WSDA Relief and Recovery Grants For Craft Beverage Producers Coming Soon

April 8, 2021 - WWI News

Grant Opportunity for Wineries/Cideries/Mead

Grants through the WA State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) will soon be available for wineries/cideries/mead operations! WSDA is partnering with the WA State Department of Commerce to provide Relief and Recovery Grants for agriculture businesses that have been underserved by earlier COVID-19 financial relief programs.

Background

The WSDA Relief and Recovery Grants will provide support to small businesses and organizations in four sectors, including small craft beverage producers, that play an important role in the economic viability of Washington agriculture and have been economically impacted due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. This grant serves the public purpose of bolstering the viability of the Washington State agricultural industry, helping prevent business closures, and hence supporting the health and diversity of Washington State’s economy.

Application Timeline & Grant Amounts

The WSDA Relief and Recovery Grant application portal is expected to open on April 9th and expected to close on April 26th. Grant awards and payments will be made by the end of May.

Grant amounts will be in a set amount of approximately $15,000 (WSDA reserves the right to adjust grant amounts based on available funds).

Eligibility

To be eligible, businesses must:

  1. Be licensed to do business in Washington
  2. Have been in operation prior to April 1, 2020
  3. Attest to gross annual revenues of between $15,000 and $5 million
  4. Hold a Microbrewery, Domestic Brewery, Domestic Winery (includes cideries), Craft Distillery, or Distillers license issued by the Washington State Liquor & Cannabis Board
  5. Operate from a physical brick and mortar location in Washington State
  6. Normally generate at least 33% its gross annual revenue from in-person sales in its own establishment and/or through distribution to other on-premise retailers
  7. Attest to decreased revenue and/or additional costs incurred in 2020 (negative financial impact) resulting from the COVID-19 public health emergency

For more information, visit the WSDA COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Grants page, which will be updated as more info becomes available.

Working Washington Round 4 Grants

Important note: your business may be eligible for both the Department of Commerce’s Working Washington Round 4 grant and the WSDA Relief and Recovery grant. However, your business can only accept one of the two grants and may not receive funding from both programs. Here are some factors to consider when looking at both grants:

  1. Working Washington Round 4 Grants are capped at $25,000. If you received funding through an earlier round of Working Washington grants (through the Department of Commerce) that amount will be deducted from any Round 4 any funding received
  2. Working Washington Round 4 Grants must be equitably distributed statewide and to historically underserved and disadvantaged populations. Minority and women owned businesses and businesses located in rural and low income areas will be prioritized for this funding

While you may apply for both grants, your business can only receive one. The Working Washington Round 4 Grants application portal is open now through April 9th at 5pm. If you are unsure which grant will better serve your business, we encourage you to apply for both.

The WA Wine Institute is here to help! We are working on behalf of the WSDA to provide education and assistance to grant applicants. Please reach out to us with any questions you have about either grant programs or if you need assistance with your WSDA Relief and Recovery Grant application.

Contacts:

Josh McDonald

josh@wwi.wine

CT Moen

ct@wwi.wine