The Snohomish County Council approved two new grant programs for businesses, allowing the application process to open. The two grant programs include: a Small Business Relief, Recovery, and Resiliency (R3) Grant Program; and the First in Flight Fund for Paine Field Airport tenants impacted by COVID-19 and other aerospace businesses in Snohomish County. Mountlake Terrace businesses may be eligible and are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
The application process for the Small Business Relief, Recovery, and Resiliency R3 and First in Flight Fund Grant Program is now open. Applicants can visit http://www.workforcesnohomish.org for details and application materials. It is anticipated that it will take most businesses less than 30 minutes to apply. It is also anticipated awards will made within five weeks of application.
Small Business Relief, Recovery, and Resiliency R3 Grants, in amounts up to $25,000, will be awarded to qualifying businesses. Businesses applying for grants under this program must:
- Be licensed to do business in the State of Washington.
- Be a business physically located in Snohomish County.
- Have 20 or fewer employees (including the business owner/worker).
- Be in operation for one or more years.
- Certify at least a 25% reduction in revenue attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Able to demonstrate that the business was a going concern before March 23, 2020.
Economic and unemployment data for Snohomish County provides insight about our hardest hit businesses. The focus of this grant program is on small businesses that are critical to supporting our community’s broad-based recovery. Priority will be given to dining, retail, hospitality, arts and entertainment, and service sector establishments. Minority and women owned businesses are encouraged to apply.
The First in Flight Fund is designed to assist tenants at the airport, help other Snohomish County aerospace businesses sustain operations, keep local residents employed, and support the County’s overall recovery efforts. The focus of the First in Flight Fund will be on aerospace and aviation businesses that are critical to supporting Snohomish County’s recovery. Grants in amounts up to $1 Million will be awarded to qualifying businesses.
Businesses applying for grants under this program must:
- Be a current Snohomish County Airport tenant or aerospace business and have employees on-site or in Snohomish County as of March 1, 2020.
- Meet all conditions of the Coronavirus Relief Fund CARES Act support received by Snohomish County.[1]
- Be a small business.
- Be in business continuously since March 23, 2019.
Funding for both programs is intended to support business sustainability through the COVID-19 public health emergency. The funds received must be used to cover expenses that have not been previously accounted for and are incurred between March 1, 2020 and December 30, 2020.
Application materials are available at http://www.workforcesnohomish.org. Questions about the application should be directed to Workforce Snohomish at snocogrant@workforcesnohomish.org.
For more general information, please go to https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/5600/COVID-19-Business-Recovery, the County’s comprehensive page for residents and small businesses impacted by COVID-19.
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