New round of grant funding for small businesses affected by pandemic: Applications accepted starting Aug. 17

The Washington State Legislature has allocated a new round of grant funding for small businesses affected by the pandemic. $70 million was appropriated by the legislature for Working Washington Grants: Round 5. In this round of Working Washington grants, available funds are set aside for specific targeted groups or sectors:

• 60% is identified for the arts, heritage, and science sectors, including those that operate live entertainment venues
• 40% is identified for most other sectors, including hospitality, fitness and personal services

Grant applications will be accepted starting Aug. 17; application deadline is Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. Starting in early October, Commerce will notify grantees and disburse funding.

Interested businesses can go to commercegrants.com to find a list of eligibility requirements. Among those requirements, applicants must be able to show hardship from the pandemic and have made at least $10,000 in revenue in 2019 or 2020 and had been in business prior to Jan. 1, 2021.

Successful applicants will need a federal UEI number to receive the funds. (This replaces the DUNS number that some businesses may already have.) The UEI is necessary for the funds to be awarded, but not to apply for a grant.

Over the last two years Washington state has provided small businesses throughout the state with more than $500 million in grants to address the economic outfall of COVID-19.