Financial Support

Tacoma Resiliency Grant Round 2:

On April 9, the application period opened for round two of $10,000 Resiliency Grants for micro businesses of five or fewer employees, including the owner(s). The total amount to be awarded is $540,000. These grants, which will be widely publicized including on MakeitTacoma.com, are designed to help offset the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and cover business expenses for payroll, inventory, mortgage/rent, or utilities not covered by other COVID-19 funding sources. These CDBG-funded grants require that the majority owner(s) have a household income that does not exceed 80% of the area median income. Staff will  partner with community-based organizations to target outreach in low and very-low economic opportunity areas. The application period closes on April 23 with recipients being selected via lottery and notified on May 11.

Pierce County Launches 2021 Rollback Relief Grant

Application Deadline: April 23 at 5:00 pm

To provide financial support to qualifying businesses impacted by recently modified COVID-19 restrictions, Pierce County has created a grant program to offset the costs of business disruption.

Eligible business or non-profit establishment types:

• Caterers, restaurants, taprooms, and similar eating and drinking establishments that do not have a drive-through
• In-store retail
• Arts and culture establishments such as theaters, museums, and entertainment venues
• Fitness facilities, gyms, and bowling centers
• Farmers markets

To be eligible, a business or non-profit must have 20 or fewer full-time equivalent employees (including business owner) except that eating and drinking establishments shall have no full-time equivalent employee limit.

Subject to available funds and eligibility requirements, businesses may receive a need-based grant of up to $10,000.

Click here for more information and to apply 

Questions? Contact RollbackGrant@piercecountywa.gov

City of Tacoma Media and Communications Announcements

Visit this site to stay informed of what the city is doing to ensure continuity of services, learn of any changes or delays to services, and to read updates from the Mayor’s office.

The City of Tacoma has allocated $1.2 million to assist eligible households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with rent payment. The Rental Assistance Program provides a one-time payment of up to $1,000 directly to landlords of selected individuals or families who meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Households located in the City of Tacoma
• Households who have experienced loss of employment or reduction in wages due to COVID-19.
• Households at or below 50% Area Median Income for Pierce County

To submit an application, visit the city’s Coronavirus Updates page.

Some funds have been set aside for direct referrals by community agencies that are helping to address inequities faced by people of color in our community. If you are a service provider that would like to make a direct referral, please contact LASA at communityengagement@lasawa.org.

COVID-19 Tax Relief for Tacoma Businesses

To access the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Tacoma Business Center PPE Grants and one-on one Technical Assistance to assist your business with the Covid-19 business recovery efforts.

To request PPE and or technical assistance for your business continuity and or business assessment; please apply here https://mbda-tacoma.com/mbda-tacoma-launches-cares-act-program/ or contact

Malika Godo
CARES Act Project Manager
MBDA-Tacoma Business Center
mgodo@cityoftacoma.org
T: (253) 344-6632

Puget Sound Energy Responds to COVID-19

Puget Sound Energy is taking measurable actions to help our customers and communities during this coronavirus situation.

Pierce County Department of Emergency Management

• Guidance on Federal Disaster Loans for Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits

Rapid Response South Sound

Governor Jay Inslee’s Office

Rental Housing Association of Washington

COVID-19 Resources and Information for Housing Providers and Renters.

Washington State Department of Commerce

Washington State Department of Commerce Economic Resiliency Team (ERT) Business Response Center

The team is currently able to answer questions as quickly as they are received. If you’re a business owner or operator with a question, Ask Your Question Here. 

Paycheck Protection Program extended until May 31, 2021

https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – Frequently Asked Questions from NDC

Q: What is a PPP loan?

A Paycheck Protection Program loan is a fully forgivable loan to help businesses continue to employ their staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As long as you use the loan for eligible purposes, these loans will be 100% forgiven and will turn into a grant for your business.

Q: What if I already received a PPP Loan?

If you have already received a PPP loan, you may be eligible for a 2^nd draw loan. If your business saw a 25% reduction between comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020, you are eligible!We will help you calculate your loss and loan amount.

Q: What can I do with a PPP loan?

You must use 60% of PPP funds for payroll, including benefits.

The remaining funds can be used for mortgage interest, rent, utilities, COVID-related PPE, and other specific costs.

NDC will work with you through forgiveness and, so far, 100% of our previous loans have been forgiven.

SBA Launches Portal to Begin Accepting Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Applications on April 8

The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant application portal remains temporarily suspended through the weekend of April 9 while we work to resolve technical issues. We can confirm we did not accept any applications or distribute any funding. When a reopening date is determined, we’ll provide updates in advance so that applicants have time to prepare.

So many live venues and related businesses have been impacted by this pandemic and we want to ensure relief is delivered as quickly and equitably as possible. We appreciate your patience.

For more information about the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, visit sba.gov/svogrant.

Make It Tacoma will monitor this situation a removed the suspension notice as soon as SBA notifies us.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration launched a splash page for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) application portal March 19 in anticipation of opening applications for the much-anticipated critical economic relief program on Thursday, April 8, 2021.

“Help is here for venue operators hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA has worked diligently to build the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program from the ground up to assist and address the diverse eligibility requirements of each type of applicant and we will open for applications on April 8,” SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman said. “The SBA knows these venues are critical to America’s economy and understands how hard they’ve been impacted, as they were among the first to shutter. This vital economic aid will provide a much-needed lifeline for live venues, museums, movie theatres and many more.”

The SVOG program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act, which appropriated $15 billion for it. The American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, appropriated an additional $1.25 billion, bringing the program funding to a total of $16.25 billion, with more than $16 billion allocated for grants.

To ensure eligible venues do not miss a window to receive assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program, the American Rescue Plan Act also amended the SVOG program so entities that apply for a PPP loan after Dec. 27, 2020, can also apply for an SVOG, with the eligible entity’s SVOG to be reduced by the PPP loan amount. The PPP loan applications have been updated to reflect this.

As the SBA builds and prepares to open the program, the dedicated SBA website, www.sba.gov/svogrant, which includes frequently asked questions, video tutorials and other SVOG details, is the best source for information for those looking to apply for a grant. To prepare in advance of the SVOG application portal opening on April 8, potential applicants should get registered in the federal government’s System for Award Management (SAM.gov), as this is required for an entity to receive an SVOG, and reference the preliminary application checklist and eligibility requirements.

SBA Increases allowable loan amounts – EIDL Loans for non-profits, small business

The U.S. Small Business Administration is increasing the maximum amount small businesses and non-profit organizations can borrow through its COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Starting the week of April 6, 2021, the SBA is raising the loan limit for the COVID-19 EIDL program from 6-months of economic injury with a maximum loan amount of $150,000 to up to 24-months of economic injury with a maximum loan amount of $500,000.

Learn more

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) Enacted March 11

Small business assistance included in the legislation is as follows:

• • A new $28.6 billion grant program for restaurants and bars that have lost revenue because of the pandemic;
  • An additional $7.25 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and an expansion of its eligibility requirements to include more nonprofits and digital media companies;
  • $15 billion for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance Grants Program to provide grants of up to $10,000 per small business in low income communities that have been most affected by the pandemic;
  • $1.25 billion for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) Program. Eligible applicants can now access the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant and PPP to address SVOG’s delayed start;
  • $175 million for the Community Navigator Pilot Program designed to help small businesses in underserved and underbanked communities access the COVID-19 relief resources available to them; and
  • $1.325 billion in administrative funding to the Small Business Administration to ensure the agency has the resources and personnel necessary to implement the programs.
• The process for distribution of funds and selection of awardees determined for each program is posted on this website when available

SBA Programs and PPP Loan Forgiveness

• New PPP rules offer more equitable distribution for small and minority businesses
• Updated February 7, 2021: Applying for the PPP loan and forgiveness dated 12-27-2020
• SBA SAM Registration Guide
• Shuttered Venue Operators Grants
• PPP Guidance from SBA Administrator Carranza on Accessing Capital for Minority, Underserved, Veteran, and Women-owned Business Concerns;
• Interim Final Rule on Second Draw PPP Loans.

Helpful Links

• NEW Statewide PPP Lender List on www.SmallBizHelpWA.com
• NDC PPP Caculator and Guidance
• Click here to view a summary of the new federal stimulus package
• Here is the Zoom link for the (unedited) recording of the 1/19/21 session: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/0sR3T8zYtqS-umrIpYD3XiF0kh1ZHHbC5AWuevvf82IPqVjfpuSGtGt4Ww-8F4Al.aHcXprBouLogbY0y Passcode: KM^s72sV
• Here is the guidance about calculating loan amounts that Janie from the SBDC shared: PPP – How to Calculate Maximum Loan Amounts for First Draw PPP Loans (1.17.2021)-508.pdf
• From the SBA: Coronavirus Recovery Information in Other Languages (sba.gov)
• SBA Lender Match helps you find lenders – Small Business
• WEDA-Small-Business-Resources-Mobilization-Campaign-Technical-Assistance-Deck-1-19-21.pdf
• U.S. Small Business Administration announced that the deadline to apply for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program for the COVID-19 Pandemic disaster declaration is extended to Dec. 31, 2021.
• Employee Retention Tax Credit
• SBA Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program
• National Council of Nonprofits
• Visit this site for guidance on the CARES Act specific to charitable nonprofit organizations. Resources include a CARES Act Loan Options matrix and webinar titled: Federal Coronavirus Relief Bills: What Do They Mean for Nonprofits?
• Export/Import Bank of the United States
• EXIM is offering the relief measures outlined on their fact sheet
• Northwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center
• Special assistance for Black and Minority-owned Businesses https://nationalbusinessleague.org/ppploans/

United States Government

Comprehensive Official verified and updated Information of all aspects of the Federal Covid-19 Response.

www.USA.gov/coronavirus

• • Government Response to Coronavirus, COVID-19 | USAGov

Government Response to Coronavirus, COVID-19. Learn about international travel restrictions, how you can prepare for coronavirus, and what the U.S. government is doing in response to the virus.

www.usa.gov

GSBA Grant Applications Open Until April 9, 2021

GSBA and Comcast Washington have co-created the Ready for Business Fund to support small businesses.  A $2,500 grant will be awarded to small businesses in Washington State established prior to March 2, 2020 most impacted by COVID-19, with a focus on BIPOC, LGBTQ and women-owned businesses.  Awardees will also receive wrap-around support services including marketing and consulting.  The grant can be used for any purpose to help businesses recover from the pandemic.  Click here for more information and to apply.

Tacoma Urban League

• Directory of Youth Resources & Programs
• Transportation Support for Food & Essential Workers
• Small Business Owners & Entrepreneurs Emergency Funding Application Help

COVID-19 Artist Trust Relief Fund