Summary

This new grant program is part of King County’s economic development relief action in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Its goal is to support existing chambers of commerce and community-based organizations (CBOs) that provide marketing and technical assistance to small businesses. Interested chambers of commerce and CBOs must apply by 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 30.

Story

A business chamber organization is eligible to apply if it serves businesses in unincorporated King County and meets all the following requirements:

• It is a 501 (c) 6 nonprofit business service organization.
• It has supported businesses that have been hurt by COVID-19.
• It (or its fiscal sponsor) is listed on the Washington State Secretary of State website as being actively licensed.
• It HAS NOT already received funding from the King County Chamber Grant program administered by the King County Office of Performance, Strategy, and Budget (PSB).

A community-based organization (CBO) is eligible to apply if it supports businesses in unincorporated King County and meets all the following requirements:

• Its primary office location is in unincorporated King County.
• It is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit business service organization.
• It has supported businesses that have been hurt by COVID-19.
• It (or its fiscal sponsor) is listed on the Washington State Secretary of State website as being actively licensed.

Those organizations have until 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30 to apply online at https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/local-services/programs/economic-development/chamber-grants.aspx.

King County Local Services, which is administering the program, will notify applicants of their status in early November.

“Local business chambers and community-based organizations have been key resource partners for small businesses navigating Covid-19,” Hugo Garcia, Local Services Economic Development Manager said.  “Whether it’s through marketing, technical assistance with new Safe Start guidelines, or accessing masks and sanitizer for their local businesses - we want to make sure that our small businesses continue to have local partners to help them through their small business recovery planning. It’s these small local businesses that will be the driving force of our economic recovery throughout unincorporated King County.”

This is the second grant program that King County Local Services is administering to help businesses in unincorporated King County endure the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following the King County Council’s approval of $4 million in supplemental funding earlier this year, businesses could apply for a grant of up to $5,000. Local Services is in the process of awarding grant money to the more than 600 eligible businesses that applied.

LINKS

• Chamber/CBO grants