Editor’s note: The deadline date and time has been updated in the online version of this article, which was published in the September issue of Concrete Herald.

Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County (EDASC) on behalf of Town of Concrete is accepting grant applications worth $5,000 each, supporting small businesses affected by COVID-19.

A total of $25,000 is available, provided by the Town of Concrete through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, better known as the CARES Act.

Eligibility requirements include having 35 or fewer employees measured as full-time equivalents, a reduction in business revenue greater than 25 percent due to COVID-19, and the business be a brick-and-mortar establishment located within town limits, among other requirements.

The grant deadline is noon on Mon., Sept. 14.

Eligible expenses include costs of goods and general administrative expenses necessary to respond to business interruptions, facilities payments, and supplies and expenses associated with safety improvements.

“The pandemic closures occurred just as our small businesses were entering the season that can make or break them each year,” said Concrete Mayor Jason Miller. “I asked our Town Council to use the town’s CARES Act funds as grants for our businesses because every bit of extra revenue this year can play a significant role in the survival of our small town’s economy.”

EDASC, which already has coordinated five small-business grant programs for local governments, is administering the grant.

“As a destination town on the path to the beautiful North Cascades, Concrete’s economy is driven by small businesses,” said EDASC CEO John Sternlicht. “We at EDASC are honored to assist Concrete Mayor Jason Miller and the town council in putting to work their CARES Act funding to support businesses impacted by COVID-19.”

The application is online at https://www.skagit.org/media/userfiles/subsite_26/files/Town%20of%20Concrete%20CARES%20Assistance%20Application%20Final.pdf

Applicants should download the application and open it in Adobe Acrobat to fill it out on their computer, and should not fill out the application in their Web browser.

Submit completed applications or questions to EDASC at [email protected].

EDASC will prioritize applications based on severity of the impact the business is facing, including from being forced to close by government-mandated closures, social distancing measures, or illness. Awards will be approved on a case-by-case basis and are dependent on the availability of funds.

—Submitted by EDASC