Regional Chamber Facilitates Distribution of Grant Funds to 64 Franklin County Businesses

In October and November, the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce administered $600,000 in financial support to 64 businesses in crisis due to government mandated COVID-19 closures.

The Franklin County Rapid Response Business Grant was funded through the CARES Act. The Franklin County Board of Commissioners selected the Regional Chamber to help distribute the funds on October 20. The application was available in both English and Spanish on the Chamber’s website from October 20 through November 20, and publicized through television, radio, print, digital, and direct mail advertising.

The Chamber received 137 applications for the grant from Franklin County business owners. To select grant recipients, the Chamber developed application scoring criteria to best determine businesses in greatest need. An evaluation panel met every week for five weeks to review applications and select grant recipients. $120,000 was awarded by the evaluation panel each week. The evaluation panel consisted of Regional Chamber President & CEO, Lori Mattson, Chamber Board Chair, Chris Rivard, as well as representatives from the Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Pasco Development Authority, Pasco Chamber of Commerce, Connell Chamber of Commerce, and Tippett Company.

Though this grant has closed, the Regional Chamber continues to help struggling businesses find funding through the weekly COVID-19 Business Resource Guide and the daily Rapid Response Call Line.