County extends grant application deadline for small, rural, pandemic-affected businesses

September 3, 2020 6:00 pm

This summer, the King County Council approved $4 million in supplemental funding for grants, technical support, and translation and interpretation assistance to help small businesses outside of cities that have been hurt by COVID-19.

During the first round of grant applications in July, the program manager, King County Local Services, received more than 400 applications from such businesses.

Local Services is working to award funds to successful applicants from the first round, but grant funds remain. To help as many businesses in need as possible, the agency this week extended the application period to Friday. Sept. 11, with revised eligibility requirements.

Local Services is working closely with the King County Council to get the approvals necessary for grant awards in September for Round 2.To be eligible for a grant in Round 2, businesses must meet the following criteria:

•Have 30 or fewer employees, up from 15 in Round 1.

•Have annual gross revenue of up to $3 million, up from $1.5 million in Round 1.

•Must have been in business since Aug. 1, 2019

•Must have specific costs related to COVID-19 that have not been covered or reimbursed through any other grant funding or program

To view thelist of eligibility requirements, apply for assistance, or learn more, visit https://kingcounty.gov/LocalBusinessHelp.

Businesses in unincorporated King County can also get business coaching and technical assistance from a U.S. Treasury-certified community-development-financial institution under this program. Technical assistance coaches can help with information about the latest federal, state, and local funding and loan resources, utility bill assistance, filling out grant or funding application forms and coaching to help the business survive the impacts of COVID-19 closures.

To use these services, call 206-331-3275 (Relay 711) and leave a voicemail with your contact information and question, or fill out the Technical Assistance/Coaching Request Form at https://kingcounty.gov/LocalBusinessHelp.

A technical services coach will call you back within two business days. If you need an interpreter, please also name the language you prefer when you leave your message. The technical assistance coach will have an interpreter on the line when they call you back.