UMATILLA — The city of Umatilla has established a grant program for small businesses impacted by COVID-19.

The Umatilla Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program will provide one-time payments to businesses and sole proprietors with fewer than 25 employees. According to a news release by the city, it is funded in part by funding from the state’s general fund and Lottery Funds administered by the Oregon Business Development Department.

Applications can be submitted until July 15 at 5 p.m. and are available at www.umatilla-city.org or at Umatilla City Hall, 700 Sixth St. Funds will be awarded on a first come first served basis.

Businesses can qualify for the grant if their principal operations are within Umatilla’s city limits, have fewer than 25 employees and have not received CARES Act funding, including the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan.

They must be able to show that they were forced to shut down under one of the state’s executive orders relating to COVID-19 or they can demonstrate a one month decline in revenue grater than 50% in the month of March or April 2020 as compared against January or February 2020.

Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status can also qualify under similar criteria. Ineligible applicants include passive investments and real estate holdings, businesses delinquent in taxes that were due before April 1, businesses that do not comply with laws, businesses not headquartered and with principals operations in Oregon and businesses not registered to do business in Oregon through the Secretary of State’s office.

For more information contact community development director Brandon Seitz at 541-922-3226 ext. 103 or brandon@umatilla-city.org.