Willamette Workforce Partnership (WWP) is reopening the round 1&2 grant program for another week which would mean a great opportunity for business.  This is a regional COVID related business recovery grant program.  They have approx. $30,000 to still disburse so they are opening the program for a third time. The webpage is still current with the grant information.  The “apply now” link will go live today Monday the 24th at 12pm and will stay open until Monday, August 31st, 12pm.  Willamette Workforce Partnership Round 3 of these grants is expected to open in September and will be issuing approximately $680,000 to businesses in our region.  Round 3 funds carry less restrictions for businesses trying to access the funds.  Please continue to watch for that announcement. https://willwp.org/

Below are the criteria for eligibility. Applications will be available on their website between
12:00 PM on Monday, August 24th until 12:00 PM on Monday, August 31st.

A business must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

• The Business is headquartered in Oregon and has its principal operations in Oregon.

• If required by Oregon law to be registered with the Oregon Secretary of State to do business in Oregon, the Business is so registered.

• The Business has 25 or fewer employees.

• The Business was adversely affected in either one of the following two ways:

  1. For-profit and non-profit (limited to 501(c)(3) corporations) businesses that were prohibited from operation as directed by Executive Order 20-12.
  2. For-profit businesses that can demonstrate a one-month decline in sales greater than 50% in the month of March 2020 or April 2020 as compared against sales in the month of January 2020 or February 2020. Those non-profit businesses (limited to 501(c)(3) corporations) that can demonstrate a decline in revenue greater than 50% across the months of March 2020 and April 2020 as compared against the same period of time in 2019.

• The Business that has been unable to access federal CARES Act funds including:

  1. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP);
  2. Small Business Administration∙s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance program (EIDL); or
  3. Other federal programs to date for emergency pandemic funding.

The following Businesses are ineligible to apply for or receive funding under the Program:

• Passive real estate holding companies and other entities holding passive investments.

• Non-profit entities that do not have federal 501(c)(3) status.

• Businesses that are delinquent on federal, state or local taxes that were due before April 1,2020.

• Businesses that do not comply with all federal, state and local laws and regulations.

• Businesses that have already received grant funds through this State of Oregon COVID-19 Emergency Business Grant program.

• Businesses that do not otherwise meet the eligibility requirements set forth above.

Awards to eligible businesses will be made as a grant. The amount of the grant will be the greater of two figures: first based on the number of employees before the COVID-19 crisis (as of February 29, 2020); or the second based on the documented amount of fixed operating expenses for the 60 day period of January 1 through February 29, 2020:

• 1-5 employees: $2,500, or 60-day fixed expenses up to a maximum of $5,000.

• 6-10 employees: $5,000, or 60-day fixed expenses up to a maximum of $10,000.

• 11-15 employees: $7,500, or 60-day fixed expenses up to a maximum of $15,000.

• 16-20 employees: $10,000, or 60-day fixed expenses up to a maximum of $20,000.

• 20-25 employees: $12,500, or 60-day fixed expenses up to a maximum of $25,000.

Only employees reported to the Oregon Employment Department on Form 132, for Q4 2019 or Q1 2020, will be considered eligible when calculating the number of employees.

APPLY HERE

Find related Covid-19 information HERE.