The cities of Everett and Marysville will offer limited grants to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Everett
The Everett Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (Everett CARES) grant program will distribute $1 million.
The program, which was approved by the city council in April, is now accepting applications.
“Small businesses and nonprofits are the heart of our community,” said Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin. “When they suffer, we all suffer, and when they thrive, we all thrive.”
The program will allocate $500,000 of Everett CARES funds for small business recovery efforts and $500,000 for supporting nonprofits and community service programs that provide basic needs to the city’s most vulnerable residents, city officials said.
Priority for funding will be given to small businesses and nonprofits owned by, employing or serving low-income communities.
COVID-19 is having a catastrophic economic impact on Everett’s small business community. The Everett CARES Small Business program is a positive step, said Dan Eernissee, the city’s economic development director.
The funds are being made available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Guideline changes are allowing cities easier access to Community Development Block Grant funds to aid small businesses.
For more information, go to everettwa.gov/everettcares.
Marysville
Marsyville businesses with five or fewer employees may be eligible for a Marysville CARES grant of up to $10,000.
Business owners must meet low-income requirements to apply. The deadline is May 18.
The city will award up to $226,637 in Community Development Block Grant funds authorized by the federal CARES Act.
Money may be used for existing business operating expenses, such as lease or rent payments, payroll, utilities and inventory for eligible businesses employing five or fewer people.
“We have worked diligently over the past couple of weeks with HUD and others to find a way to push this grant money out to private sector small businesses within Marysville who are struggling to survive this COVID-19 shutdown,” said Mayor Jon Nehring. “I am pleased that we have found a way to do so while complying with federal restrictions.”
Find more information, go to marysvillewa.gov.
Janice Podsada; jpodsada@heraldnet.com; Twitter: JanicePods
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