Additional Grants Now Available for Small Businesses in Benton County

November 20, 2020 - The City of Corvallis and Benton County have come together to create a new Small Business Emergency Grant Fund to provide additional financial support to help our local businesses through the pandemic. Funded with CARES Act money, this program is being implemented through a partnership with the Corvallis-Benton County Economic Development Office and Community LendingWorks.

(En español.)

Eligible businesses must:

  • Have 25 or fewer FTE (full-time equivalent) employees as of the end of 2019 and
  • Be located within Benton County (excludes businesses located within the City of Albany) - Importantly, businesses who have received federal dollars, through the Paycheck Protection Program or the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, are able to apply for and receive these grant funds.
  • Priority will be given to minority owned businesses

To apply, businesses will need to submit a 2019 profit and loss statement along with a 2020 profit and loss statement through at least June 30, 2020. Interested businesses may complete the application and submit related materials starting Tuesday, November 24. Applications can be found at www.communitylendingworks.org. The application period will close on Sunday, December 6 at midnight.

Grants will be awarded as follows: 

  • Sole Proprietors - $2,500
  • 2-5 FTE - $5,000
  • 6-15 FTE - $7,500
  • 16-25 FTE - $10,000

In order to ensure equitable distribution, grant recipients will be selected via a random drawing until all funds have been exhausted. It is anticipated that selected businesses will receive their funds the week of December 21. For more information on the grant program, please contact Community LendingWorks.