The City of Sequim and Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce Announce Additional Funding for the COVID-19 Small Business Rapid Relief Program.
The City of Sequim and the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce are again partnering to make available the COVID-19 Small Business Rapid Relief Program (CSBRRP). The City of Sequim will provide an additional $200,000 out of City reserve funds to offer support to local businesses in light of Governor Jay Inslee’s new restrictions to control the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will be administered by the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce. The maximum funding per business is $15,000. The City provided $310,000 in funding earlier in the year to support the CSBRRP.
“With the pandemic worsening and no additional Federal stimulus money, we feel that it is critical for the City of Sequim to step up and support businesses most heavily impacted by the recent additional restrictions imposed by the State,” said Sequim City Manager Charlie Bush. “We greatly appreciate the partnership with the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce. They did a fantastic job with our initial round of grants and we are very happy to have the opportunity to work with them again.”
Eligibility Requirements
The grant program is intended to provide funding to support the brick and mortar costs associated with running a small business. Qualified businesses must have less than 50 employees, have a physical location inside the Sequim city limits and a Sequim business license
as of November 1, 2020, must have been in business for one full calendar year, and be in compliance with all State licensing and other regulatory requirements.
Priority will be given for businesses that have been impacted by the new restrictions announced on November 15, those who have registered with the Small Business Development Council (SBDC), Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE), SCORE, or other approved business advisor, and those who have an established business plan. Program operational needs, direct services, capital, or equipment expenditures are all eligible for funding. Payroll or other employee-associated costs will not be funded under this grant.
Franchises, national chains and any businesses owned or partially owned by an individual or immediate family member who is a member, manager, or director of the Chamber Executive Committee, or a Sequim City Councilor or employee are not eligible for this grant.
Application Window
The application window for the grant program will run from Monday, November 23 until the end of the business day on Friday, December 11. Following the application period, a committee comprised of the Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee and one member from the Sequim City Council will review the applications and score them with established criteria. Applicant interviews, decisions, and awards will be made within two weeks after the application window has closed. The complete guidelines are available on the Chamber of Commerce website https://sequimchamber.com go to the application at https://form.jotform.com/203216796779066.
The COVID-19 Small Business Rapid Relief Program is designed to provide swift support to businesses impacted by economic barriers imposed by the most recent State restrictions. The Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce is streamlining the application process and will require a new, simplified application for this round of funding. If you have questions or need assistance with applying for this grant process please contact director@sequimchamber.com
“Chamber membership is not required to be eligible for this grant, though we continue to offer a courtesy membership to all free of charge to support collaboration and connection among all the hard working entrepreneurs, merchants, and small businesses in our region. Our mission is to Support, Inform and Advocate for you,” said Anji Scalf, Executive Director of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The City of Sequim thanks residents for adhering to the recommended safety precautions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and urges everyone to continue to be vigilant by:
• Staying home if you are sick
• Wearing a face mask to protect yourself and others
• Practicing physical distancing of at least six feet
• Practicing good hygiene by washing your hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds, or using a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily
• Covering your coughs and sneezes
For current information on the COVID 19 pandemic visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. For information on Washington State’s COVID-19 response visit https://coronavirus.wa.gov/.