By Pepper Fisher
OLYMPIC PENINSULA – As we reported to you a few weeks ago, the Economic Development Councils of Clallam, Grays Harbor and Jefferson Counties, as well as Peninsula and Grays Harbor Colleges, are collaborating in an innovative grant program called Olympic Peninsula Small Business Boost.
The partners were awarded $1.3 million from the Department of Commerce to offer free online bookkeeping classes to 20 students living in those counties. Those 20 slots have already been filled.
The other side of this job-producing program is the benefit it will bring to underserved local business owners, who are being offered free bookkeeping, legal and marketing services (including website development) through June 1, 2023.
But time is running out for businesses to apply for these free services. The deadline is December 31. Clallam EDC Executive Director Colleen McAleer says there is room for around 70 more businesses in Clallam County to take part.
“If you’re a business that’s pretty sophisticated, this program isn’t designed for you. It’s designed for those that don’t have the ability to pay for legal services or extensive marketing services. If you have a website, that’s great. But if it’s minimal, I think these folks definitely should apply to make their website and marketing presence more robust.”
McAleer says this program is focusing on small and upstart businesses because it was the larger businesses that benefitted the most from the PPP loans and other programs offered during the pandemic.
“The legislature identified that the more sophisticated businesses that had staff to do these things, were the ones that knew how to apply for PPP loans, knew how to apply for the ERC credits. And they’ve received a lot of funding. And so, this is designed for those really small businesses that missed out.”
Again, time is running out to apply for these free business services being offered at clallam.org and clicking on Small Business Boost. McAleer added that if they still have openings at the end of the year, they might extend the deadline.
“And so, I just like to say to folks if this doesn’t apply to you, think about who it does apply to. Who you can contact and tell them to go to clallam.org and fill out this application.”