Recent Updates
New Grants Programs for Artists Coming Soon
The State of Washington will soon open several arts-related grant portals. For more info, please visit www.arts.wa.gov. Opportunities available for:
Partnership Grant
Funding amount is between $8,000- $15,000
- Application Opens: February 25, 2021
- Application Deadline: April 1, 2021
Creative Start Grant
Funding amount for Single Site: $5,000-$10,000
Funding amount for Regional (multi-site): $10,000- $25,000
- Application Opens: March 4, 2021
- Applications Deadline: April 8, 2021
Pandemic Relief grants to Small Organizations
Funding up to $3,000
- Rolling application period February 1 – April 30, 2021
- Funds must be expended by June 30, 2021
Payroll Protection Program (PPP) Loan Info Available in Multiple Languages
We understand many businesses are operated by owners for whom English is not their native language. The PPP fact sheet is now available in nine languages. Links provided courtesy of US Rep. Adam Smith:
Employers: The Washington State ESD Shared Work Program Still an Option
If returning part-time or full-time permanent employees are causing your business financial hardship, Washington’s nationally recognized SharedWork program might help. SharedWork allows employers to reduce hours by as much as 50%, while employees collect partial unemployment benefits to replace a portion of lost wages. To determine if you’re eligible: 800-752-2500 or www.esd.wa.gov/sharedwork.
Workers: UI Payments of Extra $300 to Start in Mid-January
New federal legislation that expands CARES Act provisions includes an extra $300 per week for eligible claimants who receiving benefits from any unemployment program. The extra payment is called Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC). Claimants eligible for benefits from the week ending Jan. 2, to the week ending Mar. 13, will receive the extra amount. Payments should start Jan. 15. Track developments on ESD’s website and social media: www.esd.wa.gov.
Businesses: PPP Portal Opens Jan. 15 for Small Lenders, Jan. 19 for All Others
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), announced they will re-open the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan portal to PPP-eligible lenders with $1 billion or less in assets for First and Second Draw applications on Friday, January 15, at 9:00 am EST. The portal will fully open on Tuesday, January 19, to all participating PPP lenders to submit First and Second Draw loan applications to SBA.
If you need help finding a lender, visit: www.sba.gov/lendermatch.
For those seeking more information, here are excerpts from the SBA press release:
- Earlier in the week, SBA granted dedicated PPP access to Community Financial Institutions (CFIs) which include Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), Certified Development Companies (CDCs), and Microloan Intermediaries as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to reach underserved and minority small businesses.
- On Friday, SBA will continue its emphasis on reaching smaller lenders and businesses by opening to approximately 5,000 more lenders, including community banks, credit unions, and farm credit institutions. The agency also plans to have dedicated service hours for these smaller lenders after the portal fully re-opens next week.
- First Draw PPP Loans are for borrowers who have not received a PPP loan before August 8, 2020. The first round, which ran from March to August 2020, was a historic success helping 5.2 million small businesses keep 51 million American workers employed.
- Second Draw PPP Loans are for eligible small businesses with 300 employees or less, that previously received a First Draw PPP Loan and will use or have used the full amount for authorized uses, and that can demonstrate at least a 25% reduction in gross receipts between comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020. The maximum amount of a Second Draw PPP loan is $2 million.
Updated Lender forms, guidance, and resources at www.sba.gov/ppp and www.treasury.gov/cares.
PPP Loan Update
The Small Business Administration (SBA), in partnership with the US Treasury, opened the preliminary Payroll Protection Program (PPP) application portal on Monday, January 11. This preliminary portal is focused on select minority and disadvantaged business institutions that serve clients seeking a “first-draw” PPP loan. We are awaiting further instructions for individual first-draw and second-draw PPP loan applicants. To get a head start preparing, please consider participating in one or more training webinars offered by the Washington State Business Development Center (WSBDC):
- 1/15/21 SBA Round 2 COVID-19 Relief + PPP Application: https://wsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/99271349
- Additional PPP webinars are planned every Friday at 10:00am into March. Information on these and other webinars can be found at: https://wsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events
For more background information on the next round of PPP lending, check out the Washington State Department of Commerce: http://startup.choosewashingtonstate.com/links/crisis/covid-19-resources/ppp-summary-round2/
PPP/EIDL Loan Application Scam Alert
We have received reports of local businesses receiving unsolicited emails (potentially phishing in nature) from entities offering help with PPP and EIDL loan applications. DO NOT submit personal or business information to entities unknown to you. If you would like assistance, please contact your personal or business banker directly. If they are unable to serve you for any reason, please contact our business hotline at 1-800-821-6652 and our technical specialists will connect you with an SBA-approved lending institution. Operating hours are 9:30-3:30, Monday-Friday.
Business Smart Restart Toolkit Updated
Thurston Strong partner, the Thurston Chamber of Commerce, has updated the Smart Restart Toolkit to reflect recent changes associated with Governor Inslee’s Healthy Washington initiative. The toolkit provides information for Phase I and II operating procedures. Future updates will be provided as industry-specific guidance is released and more advanced reopening phases and allowances are released. For more info: https://thurstonchamber.com/smart-restart-toolkit/
Working Washington Business Grants Round Three Update
The Washington Department of Commerce recently announced results from the Working Washington Business Grant 3 (WWBG3) program. Thurston Strong was informed that 259 Thurston County entities were awarded funding totaling more than $3 Million. Ninety-three percent of the awards are in the form of $12,500 small business grants (under 50 employees), and the remaining seven percent in the form of $4,500 micro-business grants (under 10 employees).
The announcement indicates recipients include registered businesses and nonprofit organizations in all incorporated cities and unincorporated towns in Thurston County, including: Bucoda, Lacey, Olympia, Rochester, Rainier, Tenino, Tumwater and Yelm. Grants were predominately awarded to the businesses most-severely impacted by the newest round of operating restrictions (restaurants and bars, gyms, lodging facilities, theaters, arts venues, theaters, etc.).
In the original round of Working Washington Business Grant funding, 35 Thurston businesses and nonprofits received funding totaling approximately $311,500. Commerce subsequently awarded 53 Thurston County businesses $424,000 via $8,000 “Resiliency Grants”.
After that, Thurston Strong partners were able to attract and distribute over $10 Million in additional grant resources, including CARES Act, Washington Department of Commerce and City/County funding, and helped local entities secure over $100 Million in forgivable Payroll Protection Program loans (averaging $32,000 per loan).
The few businesses that had applied but did not receive grants through Thurston Strong before resources were exhausted were then forwarded to the Washington State Department of Commerce for inclusion in the WWBG3 program. Thurston Strong will continue to advocate for and pursue all grant and associated technical resources to help our local businesses, nonprofits and childcare providers fight on until conditions stabilize and we return to our upward economic trajectory.
Stay strong Thurston.
Update on Benefits for Unemployed Workers
On Dec. 27, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a one-time payment of $550 to many recipients of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). Later, the President signed the bill that changes and extends federal CARES Act unemployment benefits. Employment Security is now working to deliver Washington’s Pandemic Relief Payment (PRP) program and extended federal benefits. Track developments on ESD’s website: https://esd.wa.gov/newsroom/covid-19.
For now, claimants should:
- Continue filing weekly claims
- Watch for updates on esd.wa.gov/covid and messages in eServices
- Do not call the unemployment claims center with questions – call volume remains high
The new federal legislation includes an extra $300 per week for eligible claimants receiving benefits from any unemployment program. The extra payment is called Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC). Claimants who are eligible for benefits from the week ending Jan. 2, 2021, to the week ending March. 13, 2021, will receive the extra amount.
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