CHENEY – Officials have announced that there are still funds remaining in the city’s Small Business Assistance Grant Program and are extending the previous deadline to all more local businesses to apply for funding.
The program’s goal is to mitigate COVID-19 impacts on Cheney small businesses and their employees through offering immediate financial assistance to small businesses within the city limits. Grants are designed to help businesses meet unfunded expenses resulting from the impacts of the coronavirus.
To be eligible for up to $1,500 in grant funding, applicants must also have at least one employee – not counting the owner and no more than 30 full-time employees. This requirement does not apply to independent health-care providers or clinicians.
Applicants must verify the business experienced unfunded expenditures due to COVID-19, with these expenses taking place between March 1 – Oct. 31, 2020. Only COVID-19 related payroll, rent/lease or personal protective equipment expenses or other related equipment or items qualify under the terms of the grant.
Applicants must submit a current copy of its W-9 form and must operate out of a physical commercial storefront, or a residence that is open to the public for normal business operations, within Cheney. Applicants must have an active business license in Cheney, be in good standing with the city and not be involved or have been involved in legal or financial issues may not qualify.
Applicants must have been in operation in Cheney as of January 1, 2020.
The city has set up the CARES Small Business Assistance Grant Program via passage of a council resolution on July 30. The program is funded by money received from the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress in April. Washington received $2.95 billion in CARES funding, sending $300 million of that to cities and counties with individual allocations based upon 2019 population estimates from the Office of Financial Management.
Cheney received $372,300 in CARES funding, which is a reimbursement grant administered by the state Department of Commerce, with some portion going to the city to help it recover COVID-19 related costs. The council approved $25,000 at the July 14 meeting to help residents delinquent with their utility bills, and set aside another $25,000 at the July 30 meeting to help small businesses with COVID-19 related expenses.
Businesses wishing to apply should contact the Mayor’s Office to obtain an application.
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