Commerce has funded a second round of $10 million in grants to support small businesses with 20 or fewer employees. Grant amounts will not exceed $10,000 total per business and is made possible by the Federal CARES Act. Nonprofits are not eligible for this program.
To be eligible for consideration, qualifying small businesses must:
- Employ 20 or fewer employees
- Be licensed to do business in Washington State
- 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.