PENDLETON — Within the span of a few weeks, the Pendleton Development Commission dispersed $140,000 in grants to 70 businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The commission had originally created the Pendleton Retail and Hospitality Relief Program to include just 50 businesses in the urban renewal district, with each recipient eligible for a $2,000 grant.

But more than 50 businesses applied for the grant, requiring Pendleton to use a lottery to select the winners. The commission voted Thursday to extend the grant pool to include the businesses who weren’t chosen in the lottery.

“Numerous emails were received from the businesses who received the grants, expressing their gratitude, with several expressing the opinion that the grant would allow them to stay in business,” Pendleton Development Commission Associate Director Charles Denight wrote in an email.

Not everyone emerged from the process happy with the way things shook out.

The commission took a firm stance against offering the grant to a handful of businesses who applied for it after the deadline.

Additionally, 11 businesses outside of the urban renewal district, which is comprised of downtown Pendleton and some of the surrounding area, applied but were denied the grant.

“A few unhappy emails were received from the businesses outside the URD, expressing dissatisfaction with the discrimination favoring downtown businesses,” Denight wrote. “The legal limits on our funding ability when the source is urban renewal (tax increment financing) does not seem to impact feelings on that issue.”

• 1040 Avenue Tax Service 

• 1910 CrossFit

• 40 Taps

• AEW Welding & Custom Fabrication

• Alexander’s Chocolate Classics 

• All Gussied Up

• Americas Best Value Inn

• Antiques & Art on Main

• Bachmeier Property Management

• Rolling Stone Bakery

• Bevington Leather

• Big John’s Pizza

• Blue Hawk Beads

• Blue Mountain Creations

• Bouncy B Rentals

• Brittany McFarlane at Ooh La La Salon

• Calico Country Florist

• Catching Violet Photography

• Citadel Recording Studio

• Club 24

• Dave’s Chevron & Food Mart

• Dean’s Pendleton Athletic

• El Charrito

• Frazier Office Supply

• Great Pacific Wine & Coffee Co. 

• Hair Hut Salon

• Hairpins on 6th Salon

• Main Street Dental Care

• Heart of Pendleton AirBnB

• Joe’s Fiesta Mexican Restaurant 

• Jr. Jam Dance Studio

• Lavender Mercantile Co. 

• Loftus Jewelers 

• Lucky Score Consignment Store

• Mac’s Bar and Grill 

• Man Cave Barbershop

• Michael’s Fine Jewelry

• Moe Pho-Noodles & Cafe

• New York Clothier

• Old Pendleton Firehouse 1864

• Ooh La La Salon

• Oregon Grain Growers Brand Distillery

• Packard Tavern

• Pearl Salon

• Pendleton Art & Frame

• Pendleton Ballet Theater

• Pendleton Underground Tours

• Pendleton Veterinary Clinic 

• Pendleton Yoga 

• PHD Headquarters

• Pier 104

• Patty Hall at Pier 104

• Prodigal Son Brewery & Pub

• Rainbow Cafe

• Reflections Salon

• Reride

• Robert Alan Pratt, DMD

• Rob Retherford Saddlery and Cowboy Art

• Simplicity Salon

• Sister’s Cafe

• Star Gymnastics

• Studio Sparkle

• Temple Massage

• The Shop Tire Pros

• Travelodge

• Trendsitions

• Vintage Court Antiques

• Virgil’s at Cimmiyotti’s

• Wild West Pets

• Zhen’s Jade Garden