Today [Monday] is the final day for small businesses and non-profits to apply for Covid-related aid through Spokane County.
The county allocated $10 million from the federal CARES Act to help small businesses and non-profits with their operating costs. Greater Spokane Incorporated and Cindy Wendle are administering the program.
“The number of applications coming in aren’t what we believe is really the true need out in the community," Wendle said. "We are concerned that people aren’t hearing about the program and we really want to make sure that every business understands the opportunity that they have to cover some of their Covid-related expenses and get some assistance.”
Wendle says businesses with 49 or fewer employees are eligible to apply. There are no restrictions on the size of the non-profits. Grants range from $2,500 to $10,000.
She says GSI made the application as simple as it could. Businessowners are asked for their gross revenues for 2019 and 2020.
“Also, their Covid-related expenses. This is a really important part for businessowners to think about. What have they spent money on for Covid-related expenses? It could be PPE. But also, did this business receive a drop in revenue and didn’t get any income? Can some of their expenses, their ongoing expenses, be qualified as Covid-related as well? Rent, payroll," she said.
Wendle says business and non-profit operators can find information about eligibility and how and what they’ll need to apply at the GSI website.
The deadline to apply for grants is midnight tonight.