Small businesses getting help from CARES

Small businesses are being helped out by local governments, and Okanogan County business owners have only a couple more days to apply for funds from that county. 

The Okanogan County Economic Alliance has the grant application for small businesses to apply for up to $10,000 at http://www.economic-alliance.com/. 

That money comes from $250,000 set aside by the county from federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act money.

That application is due on Aug. 28.

Grant County commissioners set aside $2.5 million out of the county’s $5 million total CARES Act money to help small businesses and non-profit organizations.

Grant County small businesses are able to apply for up to $10,000 in grant money to make up for expenses associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, including lost revenue. 

So far Grant County has awarded $438,000 to 44 businesses in the county, including $8,000 to Rivers Edge Salon and $10,000 to the local American Legion, according to Nic Thurston, director of Business Development and Communication for the Grant County Economic Development Council, which developed the grant application process for the county. 

The second round of applications were due Aug. 21. The awardees for that round haven’t been chosen yet.

The third round of applications are due Sept. 14, and the application is available at http://www.grantedc.com. 

The city of Electric City, which is eligible for up to $30,900 in CARES funds, will also use some of that money to help small businesses. 

The city took in 13 applications and will likely approve awarding money to those businesses in an upcoming council meeting.