Greater Grays Harbor accepting applications for business relief grants

Grays Harbor, WA – Greater Grays Harbor, Inc. (GGHI) is accepting applications for the “OPEN 2020” Small Business Relief Grant.  

GGHI says that eligible businesses are able to receive up to $5,000 in aid related to expenses associated with COVID-19. 

A pool of $40,000 is available to businesses in the Hospitality, Personal Care Services, and Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers industries.

To be eligible the business must have been initially opened or opened under new ownership to the public between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020.  

They must also employ 10 or less total employees including the owner, have a permanent, physical storefront with walk-in facilities, and be a for-profit business located in Grays Harbor County.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with priority review for applications received by 5pm May 28th, 2021.

The full details are listed below.

Other business eligibility requirements include:

• Business was initially opened or opened under new ownership to the public between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020.  Business will self-attest to opening date and Secretary of State filing date must be no earlier than January 1, 2019.
• Employs 10 or less total employees (including owner).
• Business has a permanent, physical storefront with walk-in facilities.
• For-profit.
• Located in Grays Harbor County.

Documentation Requirements

• Your businesses UBI is required.  This is a nine digit number that begins with a #6.  All applicants that make more than $12,000 annually must have a UBI Number.  You can look up your UBI at this site.
• Your Business Labor & Industry (L&I) account must be current. You can verify your status here.
• Eligible businesses must not be debarred by the federal government and are eligible to receive federal contracts.  For more information visit this site.
• Applicants will be required to submit the following;
  A completed business W-9. A blank W-9 form can be found here.

Eligible Expenses – You will be asked to affirm the documented expenses meet the following requirements.

• The expense is “necessary” to continue business operations.
• The expense is not filling a short fall in government revenues. (i.e. taxes, licenses, state, county, federal and/or city fees)
• The expense is not funded by any other funder, whether private, State or Federal. No “double-dipping”.
• The business wouldn’t be requesting assistance with expenses if they had not been impacted COVID-19.

Sponsorship for the program is from the State Emergency Disaster Fund. Entities that have received relief funding from other sources  are eligible to apply, except those that have received funding from the Working Washington 4 Grant (of which businesses founded in 2020 would have not been ineligible for).

Grant Awards

• The “OPEN 2020” Small Business Grant will not exceed $5,000 per awardee. 
• Recipients will have to self-attest to the above eligibility standards in the application and upon awarding of funds.

Application Overview & Documentation

• A completed application for the “OPEN 2020″ Small Business Grant is required to be considered for grant funding.
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with priority review for applications received by end of business (5pm)  May 28th, 2021.
• Applicants will be required to submit the following;
  • A completed business W-9. 
    • A blank W-9 form can be found