Beginning May 26, Business Oregon will open the final portion of a program to provide grants for small businesses to help with commercial rent and operational costs in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Oregon Legislative Emergency Board allocated approximately $100 million for the program to help small businesses impacted by the pandemic and the restrictions it necessitated. Following two rounds of distribution of Commercial Rent Relief assistance grants, approximately $28 million remains to be distributed in this final round through the Operational Cost Assistance Grant.
The Operational Cost Assistance Grant is designed for businesses with 100 or fewer employees in industries that were particularly affected by the pandemic, including those that:
- offer the consumption of food and or drink on premise;
- provide specified indoor physical exercise, recreational or family entertainment; OR
- provide specified personal services.
Businesses that received assistance grants through the state of Oregon Commercial Rent Relief Program for the same location are eligible to receive the grant, as long as the award amount through the Commercial Rent Relief Program was less than $100,000.
Applications for the Operational Cost Assistance Grant will be accepted beginning May 26 and awards will be selected after a random lottery process of all complete and eligible applications received. See the Business Oregon website to learn more about the program and find the application link that will be posted beginning May 26.
Learn about additional Business Support programs.