City Grants More Than $500K to Small Businesses

Published on August 04, 2022

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Media Contact
Sue Romero
Communications Program Coordinator
SRomero@kirklandwa.gov 
(425) 587-3017

Dozens of small businesses in Kirkland received in total more than half-a-million dollars in financial relief to help in their pandemic recovery efforts thanks to federal funds allocated by the City through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

This spring, more than $320,000 in grants were distributed to 51 small businesses through the City’s ARPA Small Business Relief Program (SBRP) which accepted applications from Kirkland-based businesses from March 31, 2022, to April 21, 2022. This program was in addition to more than $224,280 in relief awarded to 24 local business tenants and landlords through the City’s Commercial Rent Relief Program (CRRP), funded in fall of 2021.

Together, Kirkland’s SBRP and CRRP programs distributed more than $554,500 in federal ARPA funds to local businesses to help keep the City’s smallest companies operating. These City relief programs provided money to assist businesses with operating expenses and cost increases incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Small businesses help make up the economic backbone of our city,” said Councilmember Toby Nixon. “Supporting them through the pandemic, and beyond, is vital to ensuring that Kirkland remains a vibrant and welcoming place to live, work, and visit.”

Elna Duffield with Kirkland Preschool received an award through the Small Business Relief Program that helped pay for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and staff payroll. “I’m so thankful for the grants and the various opportunities the City provided to help us stay open and keep our amazing staff. Without the grants we were able to receive, we wouldn’t have survived.”                                                 

The City continues to work with small business support organizations, business associations and regional, state and federal partners to assist local small businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information about small business resources, please visit our partner organization OneEastside SPARK, which coordinates regional partnerships to support small businesses in eastside cities.