$2.9 million eyed for COVID relief in Spokane, including money for small businesses and rental assistance

The city of Spokane could allocate small businesses and rental assistance programs more than $1 million each from its pool of federal coronavirus aid.

The Spokane City Council will consider a proposal at its meeting Monday to allocate $2.9 million of federal aid to six agencies and organizations .

The focus of the funding would be on rental and housing assistance, small business assistance and support for child care providers.

The proposed recipients of the aid were recommended by a review committee consisting of Mayor Nadine Woodward, city administrators and members of the City Council, the city announced on Friday.

The $1.34 million dedicated to rental and housing assistance would be split between three organizations. Catholic Charities would receive $500,000, the Spokane Workforce Council would receive $822,000 and Family Promise of Spokane would receive $20,000.

A total of $1.34 million would also be dedicated to two small business grant programs, one of $1.04 million administered by LiveStories and another operated by the Spokane Arts Commission through a $300,000 grant.

Community Minded Enterprises would receive $222,000 for child care support.

Friday’s announcement is the culmination of a monthslong review process. After receiving $6.6 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act distributed by Washington State, the city laid out its priorities for funding in a resolution in June.

The resolution established key funding areas of low-income homeowner and rental assistance, child care, homelessness, nonprofit service providers and small, locally owned businesses.

Last month, the city announced a public survey to solicit input from the community on its priorities for funding.

More funding could be made available as the city looks to leverage its CARES Act funds as a match when applying for emergency aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. About half of the CARES Act funding is expected to be used to cover the city’s internal costs incurred due to its COVID-19 response.