Extreme Risk Impact - Business Relief Funds

Deschutes County has $1.3 million in relief funds available for eligible businesses that were directly impacted by the County’s weeklong return to the “Extreme Risk” level on April 30, 2021. 

Grant Application

The grant application window is now closed.

Questions?

Deschutes County is proud to partner with Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council and the OSU-Cascades Innovation Co-Lab to administer this program. If you have questions or need additional information, please:

• Email grants@coic.org
• Call (541) 699-8681

About this funding opportunity

Grant funds are being made available in all 15 Oregon counties impacted by the April 30 move to Extreme Risk, with a total of $20 million in funding made available by the State. Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council will serve as the grant administrator.

Eligibility

In this grant cycle, we’re prioritizing funding for businesses that were specifically impacted by our most recent move to the Extreme Risk. We know these recent capacity limits and shutdowns have had huge financial impacts for our local restaurants, gyms and other businesses.

• Businesses with more than 50 employees are not eligible to receive funds.
• Sole proprietors are eligible and encouraged to apply.
• Non-profit organizations must have federal 501c3 status to be eligible.
• Applications from businesses in rural areas, or that identify as minority-owned, women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned and emerging small businesses will receive priority ranking.

Only online submission will be accepted. Applicants are strongly advised to gather the appropriate documentation and be prepared to upload them. Only complete applications will be considered.

The following businesses may be eligible to apply for or receive funding:

• The business is headquartered in Oregon and has its principal operations in Oregon.
• If required by Oregon law to be registered with the Oregon Secretary of State to do business in Oregon, the business is so registered.
• The business is either for-profit or an entity tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
• During the Performance Period (March 1st, 2020 through December 31st, 2020), the business incurred necessary expenditures due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, including those necessary expenditures incurred in response to Deschutes and Crook County returning to an “Extreme Risk” level effective as of April 30th, 2021.

Businesses that have previously received funding through the State of Oregon COVID-19 Emergency Business Grant program are eligible to receive additional funding.

The following businesses are ineligible to apply for or receive funding:

• Passive real estate holding companies and entities holding passive investments.
• Non-profit entities that do not have federal 501(c)(3) status.
• Businesses that experience a decline in revenues for reasons other than those caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g. seasonal or cyclical businesses cycles).
• Businesses that are delinquent on federal, state or local taxes that were due on or before the date of application.
• Businesses that do not comply with all federal, state and local laws and regulations.
• Businesses that have closed and do not intend to reopen.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What can I do to prepare before the application opens?

1. Be able to demonstrate a decline in revenue due to the pandemic by providing your annual gross revenue figures for 2019 and 2020.

2. Be able to demonstrate a decline in revenue due to the “Extreme Risk” designation by providing gross revenue figures for the seven days the County was at “Extreme” (April 30th through May 6th), the seven days prior (April 23, 2021 through April 29, 2021), and the seven days after (May 7, 2021 through May 13, 2021).

3. Have your necessary COVID-19 related expenditures available. You will be asked to certify that you continued to have expenditures during the week the County moved to the Extreme risk category.  
    
4. The application will require applicants to submit a W-9 form. If you do not know how to do so, below is a video with instructions.

• How To Complete Form W-9
• Blank W-9 (Must be completed and signed)
• Example W-9

5.  All businesses except for sole proprietors will need to submit the expiration/renewal date of the business registration.  If your business registration is not up to date, submit an update to the state prior to completing the application so your registration is listed as current. Select the link below to be taken to the State of Oregon website and search for your business to get this information.

• Search for a Business

2. Is this program first come first serve? 

No. All eligible applications will be reviewed. Please take your time to make sure your application is complete and accurate. 

3. How will funding and award amounts be determined? 

Funding and award amounts will be directed by the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners. 

4. Will all applicants receive funding? 

No. It is anticipated that not all applications will receive grants.

5. I'm not sure if I'm eligible. What should I do?

Give us a call, or visit our online application once it is open. 

Application

The online application for this program is expected to be available at noon on Friday, May 21.

The application will remain open through Thursday, May 27.

Next Steps 

Applicants will be contacted about their award status no later than Monday, June 7. Businesses that are selected to receive funds will receive checks in late June.