FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2023
MEDIA CONTACTS
Jeff Lueders, Media and Communications, jlueders@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-5152
Maria Lee, Media and Communications, maria.lee@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-2054
$500,000 Available in Grant Funding for Small Business Restoration
-- Applications Accepted Now thru February 2, 2023 --
TACOMA, Wash. – As part of its ongoing support of Tacoma’s small businesses, the City of Tacoma’s Community and Economic Development Department is accepting applications for Small Business Restoration thru February 2, 2023.
“Our diverse small business community continues to be the lifeblood of our local economy, and we remain committed to their success as they work to recover from the pandemic,” said Mayor Victoria Woodards. “The success of Tacoma’s small business community is integral to the overall livability that residents know and love. An infusion of funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Small Business Innovation Fund has made more of our supportive work possible.”
“It’s wonderful to see how quickly Tacoma’s small business restoration program ramped up to serve business owners still struggling with the lingering impact of the pandemic,” said Commerce Director Lisa Brown. “Ongoing support for programs and services like these is essential to strengthening communities and building an equitable economy in Washington state.”
Small Business Restoration Grants are designed to help eligible small businesses in Tacoma offset two types of costs:
- Property Damage Repair (up to $3,000 for one occurrence of storefront damage occurring after January 1, 2022)
Examples of storefront damage qualifying for coverage include broken windows, broken doors, broken locks, or etching on windows. Loss of stolen goods or graffiti removal/paint are not eligible for coverage. Repairs must be completed, and eligibility verification paperwork with receipts submitted, no later than May 1, 2023.
- Market Enhancement (up to $20,000 to complete or comply with permitting requirements to open – or keep open – a physical location OR to increase market share)
For non-homebased businesses, examples of line items qualifying for coverage include grease interceptors, safety upgrades, ADA access, curbside seating, takeout windows, etc. Selection of awardees and grant amounts will be based on viability (owner experience), project readiness, and impact (community), with preference provided for low- and very low-equity opportunity areas. Market enhancements must be completed or underway, and eligibility verification paperwork with receipts or estimates submitted, no later than May 1, 2023.
Small Business Restoration Grant amounts will be based on actual and verifiable costs, with a limit of one grant per business owner (EIN, SSN, UBI number, business license number, or business address).
Eligible small businesses based in Tacoma are invited to submit an application by the deadline of February 2 at 11:59 PM. Grant recipients of funding for property damage repair will be selected via random lottery and recipients and amounts of funding for market enhancement will be evaluated and selected; all applicants will be notified by February 21, 2023.
Free workshops for Small Business Restoration Property Damage Repair and Market Enhancement Grant applicants will be held virtually on January 20, 2023, at 10 AM and January 23, 2023, at 3:30 PM. Each workshop is one hour long and allows for Q&A. Interested individuals are asked to pre-register by emailing RestorationGrant@cityoftacoma.org to receive a Zoom link.
Small Business Restoration Grant eligibility requirements and application details are available now at makeittacoma.com. The online grant application is available at makeittacoma.com in English, Khmer, Korean, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese. Language assistance is available upon request. Questions, or requests to receive information in alternate formats, can be submitted via email to RestorationGrant@cityoftacoma.org or by calling (253) 591-5208 at least one week prior to application deadline.
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