covid-19 Economic Impacts Analysis prepared. The chamber will utilize results from the report to assist in determining award recipients, prioritizing applications from the following categories:

  • Minority and women-owned businesses
  • Most impacted industries including: Hospitality and Tourism, Retail, Air Travel, and Aerospace Industries
  • Most impacted cities

Additional requirements provided by The Seattle Metro Chamber include:

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  • The business is within King County.
  • The non-profit business service organization that is a 501 (c)(6) within King County. (non-profit business service organizations may have over 20 full-time-employees and still be eligible).
  • Your business has been in operation for over a year starting from March 1, 2019.
  • The expenses funds must be connected to the COVID-19 emergency and incurred March 1, 2020 through November 15, 2020.
  • Your business has not been debarred by the federal government.
  • You have received $5,000 or less from the Working Washington Small Business Emergency Grant (WWSBEG). Businesses that received funds greater than $5,000 from the WWSBEG are not eligible.​​

Grant applications must be turned in by Monday, September 28 at 5:00 pm. Grant recipients will be notified via email on Tuesday, October 6.

Pierce County

Small businesses in Pierce County will apply for grants with The Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County. Emergency grants for $5,000 each for businesses.  Pierce County received $490,000 for small businesses.

Additional requirements provided by The Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County are:

  • Must be a Pierce County business (home-based businesses not applicable).
  • Are allowed to do business in Washington State, and who are not Federally debarred https://www.sam.gov/SAM).
  • Must be a for-profit business.
  • Have no affiliation with local government.
  • Must be in business since March 16, 2019.
  • Must submit a valid W-9.
  • Grant recipients are required to enter into a Grant Agreement with the EDB.

Applications will close on Sunday, September 20,  at 5:00 pm.  For additional questions, email edbVitalityGrant@edbTacomaPierce.org

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