Business Recovery - About Our Grant Recipients
Washington County is pleased that it could provide 102 County businesses with grants totaling $306,000 to assist with COVID-19 recovery and reopening. The breakdown is as follows:
- 100 County-funded grants for a total of $300,000
- Two $3,000 grants provided by NW Natural and Qorvo
The grants were designed to provide relief during a period of forced closure or retooling of businesses. Many recipients talked about the hope the grant provided their business and their employees.
“I will be using the funds to help with some business expenses and payroll, because of this I am now able to keep a single mother of four employed! I am also able to remain open and care for the children that need me! I’m so grateful for your help during this time of chaos and uncertainty. Thanks to this grant some of my concerns for my employee and my business have been lifted!” - Diane Gorine, Sassy Sprouts Childcare
To ensure that the program met the Washington County’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals, a number of slots were guaranteed for businesses owned by individuals who are covered under the County’s DEI resolution. After selection, a final review determined that the businesses selected were geographically representative of the businesses within the county.
Here is some data about how the County met these goals (# is the number grant recipients, % is the percent of the total 102 recipients).
| Recipient business ownership within County DEI goals |
||
|---|---|---|
| Owner Demographics* | # | % |
| African/African-American | 2 | 2 |
| Asian/Asian-American | 33 | 32 |
| LatinX | 10 | 10 |
| Native/Indigenous | 4 | 4 |
| Other minority | 11 | 11 |
| Immigrant | 13 | 13 |
| LGBTQJ | 3 | 3 |
| Veteran | 3 | 3 |
| Woman/Non-binary | 66 | 65 |
| Disabled | 0 | 0 |
* as identified by the applicant
“This grant has allowed me much needed resources to weather the storm, and help provide stability for my business and most importantly my family. I appreciate what the County has done for me, a veteran-owned business, and I look forward to supporting the country and other local business. Together we can get through this.” - Daryn LaBier, commercial photographer
| Recipient businesses by location | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Number | Percent |
| Unincorporated (rural and urban) | 34 | 33% |
| Beaverton | 31 | 31% |
| Hillsboro | 18 | 18% |
| Tigard | 6 | 6% |
| Tualatin | 6 | 6% |
| Forest Grove | 2 | 2% |
| Sherwood | 2 | 2% |
| Banks | 1 | 1% |
| Cornelius | 1 | 1% |
| Durham | 1 | 1% |
“I, along with five other stylists, work at Salon 26. We are a neighborhood salon that has been in Beaverton since 2009. Your grant allowed me to pay my lease and utilities, which I passed onto the independent stylists. The money came at a time I was trying to find funding and only running into dead ends. It gave me the hope I needed and reassured me that we will get through this. - Kathy Kolodziejczak, Salon 26
| Recipient businesses by industry | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Number | Percent |
| Professional services | 25 | 25% |
| Food services | 14 | 14% |
| Other | 19 | 19% |
| Personal services (barber, dry cleaner, salon) | 15 | 15% |
| Retail | 9 | 9% |
| Construction | 8 | 8% |
| Adult care/child care | 7 | 7% |
| IT/technology | 2 | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2 | 2% |
| Social services | 1 | 1% |
“There aren’t words to express the gratitude and appreciation for this grant that my business was awarded. I am a self-employed massage therapist with mainly geriatric clients. COVID-19 forced me to shut down because I mostly serve the highly at-risk elderly community. With this grant I am able to cover all overhead costs for two months.” - Ashley Poyser, Restore Massage
