Second round of federal grants awarded to Snohomish County small businesses

SNOHOMISH Co., Wash. - On Tuesday, Snohomish County announced a second wave of grant awards for small businesses as a part of the Relief Recovery and Resiliency (R3) grant program.

The R3 program consists of grant money from the federal CARES act resources, funds supporting businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the county guidelines, businesses applying for a grant must have the following:

• Be licensed to do business in the State of Washington.
• Be a business physically located in Snohomish County.
• Have 20 or fewer FTE (including the business owner/worker).
• Be in operation for one or more years.
• Certify at least a 25% reduction in revenue attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Able to demonstrate that the business was a going concern before March 23, 2020.

The recovery program aims to help primarly businesses largely a part of the community recovery efforts, with priority focus on dining, retail hospitality, arts and entertainment and service sector businesses.

Funds received should be used for covering business expenses incurred between March 1, 2020 and November 30, 2020. 

“Our businesses and their workers need our support,” said Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “We will continue to look for opportunities to bolster our economic recovery and be strong advocates for more federal funding. We know how important these funds are for people’s livelihoods and that not everyone who needs a grant has gotten one. We are pushing to do even more to bridge the gaps in our community.”

“We are eager to get these federal funds into the hands of our small business owners and their employees,” said Snohomish County Council Chair Nate Nehring. “Too many people across Snohomish County are hurting, and we will continue to find ways to support them. We will do what we can until the pandemic is behind us.”

The county said they received over 500 "R3" applications, totally in $9 million in requested grant funds in the second round. In total, Snohomish county has $7.087 in funds to award.

From the first round, 1,619 applications from businesses were also considered in the second round, totally $30 million in requested funds from both rounds.

In total, 744 small businesses will receive funds from the first and second rounds. The last deadline for the second round of award funds ended on June 26.

Awardees have been decided by a managing contractor and funds will be rewarded after contractual agreements are signed.