Commerce pledges $250,000 for small businesses in Okanogan County

Ellensburg and Wapato also receive Community Development Block Grants for repairs and roadwork amid federal uncertainty

Community Development Block Grants will support heating and cooling improvements for the Ellensburg Public Library and Hal Holmes Community Center, which share a building.

OLYMPIA – Historically, Okanogan County’s economy relied on agriculture, mills and mining.

But in recent years, hospitality and tourism have gained ground. A new $250,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce will boost local initiatives already underway to support entrepreneurs.

“We’re sitting down with people who have ideas and want to start businesses,” said Roni Holder-Diefenbach, executive director for the Okanogan County Economic Alliance, which is partnering with county government on the project. “Our economy is driven by our entrepreneurs and our small businesses.”

The Okanogan County award is one of three projects that altogether received $2.6 million in Community Development Block Grants, through federal funding administered by Commerce. The state also recently announced $1.62 million in block grants for public building repairs in Kittitas County and another $761,500 for roadwork in Yakima County.

See the full list of recent Washington CDBG awards (PDF)

Federal uncertainty

With a recent proposal to reduce federal spending, CDBG funding may soon run out. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides approximately $45 million in allocations directly to certain communities in Washington and an additional $13 million in competitive state grants on average annually. These funds are invested in affordable housing, community and economic development, planning, and local infrastructure projects that primarily benefit low- and moderate-income communities.

Commerce anticipates approximately $13 million more to continue the state’s competitive CDBG program later this year but faces an uncertain future pending the federal budget.

Building community

This uncertainty is ongoing even as Washington communities celebrate their recent awards.

Okanogan County will provide guidance to businesses, but that means meeting folks where they are, not waiting for them to walk in the door. The grant will go toward workshops and on-site technical assistance.

Justin Bruns, owner of THE 509-Just Good Food, prepares sandwiches at his restaurant in Okanogan. Okanogan County is partnering with the Okanogan County Economic Alliance on support for businesses like this.

Elsewhere in the state, CDBG investments are focused on the infrastructure that builds community.

In Yakima County, the City of Wapato is making street and sidewalk improvements alongside affordable housing, child care services, and school routes.

In Kittitas County, the Ellensburg Public Library and Hal Holmes Community Center share a building – one with a failing heating and cooling system. The City of Ellensburg’s award will aid repairs.

“The library air handler is from the ‘70s and it’s not working very well,” said Lily Frey, the city’s housing program manager. “It’s too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer.”

For an important gathering place, that’s not ideal – especially one that serves as a warming and cooling center during extreme weather. Commerce is seeing increased interest from libraries in funding that part of their mission.

As is often the case with state investments, awardees are allocating local dollars, too. Partnerships like CDBG help projects such as Ellensburg’s take shape, to serve community sooner.

“This is a piece of critical infrastructure, and we’re excited to combine our funds with Commerce to complete the project,” Frey said.

And Commerce staff are proud to offer their support. “Libraries, sidewalks and small business help keep our communities safe and connected,” said Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn. “We’ll continue to make these investments to ensure all of Washington’s communities have a chance to thrive.”