Starting the week of May 31, 2021 applications will open for another competitive grant program – called the Small Business Relief Program – which is designed to continue to provide financial support and relief to small businesses in Whatcom County.
Through the Port of Bellingham the Regional Economic Partnership (REP), which is Whatcom County’s associate development organization (ADO), has directly administered and distributed numerous relief grant programs since the onset of the pandemic, including Working Washington 1.0 and 2.0.
The purpose of this new program is to support small businesses who are continuing to experience economic injury and loss due to COVID-19. Grants will be prioritized for small businesses that have experienced significant, cumulative impacts and losses. To be eligible to apply a business needs to have fewer than 25 employees (or FTE equivalents) and must be a for-profit business that was opened on or before January 1, 2020. The minimum grant amount is $10,000 and the maximum grant amount is $25,000.
REP Director Don Goldberg stated that, “The Port and the Regional Economic Partnership are proud that we have been able to identify additional state resources to distribute into our community as quickly as possible.” He also noted, “We are hopeful that businesses that have not yet received any small business relief grants will apply and be supported by this supplementary pool of funding.”
More information, including eligibility guidelines and criteria, is posted and available on the on the Port of Bellingham website. Applications can be submitted directly to whatcomado@portofbellingham.com and are due by June 7, 2021 at 11:59 PM PST and must be used for eligible reimbursable expenses occurring on or before June 30, 2021.
For more information about the Small Business Relief Program, visit: www.portofbellingham.com/979/Small-Business-Relief-Program
About the Regional Economic Partnership: The Regional Economic Partnership (REP) at the Port of Bellingham is the associate development organization for Whatcom County. REP is funded by the Washington State Department of
Commerce, Whatcom County, the Port of Bellingham, and the City of Bellingham. The goal of REP is to retain and attract livable wage jobs and to assist businesses, entrepreneurs, and local organizations to thrive. The group works intensively with local and regional partners to create a resilient community and economy for all and to address the magnitude of COVID-19 impacts. The team has expertise in financing, planning, research, real estate, and technology for the purpose of
helping businesses start, develop, and grow throughout Whatcom County, Washington. For more information about the Regional Economic Partnership, please visit www.portofbellingham.com/154/Economic-Development.
About the Port of Bellingham: The Port is a county-wide municipal corporation with a mission to promote sustainable economic development, optimize transportation gateways, and manage publicly owned land and facilities to benefit Whatcom County. Throughout Whatcom County, the Port owns, operates and maintains
approximately 1600 acres of property including a shipping terminal, a cruise terminal, two marinas, industrial development areas, commercial uplands, parklands, shoreline public access areas and an international airport.
For more information about the Port of Bellingham, please visit https://www.portofbellingham.com.
