Moscow awards ARPA grants to businesses

The Moscow City Council on Monday voted to award American Rescue Plan Act money to three local businesses affected by COVID-19, and will explore expanding the amount of money nonprofits may be granted.

In December, Moscow decided to allocate $750,000 in ARPA funding to small businesses and nonprofits in the form of grants.

As part of its ARPA COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program, the City Council on Monday granted $15,000 each to Deep Roots Farm, Healing Point and Cafe Artista. These businesses were eligible for the grant because they showed a net income loss of more than 25% during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to prepandemic years.

The City Council denied College Cabs’ application because its address is in Pullman. It also denied Pour Company’s application because the Sixth Street business opened during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

So far, 11 businesses have applied for the grant and this was the first batch reviewed by the City Council.

Councilwoman Hailey Lewis abstained from this vote regarding the small business grant awards. Lewis said it is because she was not yet a city councilmember when this program was formed and she had concerns about the way it was written.

The City Council also granted the Moscow Food Bank $25,000 from its nonprofit grant program Monday. The Moscow Food Bank wants to use the money to expand its facility at St. Mary’s Parish.

The grant is available to nonprofits that show a need for a new or expanded service because of the pandemic, specifically those that address homelessness, behavioral health, nutritional services or educational services. So far, 13 nonprofits have applied for the grant program.

The Latah County Recovery Center is seeking $200,000 to secure a home and transform it into an Oxford House, a self-supporting drug-free residence for recovering addicts.

The city council did not have authorization to grant more than $25,000 to a nonprofit, so it voted to table this decision and revise the grant program’s language to give the council authority to grant a larger amount.

This means other nonprofits, including the Moscow Food Bank, could revise their applications and ask for a greater grant award in the future.

More information about the ARPA COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program can be found on the city’s website.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.