Small Business Disaster Recovery Presentation — Department of Commerce (December 5, 2023)
Summary
This is a Small Business Disaster Recovery presentation by Keith Swenson, Deputy Assistant Director, Office of Economic Development & Competitiveness, Washington State Department of Commerce, for the House Innovation, Community & Economic Development, & Veterans Committee on December 5, 2023. It states that the Small Business Disaster Grant Program received $20 million provided by the state legislature in 2022-23, with $10 million for NW Washington floods and $10 million for statewide relief. It states that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) doesn't cover small business losses. It also states that Commerce has set aside a portion of a U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant to create a mobile app for small businesses to manage business disruptions.
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“Small Business Disaster Recovery Presentation — Department of Commerce (December 5, 2023).”
Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2023-12-05-a31443-d263152-commerce-small-business-disaster-recovery-078971311e/
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Small Business
Disaster Recovery
House Innovation, Community & Economic
Development, & Veterans Committee Presentation
Keith Swenson
DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & COMPETITIVENESS
DECEMBER 5, 2023
We strengthen communities
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 2
A disaster isn’t a matter of if, but when…
Bellingham Flooding Sumner Arson
Bolt Creek Fire
Maltby Fire Port Orchard King Tides
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 3
Small Business Disaster Grant Program
• $20 million provided by state legislature in 2022-23 to provide grants to small
businesses that sustained physical damage or economic loss due to a natural
or other comparable disaster.
• $10 million for NW Washington floods
• $10 million for statewide relief
• Grants used for payroll, utilities and rent, marketing and advertising, building
improvements or repairs, replacing damaged inventory and equipment, and
other operations and business expenses that were not covered by other
disaster relief or insurance.
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 4
Eligible disasters included
• DR-4635: Flooding & Mudslides - Nov. 13-Dec. 2, 2021
• DR-4650: Winter storms, snowstorms, straight-line winds, flooding - Dec 26, 2021-Jan 15, 2022
• FM-5447: Lind Fire - Aug 4, 2022+
• FM-5455: Bolt Creek Fire - Sept. 10, 2022+
• FM-5456: Nakia Creek Fire - Oct 9, 2022+
• DR-4682: Winter storms, snowstorms, straight-line winds, flooding - Nov 3-9, 2022
• Sumner Main Street Fire: Oct. 28, 2022
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 5
Why assistance is necessary
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) doesn’t cover small business losses.
• 30% of small businesses are uninsured and 75% are underinsured.
• Business insurance policies can have claim and lifetime caps.
• Many businesses can’t secure U.S. Small Business Administration or bank loans as they are at their
borrowing limits from the pandemic.
• Without additional coverage, insurance may not cover: floods; cybercrime, computer fraud; exterior
signage, furnishings or barriers; or losses in transit (event staging, for example).
• Historically underserved communities often lack the financial reserves necessary to restart/recover.
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 6
Program Results - Distribution
Northwest Flood Allocation Statewide Allocation
TOTAL: $7,388,125 TOTAL: $5,413,725
Applications Received: 122 Applications Received: 292
Businesses Funded: 109 Businesses Funded: 107
• Clallam: $535,000 • Benton & Franklin: $62,004 • Okanogan: $391,967
• Skagit: $1,163,000 • Chelan: $82,326 • Piece: $884,104
• Whatcom: $5,690,125 • Clark/Klickitat: $250,185 • Skagit: $619,472
• Tribal: $265,000 • Cowlitz: $156,565 • Snohomish: $279,911
• Grays Harbor: $237,974 • Spokane: $3,462
• Island: $135,557 • Thurston: $306,178
• King: $511,040 • Wahkiakum: $56,645
• Lewis: $57,364 • Whatcom: $668,109
• Mason: $255,681
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 7
Program Results - Demographics
Northwest Flood Allocation Statewide Allocation
Race Race
White: 53.21% White: 62.8%
Asian: 8.26% Asian: 15.6%
American Indian/Alaska Native: 7.34% American Indian/Alaska Native: 3%
Multi-racial: 5.5% Multi-racial: 10.3%
Black/African American: 0.92% Black/African American: 2.0%
Prefer Not to Say: 19.27% Prefer Not to Say: 16.4%
Gender Gender
Male: 47.71% Male: 34.5%
Female: 42.2% Female: 57.0%
Non-Conforming: 0.92% Non-Conforming: N/A
Prefer Not to Say: 9.17% Prefer Not to Say: 14.9%
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 8
Recipient Feedback
“Thank you so much for letting me know; this truly could not come at a better time for the business
as we are just leaning into short-term funding to get through this tight period of time.”
Jacob Young, Old Schoolhouse Brewery - Winthrop
“Our family-owned farm has been located in the Nooksack
“Wow, thank you very much. This is going to help us
basin for over a hundred years. The flood was devastating to
out so much. We have been so worried about what our home and business. We are not located in a flood zone
we were going to do, and this is going to help us and have never experienced water at that height before. We
immensely. I appreciate this all so, so much.” had no insurance and little help recovering from such a
devastating disaster. We appreciate and are very thankful for
Adrienne Jones, Seafood Connection - Westport the NW Disaster Grant as we continue to recover.”
Williams Farms - Nooksack
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 9
Recipient Feedback
“This funding will allow my studio to survive! I am so encouraged to know that there are programs and
people like you out there who are committed to investing in small businesses, and I am grateful for the trust
and faith in my work that this grant money signifies.”
Hadar Iron, InFerment - Seattle
“Not too many emails choke me up. This one “I am so grateful to have the support of the Department of
makes a gratitude heart swell, causing the Commerce as my business recovers from the impact of
tears to flow. Thank you from my small wildfires in and around our region. This grant will not only keep
business to all the parties that make this the lights on for my storefront studio, but ensure that I can pay
disaster aid possible.” subcontractors in full and on time as my public art projects
progress.”
-Terry Gifford, Tea and Tour – Sedro-Woolley
Perry Howard, VMG Velocity Made Good – Twisp
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 10
Small Business Disaster Planning
• The state’s Small Business Training and Education
Center (MyStartup365.com) has a disaster planner to
help small businesses identify, mitigate and recover
from disasters.
• Commerce has set aside a portion of a U.S. Economic
Development Administration (EDA) grant to create a
mobile app that can be used by small businesses to
manage business disruptions and store key documents
remotely to increase survivability and recovery.
• The EDA hopes to adopt the mobile app for use
nationally when completed.
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 11
Thank you!
Keith Swenson
DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR www.commerce.wa.gov
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & COMPETITIVENESS
Keith.Swenson@commerce.wa.gov
Robb Zerr Dave Pringle
SENIOR MANAGING DIRECTOR LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR
SMALL BUSINESS TRAINING & EDUCATION – BUSINESS & VISITOR ATTRACTION
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & COMPETITIVENESS Dave.Pringle@commerce.wa.gov
Robb.Zerr@commerce.wa.gov
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