Gresham Area Chamber Of Commerce And Visitors Center: $500,000 In Small Business Grants With American Rescue Plan Act

Press release from Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center:

2022-02-07

The City is providing $500,000 in small business grants with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding approved by City Council.

Grant details

• Open to businesses that:
  • have 25 or fewer employees
  • are based within Gresham city limits
  • have an active Gresham business license
• All eligible applications will go into a lottery and grantees pulled randomly from the pool.
• Grant funds can be used for rent, lease, or mortgage payment, or employment development and retention.
• Complete applications are critical. Incomplete applications could lead to disqualification.
• Notifications of grant awards are expected to take place starting March 14.

Grant amounts

The maximum grant amount is $10,000. Fifty percent of the $500,000 pool is reserved for businesses owned by Black, Indigenous or people of color (BIPOC), women and veterans.

Qualifications

Gresham Oregon Small Businesses are Vital to the Health of the Community

Are ARPA funds grants?

Yes, the City of Gresham has worked hard in order to obtain and earmark funds for Gresham area business owners.  Applications to access these funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act are available and being accepted through Monday, February 28th, 2022.  Monies will be awarded to Gresham businesses that support 25 employees or less, with a focus on BIPOC, women and veteran owned small businesses.

Helping to revitalize the local Gresham Area community by supporting entrepreneurs is expected to be transformative for many struggling in the pandemic environment.

Grants will be awarded on a lottery basis, up to $10,000 per grant for a total of $500,000.  These are grants and will not be asked to be repaid.

This press release was produced by Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. The views expressed here are the author’s own.