Week of July 19, 2021

• 7/23/202 Public Health – Seattle & King County now recommends that all residents five years of age and older, regardless of vaccination status, wear face coverings in indoor public settings
• 7/22/2021 Reminder: application deadline for the OSHA grant for health and safety training is July 26th! Details here
• 7/20/2021 WorkSource King County’s Hospitality and Customer Service Virtual Job Fair (Aug. 3) https://app.brazenconnect.com/events/Kd0E9?utm. Employers register through Christine Simpson Csimpson@esd.wa.gov
• 7/19/2021 Still time to register! Small Business Flex Fund webinar – Thurs. 7/22 @ 3pm

Week of July 12, 2021

• 7/16/2021 Apply for Bothell’s Pop-Up Retail Business Incubator by July 25 (need not be located in Bothell to apply!)
• 7/14/2021 New marketing grant opportunity for underrepresented businesses. Apply by August 31, 2021
• 7/13/2021 Reminder! ESD’s SharedWork program pays from 50 to 90% of your employees’ salaries if they are working 10 to 50% fewer hours, and is available until Sept. 4. An recent article by the Washington Hospitality Association notes that some businesses are using the program as a competitive hiring advantage.
• 7/12/2021 Still time to register! How To Successfully Prepare for Future Funding: Managing Your Cash Flow – Thurs., July 15 @ 2:30pm

Week of July 5, 2021

• 7/9/2021 New funding opportunity for small businesses in unincorporated King County – apply by August 4
• 7/7/2021 If you’re experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 and are dealing with housing instability, rental assistance is still available to eligible individuals through King County. If you need language assistance, please contact: 206-477-1331. Apply here!

Week of June 28, 2021

• 7/1/2021 New funding opportunity! The Small Business Flex Fund is designed to get financial support into the hands of Washington State’s smallest businesses and nonprofits
• 6/30/2021  Visit Safe Reopening, King County’s new reopening page, for guidance, as Washington state’s economy fully reopens today!
• 6/29/2021 King County’s mask directive ended today. This means that WA State mask guidance is now in effect: unvaccinated people need to continue wearing masks in indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor spaces
• 6/28/2021 New safe reopening webpage – starting June 30, WA is removing most COVID-19 restrictions. Learn what this means for individuals and businesses.

Week of June 22, 2021

• 6/25/2021 Governor Inslee has issued an eviction moratorium “bridge” from July 1-September 30.
• 6/24/21 New tool to help small businesses reopen safely and increase customer visits! Check out SmartWA, available in English, 中国人 (Chinese simplified) Español (Spanish), Français (French) 한국어 (Korean), Ngôn ngữ tiếng Việt (Vietnamese), and Tagalog
• 6/22/2021 Yesterday, Gov. Inslee rescinded the restriction that limited fees charged to restaurants by 3rd party delivery companies

Week of June 14, 2021

• 6/16/2021 Did you know? Businesses with public spaces are required to post a masking requirement at the entrance of their facility. More information here.
• 6/16/2021 King County’s Mask Directive lifts on June 29. After this happens, WA state mask guidance will be in effect in King County.
• 6/15/2021 Nonprofit resource! Did you know you can get help starting or managing your nonprofit at Redmond Library’s Nonprofit & Philanthropy Resource Center (NPRC)?
• 6/14/2021 As of June 11, some industries no longer need to follow additional guidance; they only need to follow COVID-19 workplace health and safety measures established by the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). Read more here.

Week of June 7, 2021

• 6/9/2021 New program! Return to Work for Employers: Preparing the Workplace and Workforce – Thurs., June 17
• 6/7/2021 The Employee Tax Credit can be a game changer for small businesses, offering an opportunity to claim up to $33,000 per employee in 2020 and 2021! Read more in this OneEastside SPARK article.

Week of May 31, 2021

• 6/4/2021 Recovery Assistance Funds available to small- and medium-sized manufacturers through Impact Washington.
• 6/3/2021 Get vaccinated and get entered to win a “Shot of a Lifetime” giveaway series in June! All prizes  drawn from the DOH immunization database to determine winners. All individuals who have been previously vaccinated are eligible. Read more here.
• 6/1/2021 What you need to know about King County’s Mask Directive for indoor spaces

Week of May 24, 2021

• 5/27/2021 PPP is still open, but you must apply through an approved lender by May 31. Find approved lenders here!
• 5/26/2021 Find out what social media platform is best for your business!
• 5/25/2021 Are you a King County tenant in need of rental assistance? Learn about funding available through King County’s EPRAP! US Citizenship not a requirement.

Week of May 17, 2021

• 5/21/2021 IMPORTANT! Updated state COVID-19 workplace safety guidance for vaccinated workers from L&I available here
• 5/18/2021 Wearing masks indoors still encouraged for all King County residents, fully vaccinated or not. Update on May 18 from Public Health – Seattle & King County on implementation of the CDC’s new mask guidance for vaccinated people
• 5/17/2021 REMINDER for arts-based organizations: apply by May 24, 2021 for Nonprofit Community Recovery Grants, administered by ArtsFund. Watch a recorded webinar with application insturctions here.

Week of May 10, 2021

• 5/13/2021 Inslee announces statewide reopening date of June 30, 2021
• 5/12/2021 Registration open! SBA Program Update – May 20, 2021
• 5/10/2021 New grant opportunity for non-profits supporting micro-enterprises! Deadline: May 12, 2021
• Support black owned businesses: Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle; Intentionalist

Week of May 5, 2021

• 5/7/2021 Registration open! Update on COVID-19 Related Tax Relief – May 12 @ 1pm
• 5/6/2021 Sign up for personal protective equipment (PPE) updates
• 5/5/2021 In E. King County and have PPP questions? Contact our WA SBDC advisor
• 5/4/2021 Inslee announces two-week pause on phases
• 5/3/2021 REMINDER: Restaurant Revitalization Fund is accepting applications! Apply here

Week of April 26, 2021

• • 4/30/2021 New non-profit grant opportunity through ArtsFund! Application portal opens May 10, 2021
  • 4/29/2021 Register today! Review of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund program – Friday, April 30 @ 8:30am
  • 4/27/2021 IMPORTANT! Registration for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund starts April 30 @ 6am PDT. Applications open Monday, May 3 @ 9am PDT. Applications will be reviewed on a 1st come 1st served basis after the first 21 days, so register on the portal on April 30.
  • 4/26/2021 Shuttered Venue Operators Grant opens today, April 26 @ 9am PDT. Pre-register and apply

Week of April 19, 2021

• • 4/21/2021 Grant alert! Comcast RISE, supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned small businesses.  Apply by May 7, 2021
  • 4/20/2021 In-home COVID-19 vaccinations available for those unable to leave their homes in King County. Details & schedule an appointment here
  • 4/19/2021 View a sample funding application for the Restaurant Revitalization Program here, available in 17 languages
  • Support black owned businesses: Intentionalist, Support Black Owned, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
  • Important updates: Public Health Insider, Public Health – Seattle & King County, and Washington State Department of Health
  • More news

Week of April 12, 2021

• 4/15/2021 All Washington state residents age 16+ now qualify for COVID-19 vaccines. Details and how to find an appointment here
• 4/14/2021 New grant opportunity for child care providers! Register for April 20 webinar to learn more here
• 4/13/2021 Schedule an appointment at the Eastside’s first COVID-19 mass vaccination site here
• 4/12/2021 Are you an agriculture business/organization? Applications are open for WSDA’s Relief and Recovery grants! Deadline: April 26, 2021. Details here

Week of April 5, 2021

• 4/9/2021 Show your “Redmond Love,” buy local, and keep warm while dining outdoors! Learn more
• 4/8/2021 Apply now for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant! Apply here; learn more here
• 4/7/2021 All King County residents age 16+ can sign up for vaccine appointment notifications in Seattle. Sign up here
• 4/6/2021 Applications open to participate in the Port of Seattle’s business accelerator for women-and minority-owned small businesses! Apply by May 15. Learn more
• 4/5/2021 Funding offered by GSBA for small businesses impacted by COVID-19. Apply before April 9! Details here

 

Week of March 29, 2021

• 4/1/2021 View recording of the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant information session on 3/30 here
• 3/31/2021 Governor Inslee announced today that all Washington state adults age 16 and over will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting April 15. Read more here.
• 3/30/2021 Building ventilation is important. Learn more here.
• 3/29/21 Reminder: Application portal open for Working WA Grants Round 4! Details here. Register for informational webinar on April 2 here.

Week of March 22, 2021

• 3/24/21 New financial assistance program to help households quarantine is available. Details here.
• 3/23/21 Registration open! Updates on the $1.9T American Rescue Plan Act &
  the $240M Working Washington 4 Grant Opportunity webinar – Thurs., March 25.
• 3/22/21  Washington state is now in Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan. Find out what’s open here.

Week of March 15, 2021

• 3/19/2021 The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant application opens April 8! Info session March 30 (register here). Grant details here.
• 3/18/2021 Phase 3 guidance available for some industries, including restaurants and bars, in-store retail, and real estate. More information here. Phase 3 comes into effect March 22.
• 3/17/2021 Phase 1B2 of vaccine distribution begins today for high-risk critical workers and more. Details here.
• 3/16/2021 Updated guidance on outdoor seating for food establishments here (scroll midway down and click on #10).

Week of March 8, 2021

• 3/12/2021 Application portal for Round 4 of Working Washington Grants open March 29. Details here.
• 3/11/2021 Washington state moves to Phase 3 of its recovery plan on March 22! In addition, Phase 1B, Tier 2 vaccine eligibility starts March 17.  Details here.
• 3/10/21 The Bellevue Chamber’s new Eastside Together Campaign showcases local businesses, events, and more. Share your events here.
• 3/9/2021 EvergreenHealth ranks in Newsweek’s top 200 hospitals in the U.S. for 2021.
• 3/8/2021 New funding opportunity for CDFIs and MDIs to support underserved communities. Details here.

 

Week of March 1, 2021

• 3/4/2021 Yesterday, the SBA released a new application & loan calculation formula for PPP loans for self-employed and gig workers. We’ll review this on today’s webinar.
• 3/3/2021 Ask the Experts PPP Webinar – Thursday, March 4. Register online!
• 3/3/2021 Vaccine eligibility guidelines now include educators and licensed childcare workers – details here.
• 3/2/2021 New guidance for sole proprietors applying for PPP! New rules allow you to use Schedule C Line 7 rather than Line 31 in calculating your loan amount. Those rules can’t be applied until AFTER the Interim Final Rule is published (hopefully in next few days). To take advantage of this new rule you MUST delay your application until the rule is published, or ask your loan disbursement to be delayed. More information: click here and see “Paycheck Protection Program Loans.”
• 3/1/2021 See if your business is potentially eligible for a Targeted EIDL Advance! Mapping tool here.

Week of February 22, 2021

• 2/24/2021 Additional PPP webinar on 2/25 for *childcare providers.* Register here.
• 2/23/2021 New PPP updates! A 14 day application period exclusively for small businesses & nonprofits w/fewer than 20 employees starts Feb, 24. More here.
• 2/22/2021 New webinar: Don’t Miss Out on This Round of Forgivable PPP Loan Funding – Feb. 25. Register here.
• 2/22/2021 Governor Inslee has extended the state eviction moratorium through March 31, 2021. Read the full proclamation here.

Week of February 15, 2021

• 2/19/2021 Governor Inslee signed the Economic Relief Early Action bill today, which includes funding for small business grants. Read the Patch article here.
• 2/17/21 City of Issaquah Business Recovery Grants – apply by March 8. More information here.
• 2/16/21 “The ‘real angels’ helping others find and make ultraelusive COVID-19 vaccine appointments in Washington state” (February 13, 2021, The Seattle Times).

Week of February 8, 2021

• 2/12/2021 The Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation is offering a new grant opportunity for non-profits. More information here.
• 2/11/2021 Small businesses and non-profits: check out SmallBizHelpWA.com, a new resource hub.
• 2/9/2021 Register today! Navigating updates to EIDL, Targeted EDL Advance and new Shuttered Venue Operators Grant – Feb. 11.
• 2/8/2021 Apply for LISC Small Business Grants by Feb. 9. Entrepreneurs of color and women- and veteran-owned businesses are prioritized.

Week of February 1, 2021

• 2/4/2021 Governor Inslee has released additional Phase 1 and 2 requirements for events, weddings, and funerals.
• 2/2/2021 2020 Tax Update: How the EIDL, PPP, ERTC, PUA and Regional Grants will Affect Your Taxes – Thurs., Feb. 4 2021. Register here.
• 2/1/2021 King County is now in Phase 2 of Healthy Washington, the state’s reopening plan. View the latest sector guidance here.

Week of January 25, 2021

• 1/22/21 All eight regions in Washington state will remain in Phase 1 until at least Monday, Feb. 1, 2021. Details here.
• 1/29/2021 King County moves to Phase 2 on Monday, Feb. 1. The county is hosting a virtual meeting on Feb. 1 to go over questions; details here.
• 1/28/2021 New funding opportunities available! More information under “Coronavirus CESF Requests for Proposal.”
• 1/26/2021 Register for tomorrow’s webinar on navigating updated PPP loan forgiveness process.
• 1/25/2021 Check out Comcast’s RISE program: supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned small businesses.
• 1/25/2021 Free safety supplies for bars and restaurants via King County’s SSTAR program! Distribution schedule here.

Week of January 18, 2021

• 1/22/21 All eight regions in Washington state will remain in Phase 1 until at least Monday, Feb. 1, 2021. Details here.
• 1/19/2021 New webinar: Funding Available Under the Economic Aid Act on Jan. 21. Register here.
• 1/18/2021 Starbucks Community Resilience Fund will invest $100 million to advance racial equity and environmental resilience. Details here.
• 1/18/2021 Gov. Inslee announced an updated plan to increase vaccinations and establish mass vaccination infrastructure. More here.

Week of January 11, 2021

• 1/15/21 The WA State Department of Health announced that all eight regions in the state will remain in Phase 1 until at least Monday, January 25, 2021. Details here.
• 1/15/21 View new Phase 1 reopening guidelines for King County businesses.
• 1/14/21 The COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application deadline has been extended through 2021. Details and apply here.
• 1/13/2021 PPP loans reopens to all lenders Tuesday, January 19. More information and apply here.
• 1/11/2021 WA SBDC provides training for small businesses, including application instructions for the newest round of PPP loans. See programs listed here.

Week of January 4, 2021

• 1/8/2021 The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will re-open the week of January 11 for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers. Read more here.
• 1/7/2021 Governor Inslee announced “Healthy Washington” on Tuesday, a new phased reopening plan for Washington state. The plan will come into effect on January 11.
• 1/5/2021 Feel encouraged to fill out the COVID-19 Business Impact Survey, an effort of King County and partners to assess the economic impacts of COVID-19.
• 1/4/2021 Registration open! City of Bellevue’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit 2021.

Week of December 28, 2020

• 12/31/20 The SBA’s “Recovery Hub” offers help and resources to sustain your small business.
• 12/30/20 COVID-19 related restrictions put in place in November now extended until Jan. 11, 2021. Details here.
• 12/28/20 A new round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans is coming soon. Please stay tuned!

Week of December 14, 2020

• 12/14/20 Buy local for the holidays! Bellwether Winter Market, Downtown Bellevue Gift Guide, #BuyRedmond, Shop Local Kirkland, Keep it Local Seattle

Week of December 7, 2020

• 12/10/20 Bellwether Winter Market now live!
• 12/9/2020 New economic support available, and business restrictions extended until Jan. 2. More information here.
• 12/7/20 Apply by Dec. 11 for the Working Washington Grant Round 3! SBDC’s webinar here. Slides, Quick Tips, FAQ.

Week of November 30, 2020

• 12/1/20 Working WA Business Grant Round 3 applications open this week
• 11/30/2020 WA Notify is live – an anonymous exposure notification tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in Washington state

Week of November 23, 2020

• 11/24/20 L&I provides free, on-site health and safety consultations for Washington state businesses
• 11/23/20 Application deadline for Redmond Small Business Resiliency Grant Phase II and Winterization Reimbursement Program

Week of November 16, 2020

• 11/20/20 City Winterization Guides from City of Redmond and City of Bellevue
• 11/19/20 Governor Inslee caps third-party delivery fees to help restaurants
• 11/18/20 Grants: Redmond Small Business Resiliency Grant Phase II and Winterization Reimbursement Program