Olympia Peninsula Small Business Boost

Posted on: Dec, 5, 2022

Grays Harbor College, Greater Grays Harbor Inc, and partners to provide “Olympia Peninsula Small Business Boost”

The Economic Development Councils of Clallam, Grays Harbor and Jefferson Counties, as well as Peninsula and Grays Harbor Colleges, are thrilled to announce a new innovative grant program called Olympic Peninsula Small Business Boost!

The collaborating partners were awarded $1.3M from Department of Commerce to offer free professional legal and/or marketing services (including simple website development) to the underserved businesses within our counties through June 1, 2023. In addition, free bookkeeping services will be available to help small business get set up in QuickBooks!

Not only will small businesses benefit from this grant, but it also provides FREE online Bookkeeping Classes to 20+ students living in one of the counties. These students will receive free online training, a monthly stipend, and a laptop computer loaded with QuickBooks and MS Office that is theirs to keep upon successful class completion.

Starting in April 2023, these newly certified bookkeepers will be positioned as interns at small businesses that request bookkeeping support. During this phase, each student will be supported by the colleges’ technical experts, and they will earn $50 per hour, which is paid for by the grant.

“This is a win-win-win for our community!” said Clallam EDC Executive Director Colleen McAleer. “Each of our communities lacked enough bookkeepers to serve small business requesting help. Now we can help those businesses and train a cohort of professionals at the same time. These newly minted entrepreneurs will likely have a dozen or more clients to launch their own business.”

To apply for bookkeeper training, fill out the application at this Bookkeeper Application link. Bookkeeper applicants must apply by Dec 15, 2022.

If you know of a struggling business or startup, be sure to share the Business Application link. Small business owners must apply no later than Dec, 31, 2022.

RFPs for local marketers and attorneys will be published soon. Contact the Olympic Peninsula Small Business Boost Program Manager, Ted Hennessy, at Thennessy@Clallam.org if you would like to receive the RFP.

We are grateful to be able to serve our communities!

Clallam County Economic Development Council, Greater Grays Harbor Inc, EDC Team Jefferson, Peninsula College, and Grays Harbor College.