Pacific County will use a portion of its federal CARES Act COVID-19 relief funding to assist small businesses that suffered losses due to the pandemic.

“Pacific County will be providing grant assistance for small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Pacific County Emergency Management Director Scott McDougall. “These small business grants will be allocated from Pacific County’s portion of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.”

Grants of up to $10,000 will be available from the about $1.2 million in reimbursable CARES Act funds allocated to the county. These funds can be used for county expenses related to the pandemic and other economic relief and public safety needs. To qualify, the small business must be physically located inside the county and can employ no more than 20. The grant applicant must be able to demonstrate its losses during the pandemic and provide a form W-9 with the application.

The grant application timeline starts this Friday, and applications are available on the county website, co.pacific.wa.us. Priority will be given to the first applications received and to businesses who have not received previous funding and/or financial assistance due to the pandemic. Applications are due Friday, Aug. 28; no applications received after that date will be considered.

The Board of County Commissioners plans to approve grant awards at a special public meeting Thursday, Sept. 3. The county auditor will begin disseminating the grant awards around Friday, Sept. 11.

Applications can be submitted via email to pplakinger@co.pacific.wa.us, or by mail or in-person at the Pacific County Courthouse Annex, addressed to Pacific County General Administration, Attn: Paul Plakinger, 1216 West Robert Bush Drive, PO Box 6, South Bend, WA 98586.