Thank you to those that were able to join us last week for the webinar. The presentations and recording are available on here on our blog. I know you all are working incredibly hard to support your businesses through this crisis. We are here to support in any way we can, and will continue to pass along relevant resources and information.
Below is additional information to follow up on some specific supports we discussed.
- SBA disaster loans – OED is providing assistance to businesses to access SBA disaster loans. We are also tracking additional programs that will come through SBA from the federal CARE Act. Information and an intake form is on OED’s website.
- Community liaison support – We are working with DON to activate a group of community liaisons that have worked on OIS projects. They are focusing their work in key equity districts in partnership with the business district leads. For other neighborhoods, if you encounter language needs in your business outreach and support efforts related to COVID, please reach out to your OIS contact.
- Small Business Stabilization Fund – The first round closed 3/25 and awardees will be announced this week, along with details about additional rounds of funding. To qualify for a grant this first round: Business owners had to be low-moderate income (household income of 80% area median income or below), Microbusinesses (5 employees or less), and have a physical establishment in Seattle. Given the high number of qualified applications received, a lottery was conducted to select awardees. Awardees were selected from across the city with a higher proportion awarded to high displacement risk neighborhoods.
Webinar recording 03-26-2020 here