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This page provides a list of tools and resources to support our workers and business community during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.
General COVID-19 updates and resources for Oregon and Washington.
Business Trainings – upcoming, recorded, and training videos.
Employment
Individuals:
- Unemployment information for Oregon and Washington residents or contact your local workforce organization (OR: East Cascade Works, WA: South Central Workforce Council)
- Disaster Cash Assistance Program (Oregon, Washington, Spanish )
- Oregon Worker Relief Fund (including the Quarantine Fund)
- Oregon COVID-19 Temporary Paid Leave Program
- Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund
- Insurance information for businesses and individuals (Oregon, Washington)
- Website and resources for undocumented workers
- FAQs on federal student loan relief
- Information Sessions for Oregonians on Unemployment Insurance, Health Insurance, and Food/Financial Assistance
- Tax relief (Economic Impact Payments, Oregon)
Businesses:
- Employment department guidance (Oregon, Washington)
- Sick leave guidance during coronavirus (Oregon, Washington)
- Washington Food Production Workers Paid Leave Program
- Health department guidance for keeping employees safe, keeping the workplace clean (Oregon, Washington)
- Looking for alternatives to laying people off?
- Oregon WorkShare, Washington SharedWork and partial employment and standby
- Or contact the local workforce organization (OR: East Cascade Works, WA: South Central Workforce Council)
- Tax Relief (IRS Tax Credits, Oregon, Washington)
Information for individuals and businesses about the new legislation:
- Small Business Owner’s Guide to the CARES Act
- Summary of COVID-19 bills and resources
- Families First Coronavirus Response Act
- COVID-19 Relief Package (signed December 27, 2020)
- American Rescue Plan (signed March 11, 2021)
Business Resources
Reopening:
- Reopening guidelines (Oregon, Washington)
- Reopening webinars (Oregon)
- Reopening status by county (Oregon, Washington)
- Outreach materials (Oregon, Washington)
- Guidance on face coverings (Oregon, Washington)
- How to appropriately use cloth masks (English ,Spanish)
- PPE (Oregon, Washington)
- Locally in the Gorge: Chambers, West Coast PPE, LifeRaft)
- FEMA Private Sector PPE Exchange Dashboard
- Gorge Crisis Innovation
Financial:
- Shuttered Venue Operators Grant – (link to portal); FAQ; application user guide; application checklist
- Restaurant Revitalization Fund – applications closed, see the SBA website for more details
- Oregon Small Enterprise Fund (phone number: 888.274.7292) for small/micro businesses that have not been able to access federal relief due to immigration status.
- Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)- application closed, see the SBA website for more details
- Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program – Small business owners, including agricultural businesses, and nonprofit organizations in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories can apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. Application deadline is December 31, 2021.
- U.S. Small Business Administration summary of financial programs and guidance
- Business department information about financial resources (Oregon, Washington)
- MCEDD’s business loan program (Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Klickitat, Skamania counties)
- Oregon Investment Board emergency relief loans of up to $35,000. (Oregon businesses in National Scenic Area)
- Washington Investment Board and Small Business Micro Loan Program (Skamania County; visit Skamania County EDC for details)
- Business Oregon’s Entrepreneurial Development Loan Fund – provides direct loans to help start-ups, microenterprises and small businesses expand or become established in Oregon.
- Washington’s Small Business Flex Fund – Small businesses and nonprofits can borrow up to $150,000 and the money can be spent flexibly, including on payroll, utilities & rent, supplies, marketing & advertising, building improvements or repairs, and other business expenses.
- Oregon SBDC COVID-19 funding sources (national sources also listed)
- Grant and funding sources for food and beverage businesses and workers here.
- The Oregon Cares Fund for Black Relief & Resiliency
- Oregon Hospitality Foundation – to provide financial support to restaurants who are providing meals for front line employees and those experiencing food insecurity.
- Relief funds for musicians (here and here) and artists (here).
- Relief fund for licensed beauty professionals.
- Main Street Lending Program
- HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program
- Oregonian | OregonLive matching grants to support advertising and marketing
Guidance/Information:
If you need assistance with putting together a business plan, financial projections or applying for the SBA’s loans, make an appointment to see a counselor at the nearest Small Business Development Center Office (Columbia Gorge Community College SBDC
- SBDC guide for reopening; guide to closing your business (in Spanish)
- DisasterSafety.org – features projects to help home and business owners protect their property from damage caused by natural disasters. Link to toolkit.
- Small Business Legal Clinic at Lewis & Clark
- Connect with your local economic development organization (Oregon, Washington)
- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce offers a coronavirus toolkit and a Small Business Guide .
- Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs can help minority small businesses in identifying appropriate sources of financing
- SCORE’s Coronavirus Small Business Resource Hub
- Oregon SBDC’s Guide to Navigating a Business Crisis
- Business Survival Tips (Spanish)
- Resources for manufacturing businesses (Oregon, Washington )
- Regular updates and resources for small businesses.
- Free eCommerce expert support to launch your business digitally
- Results from the Business Oregon/SBDC/Travel Oregon COVID-19 business survey.
- Safety strategies and protocols for restaurants and lodging properties
Nonprofits
- Grant programs specific to the Gorge:
- Nonprofits providing essential services who need assistance can apply for grant funding here.
- Healthy Gorge Initiative
- Mid-Columbia Health Foundation – “Area of Greatest Need” grant, applications due by December 21
- Grant programs from the Oregon Community Foundation
- National Endowment for the Arts grants
- Social Justice Fund Northwest emergency grant program
- Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation Community Grants
- Healy Foundation (Oregon only) grant program
- A searchable database of funding opportunities for nonprofits here
- National Council of Nonprofits chart to help nonprofits decide which loan program is right for your organization
- Grantmakers of Oregon and SW Washington (GOSW) COVID-19 resource page
- Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO) COVID-19 resources
- GOSW and NAO The Resource Connector
Agriculture, Food Safety
- USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers – intended to reach a broader set of producers than in previous COVID-19 aid programs
- USDA COVID-19 resources
- USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program
- USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2, new applications to be accepted starting April 5
- State Department of Agriculture (Oregon, Washington)
- Small farm information (Oregon, Washington)
- Farm Bureau guidance (Oregon, Washington)
- Food safety information from OSU and WSU
- Fact sheet for agricultural warehouses and packing houses
- Oregon Temporary Rule (Spanish) re:employer provided housing and farm operations; start date extension memo; other resources
- Washington new Emergency Rule for temporary farmworker housing, effective May 9, 2021
- Oregon Food Security and Farmworker Safety Program
Community
- Vaccine information (Oregon, Washington)
- Landlord Fund Programs (Oregon, Washington)
- Rent Assistance for Low Income Households in Skamania and Klickitat counties
- Rent/utility assistance for agricultural workers in Oregon (English, Spanish) – available until June 2021
- Mortgage Relief Programs (Oregon, Washington)
- Mid-Columbia Housing Authority – (Housing Assistance Programs)
- Support for utility bills:
- COVID-19 resource page for Treaty Fishing Access Site and In-Lieu Site residents and Tribal Fishers
- County public health department pages – Klickitat, Skamania, Hood River, Wasco and Sherman
- Emergency Management pages for Klickitat, Skamania, Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties.
- Local Chambers: Skamania County, Mt. Adams, Goldendale, Hood River County, and The Dalles Area.
- EveryoneOn – support in finding affordable internet service and computers
- Gorge Love
- Gorge Guided – network of guides and tour operators serving the Gorge region
- Show WA Love. Buy Now, Play Later.
- Hood River Marketplace
- Oregon2go.com – restaurants offering delivery and takeout in the state
- Main Street America COVID-19 resources page for communities; Reopen Mainstreet resources
- “Meals for Kids” Site Finder
- Gorge Grown Food Network SNAP program support, market safety protocol, and summary of free or low cost food resources in the Gorge.
- Rent information for tenants and landlords (Oregon, Washington)
- The Next Connection– referral hotline from The Next Door, bilingual staff , information on food banks and meal services for children, physical and mental health resources, appropriate home activities for children, and other resources in the community. The number is 541.308.7099.
- The Next Door Inc. has provided COVID-19 videos in Spanish:
