PORT TOWNSEND — The Team Jefferson Economic Development Council has extended its deadline for application submissions for small business and nonprofit COVID-19 grants to midnight Sunday.
More than $280,000 is available between three grant programs to assist with recovery from COVID-19 pandemic precautions.
“These grants are direct economic support to countywide small businesses and private nonprofit groups, applicants who have been financially impacted by COVID-19,” said Patty Charnas, Jefferson County COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery finance section chief.
“All applicants need to do is show proof of economic hardship for the period any time between March 1 and Nov. 30.
“These funds can also be used to reimburse unexpected costs and expenditures for applicants due to COVID such as purchases of PPE, disposable menus, brochures, hand and other sanitation supplies, and social distancing materials.”
Applications for the three grants are online at www.edcteamjefferson.org/COVID19.
Previous award winners are eligible to reapply.
The grant programs are the Jefferson County community development block grant (CDBG), Micro-Enterprise grant, Jefferson County Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) grants and Working Washington Small Business grants 2.0, said Brian Kuh, EDC director.
The micro-enterprise grant is in collaboration with the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship and has $46,188 in funds available.
The grant winners will receive both funding for their business and one-on-one direct technical assistance to help them be successful through the pandemic.
It is focused on low-income households, so annual household income limits apply, and grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, Kuh said.
The CRF grants have $128,000 in funds available. The program was created by the county commissioners via an allotment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) funding provided by the federal government.
Local businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply, and grants will be awarded by a scoring of various metrics, Kuh said.
The Working Washington grants have $125,000 available. It is a continuation of the first WWSBEG program and applies to Jefferson County businesses.
Award winners will be required to self-certify that grant proceeds will go toward eligible expenses instead of providing copies to EDC Team Jefferson, Kuh said.
A single application will allow for a business to apply for both the WWSBEG 2.0 and Jefferson CRF Grants simultaneously, he said.
As of Wednesday, more than 50 different businesses and nonprofits had applied for the grants, and Kuh hopes that number will continue to grow through Sunday night.
“We’re just encouraging folks to apply,” he said. “We’re really hopeful of seeing applications for businesses that had the highest economic and adverse impact.
“We want to make sure the dollars are deployed where they’re needed most.
“We look forward to announcing awards down the road.”
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5 or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.
