Written by ULMS staff member, Ashley Pugh
SEATTLE (November 3, 2020) — The impacts of the Coronavirus within our community have disproportionately effected black-owned small businesses more than any other demographic. The same community businesses whose owners have stepped up to become first responders while simultaneously trying to keep their doors open.
In an effort to support and uplift minority owned businesses within King County, ULMS collaborated with local partners to introduce the Black Business Prosperity (BBP) Grant. Our goal was to provide direct cash assistance to black small business owners who have been financially distressed due to COVID-19 related circumstances.
Grant Details
- Four (4) minority business owners were selected to each receive one (1) grant of $5,000.00 in direct cash assistance
- Five (5) minority business owners were selected to each receive one (1) grant of $1,000.00 in direct cash assistance
To be eligible to receive a grant, businesses were required to meet the following restrictions:
- Be in King County Washington
- Be black or minority owned
- Must not have received ULMS direct cash assistance funding or grants for your business in the last 6 months (since March 2020)
- Must not have more than 50 employees.
Applications for the grant were available on the ULMS website for the first two weeks of October. Within that time, more than 170 local King County businesses successfully applied for the grant.
The following businesses were selected as follows:
$5,000 award recipients:
- Moe Vegan – @MoeVegan
- Rimna’s Market/Jackson General Store (Sami’s Cornerstore)
- Fano’s International Cuisine/Seattle Chicken Express
- Jannah Child Care, LLC
$1,000 award recipients:
- QueenCare – @QueenCareProducts
- Trap Vinyasa – @TrapVinyasa
- A 4 Apple Learning Center
- Taalem Community Center
- The Copy Spot (formerly Gorilla Graphics)
While we were unable to help everyone who applied this round, our goal in the near future is to provide additional grant funding opportunities! If your business was not selected or if you missed this specific grant, please be on the look out! We realize there is still a tremendous need for minority small business support within our community and will continue to work with local partners to extend help and assistance to those in need.
Thank you to all who applied!
