The Small Enterprise Fund, a key program for the Oregon Worker Relief program, is open for applications again.
The Small Enterprise Fund offers one-time grants between $7,000 to $25,000 to small and micro-businesses owned by people whose immigration status prevented them from accessing federal business relief programs.
The fund has $1.5 million available for this new round of applications. The city of Portland provided the capital. The fund is open to businesses who suffered hardships due to the Covid-19 pandemic and related health and safety requirements.
“The Small Enterprise Fund has been critical to helping immigrant small business owners and their families stay afloat during the pandemic. The additional funding is a step towards a more equitable solution that includes all Oregonian business owners,” said Jenny Pool Radway, executive director of Causa, one of the organizations behind Oregon Worker Relief.
According to Oregon Worker Relief there are 29,857 immigrant business owners, and according to 2018 data, they account for 11% of all self-employed Oregonians.
“The SEF has already helped about 746 Oregon businesses and distributed over $9 million throughout Oregon,” said Andrea Gonzalez, program manager at Innovation Law Lab, another Oregon Worker Relief member, in a written statement “With these additional funds, many more migrant-owned Oregon businesses will be able to receive the help they desperately need to continue with their businesses during this pandemic.”
Oregon Worker Relief is a nonprofit that was created in 2020 after dozens of organizations across the state came together to fill holes in the public safety net for immigrants and refugees during the Covid-19 pandemic. These communities are left out of unemployment and other programs due to immigration status. Since the group started, it has raised more than $100 million through public and private organizations and distributed more than $90 million across three relief programs.
After the last round of SEF capital was exhausted the group started a waiting list for business owners seeking help. Those folks are being contacted and new applicants are asked to call 1-888-274-7292 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday to apply.
Applicants for Oregon Worker Relief programs are guided through the programs by navigators who are part of a network of community and culturally specific groups across the state.
