City of Snohomish is offering the Thrives Grant Program, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), to support small businesses and nonprofits in recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program has allocated $450,000 into three funding levels, including three $50,000 grants, six $25,000 grants, and fifteen $10,000 grants. Eligible applicants must be small businesses or nonprofits operating within Snohomish city limits since March 2020 or earlier. Businesses must be independently owned and meet the Small Business Administration’s definition of “small business,” while nonprofits must be registered as 501(c)(3) organizations. The City will consider factors such as decreased revenue, financial insecurity, increased costs, and capacity to weather financial hardship when reviewing applications. For more information and to apply, visit City of Snohomish website.

What is Snohomish Thrives?

Snohomish Thrives is a grant program, funded by the City’s allotment of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, that seeks to support small businesses and nonprofits as they continue to recover from the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

How much funding is available?

$450,000 has been allocated into three funding levels of grant opportunities:

Three $50,000 grants
Six $25,000 grants
Fifteen $10,000 grants
Applicants denied larger grants may be considered for a smaller grant.

Who is eligible for Snohomish Thrives?

This grant opportunity is provided for small businesses and nonprofits operating within Snohomish city limits since March 2020 or earlier. Eligible organizations must meet the provisions of SMC 1.14.070(G)1&2 or have no open code cases. Eligible organizations cannot be the subject of negative code enforcement action by the City.

Businesses must be independently owned (not a chain or franchise) and meet the Small Business Administration’s definition of “small business” for their industry. This often means employing 500 or fewer people. To check, reference your six-digit NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) code in SBA’s table of small business size standards.

Businesses must also maintain an active City of Snohomish endorsement on their business license. If you’re unsure whether this is the case for your business, follow the instructions on the Washington Department of Revenue’s website to check your endorsement status and apply if necessary.

Businesses within the Historic Business District must be current on their annual Parking & Business Improvement Area (PBIA) billing. If you’re unsure whether this applies to you, enter your address into the City’s interactive zoning map. To check the status of your PBIA bill, connect with the City’s Finance Department:

By phone: 360-568-3115 (Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
By email: info@snohomishwa.gov
Nonprofits must be registered as 501(c)(3) organizations.

Eligible organizations will be asked, as part of the application, to demonstrate how the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted them.

How do I demonstrate a negative financial impact from the COVID-19 pandemic?

In reviewing applications, the City will consider:

Decreased revenue or gross receipts
Financial insecurity
Increased costs
Capacity to weather financial hardship
Challenges covering payroll, rent or mortgage, and other operating costs
The application requires applicants to describe these negative impacts and back them up with supporting documentation.

What supporting documentation is required? (Updated 12/20/2023)

For small businesses:

Profit and loss (P&L) statements from 2019-2022, AND
Federal tax returns from 2019-2022. One of the following documents for each year is sufficient:
Partnership: Form 1065
Sole Proprietor: Form 1040 with Schedule C
S or C Corporation: Form 1120 (S or C)
For nonprofits:

Annual reports from 2019-2022. These are reports filed with the Washington Secretary of State.
Form 990 federal tax returns from 2019-2022.
All organizations are required to include a current Form W-9 with their applications.

Is funding guaranteed?

Submitting an application is not a guarantee that funding will be awarded.

Is my organization eligible to apply if we have received other COVID-19 grant funding?

Per the contract terms, no grant funds may be used to pay or reimburse expenditures for which your organization has received any other funding, whether state, federal, or private in nature, for that same expense. If you are unsure whether this applies to your organization, please consult your legal counsel.

How are applications reviewed?

The City will review applications on a regular basis and in the order in which they are received. Staff will review an application for eligibility and to determine whether it is complete, as well as whether the organization has demonstrated a negative financial impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is the beneficiary agreement?

The beneficiary agreement is a contract between the City and grant funding recipients. Recipients are required to sign the agreement before receiving funds. As this is a federally funded program, there are several federal terms for organizations to review and consider before signing the agreement. If you have questions about these terms, you should consult your legal counsel.

Is there a reporting requirement?

Yes, per the terms of the agreement, recipients are required to submit a report on how the funds are spent no less frequently than annually until all funds are expended. A template will be provided to recipients.

How long do I have to expend the grant award?

Grant funding must be expended by December 31, 2026.

When does the application open?

The application opens on Monday, October 16, 2023 at 9 a.m., and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications will continue to be accepted until the allocated funding has been expended.

Why do I need to submit an application request form?

The application request form is used to determine your basic eligibility for the program. If your organization is eligible to apply, you will receive an application form to complete. Please note that being eligible to apply does not guarantee that you will receive funding. Please allow for up to 10 business days for your application request to be reviewed.

Will there be another grant cycle?

No, this is a one-time grant funding opportunity.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Please submit all questions to info@snohomishwa.gov.

Helpful Tips

Review all the eligibility requirements before submitting the request form, including whether your organization is located within Snohomish city limits
There are large swaths of unincorporated Snohomish County that have Snohomish street addresses, so don’t assume that a Snohomish street address means your organization is located within city limits
Funding is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so start preparing as soon as possible
Don’t have a City of Snohomish endorsement on your business license? The Department of Revenue can take 10 business days to process your application. Don’t jeopardize your chances by being unprepared. Start gathering the necessary documentation now
If your application is approved, read the beneficiary agreement carefully before signing
If you have questions, email us: info@snohomishwa.gov