The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) and a host of regional partners have awarded just over $400,000 in grants to small businesses throughout Central Oregon since July. With approximately $250,000 still available, COIC will reopen the application on a first-come, first-served basis starting Monday, August 17, until these funds are fully expended. Small businesses and non-profits located anywhere in the tri-county region are encouraged to apply by visiting www.coic.org/grant/.

Eligible businesses and non-profits must have 25 or fewer employees as of February 2020, cannot have received any federal CARES Act funding at the time of their application, and must have been either categorically closed by the Governor of Oregon’s Executive Order No. 20-12 or able to demonstrate a loss of at least 50 percent of revenue in either March or April 2020. Applicants can review eligibility requirements and program guidelines in detail at https://www.coic.org/grant/.

Successful applicants can receive from $2,500 to $25,000 in grant funds, depending on the size of their business. A total of 144 businesses across the region have received grants to date. $179,000 has been awarded to Bend-area businesses, $47,000 in the La Pine and Sunriver area, $31,000 in the Sisters area, and $67,000 in Redmond. In addition, $40,000 has been awarded to businesses located in Jefferson County, and $35,000 to those in Crook County.

COIC is coordinating delivery of this program, with the partnership and assistance of the following regional organizations: Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties; the cities of Bend, Madras, and Redmond; the Warm Springs Community Action Team; Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO); the Latino Community Association; NeighborImpact; and the La Pine, Sunriver, Bend, Sisters, Redmond, Prineville-Crook County, and Madras-Jefferson County Chambers of Commerce.

This program is funded in part by the State of Oregon General Funds and Lottery Funds administered by the Oregon Business Development Department. Matching fund contributions from Deschutes County, Crook County, the City of Madras, Jefferson County, the Warm Springs Community Action Team, and Latino Community Association make up the balance of total funding.