The city of Enumclaw has distributed $100,000 to local businesses as an effort to help stave off financial difficulties brought on by COVID-19.

The Small Business Relief Grant was announced Sept. 4, and applications were accepted through Sept. 27.

Those in charge of overseeing the distribution of the $100,000 were Councilmembers Tony Binion, Kael Johnson, and Kyle Jacobson; the three finalized the list of grant recipients Oct. 5.

Businesses could ask for up to $7,000 in grant funds. Three dozen businesses applied, though only 23 were approved; funds will be released to businesses when a contract with the city is signed.

$2,000 – $2,500: Rouge Roots Hot Yoga, Lee Nails, Something to Chalk About, Puget Sound Draperies, and Redemption Press.

$3,000 – $3,500: The Courier-Herald, Terri Kilbourne LMT, Megan’s Massage

$4,000 – $4,500: Oh Baby Uncommon Consignments, This-N-That

$5,000: Four Seasons, Chef Ky, Country Playhouse Learning Center, The Local, Garage Fitness, Paisley Petals, Bordeaux Wine Bar, The Historic Mint, Plateau Athletic Club, Rainier Bar and Grill, Jackson’s, Charlie’s Cafe, and Mazatlan.

“These were extremely difficult decisions. The committee received an overwhelming number of requests that we had to vet and make decisions based upon the limited information provided on the anonymized applications,” said committee chair Binion. “It became clear very early on in the process that some businesses described a greater amount of need than others, especially when we looked at how much revenue had been lost this year to date. Although it was clear that all businesses could benefit from grant money, the committee felt that giving much lower amounts to more applicants would do less good than giving higher amounts that would hopefully make a meaningful impact in the businesses.

“There is a significant amount of need in this community and many of our small businesses are suffering greatly,” he continued. “The committee wishes to highlight the need for our community to recognize that small businesses are not out of the woods yet and local support for them will continue to be needed as they continue to recover.”

According to Mayor Jan Molinaro, Enumclaw received another $40,000 in CARES Act funds on Oct. 5. However, this new pot of money came from the county’s Department of Community and Human Services, specifically the Adult Services Division, and will be used to maintain food security for the local senior population through the Enumclaw Senior Center.