Snohomish County, Wash., June 20, 2023 – Two information sessions for the Snohomish County Small Business Innovation Assistance (SBIA) program are taking place this Wednesday and Thursday. SBIA provides technical assistance services coupled with microgrants to help Snohomish County-based small businesses recover from the effects of the pandemic as well as incentivize new, innovative ideas from start-ups and entrepreneurs. The program is funded by the County’s federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation.

“Our small business community is the backbone of our main streets and local economy. They provide the goods and services that make our communities thrive,” said Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “The Small Business Innovation Assistance program will boost economic growth and innovation across our county and help business owners and entrepreneurs build long-term resiliency.”

These free upcoming information sessions are the first step to learn more about SBIA, which is a partnership with Ventures, and they are required to apply to the Business Basics Course. Ventures is a regional nonprofit organization that has been supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs for 28 years. Details for each information session are included below.

Spanish-Language Information Session

Date and Time: Wednesday, June 21, from 6 – 8 p.m.

Location: Connect Casino Road, 14 E Casino Rd, Everett, WA 98208

English-Language Information Session

Date and Time: Thursday, June 22, from 6 – 8 p.m.

Location: Connect Casino Road, 14 E Casino Rd, Everett, WA 98208

Anyone interested but unable to attend in-person can watch a recording of the information session on Ventures’ website.

The eight-week Business Basics Course for Snohomish County small businesses and entrepreneurs is a vital component of SBIA. The course will meet once per week for three hours with peers and business coaches and will cover the basics of business marketing, sales, financial management, and operations. Graduates of the Business Basics Course will then be eligible for access to capital opportunities such as small business loans and grants as well as a targeted incubation program to support the development of startup businesses in the food and child care industries.

These courses are in-person and will take place on Thursday evenings from 6 – 9 p.m. from July 13 –  September 7, 2023. The deadline to apply for the summer session of SBIA is Thursday, June 29 at 11:59 p.m. 

Anyone interested can find more information on SBIA, including eligibility, how to apply, and other components of the program on this website (available in English and Spanish).

Executive Somers established the Office of Recovery and Resilience to guide the County’s recovery work by ensuring federal pandemic relief is administered quickly, effectively, and equitably. Information on the County’s recovery work can be found at www.snohomishcountywa.gov/recovery.

SOURCE: Snohomish County Government