Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $10.9 Million in CARES Act Funding to Capitalize Revolving Loan Funds to Help Small Businesses Across Idaho Respond to Coronavirus

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $10.9 million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants to capitalize and administer Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) that will provide critical gap financing to small businesses and entrepreneurs that have been adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic across Idaho.

“President Trump is working diligently every day to support our nation’s economy following the impacts of COVID-19 through the CARES Act,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “These investments will provide small businesses across Idaho with the necessary capital to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic and, in turn, create a stronger and more resilient state economy for the future.”

“These investments come at a crucial time to help Idaho’s and our nation’s economy come roaring back and provide hard-working Americans with new opportunities,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, and EDA is pleased to invest these CARES Act funds so that Idaho businesses have access to capital to respond to and recover from the coronavirus pandemic.”

“The $10.9 million in CARES Act funding to small businesses across Idaho will help revitalize small, rural communities adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Senator Mike Crapo. “EDA grants continue to provide benefits to our state, and I commend the Administration for its continued focus on growth and development in rural areas.”

The EDA investments announced today are:

• Region IV Development Association, Twin Falls, Idaho, will receive a $3.2 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to help small businesses recover from the sudden and severe economic impact caused by the coronavirus pandemic by capitalizing and administering an RLF to provide loans to coronavirus impacted businesses in Ada, Adam, Blaine, Boise, Camas, Canyon, Cassia, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, Owyhee, Payette, Twin Falls, Washington, and Valley counties.
• Panhandle Area Council, Inc., Hayden, Idaho, will receive a $3.168 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to meet the capital needs of small business and entrepreneurs striving to get their businesses up and running in the post-pandemic business environment by capitalizing and administering an RLF to provide loans to coronavirus impacted businesses in Bonner, Boundary, Benewah, Shoshone, and Kootenai counties.
• East Central Idaho Planning and Development, Inc., Rexburg, Idaho, will receive a $2.266 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to strengthen and diversify a highly rural economy by capitalizing and administering an RLF to provide loans to coronavirus impacted businesses in Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, and Teton counties.
• Southeast Idaho Council of Governments, Inc., Pocatello, Idaho, will receive a $1.243 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to collaborate on small business investments that create and preserve jobs in Idaho by capitalizing and administering an RLF to provide loans to coronavirus impacted businesses in Oneida, Bear Lake, Franklin, Caribou, Power, Bannock, and Bingham counties.
• Clearwater Economic Development Association, Lewiston, Idaho, will receive a $1 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to support regional business community efforts to foster economic recovery and resiliency by capitalizing and administering an RLF to provide loans to coronavirus impacted businesses in Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis and Nez Perce counties.

These current EDA RLF grantees are some of the more than 850 existing, high-performing EDA RLF, Economic Development District, University Center, and Tribal grant recipients invited to apply for supplemental funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The CARES Act, signed into law by President Donald J. Trump, provides EDA with $1.5 billion for economic development assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

On May 7, Secretary Ross announced that EDA is accepting applications for CARES Act Recovery Assistance funding opportunities.

EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) (PDF) program, provides a wide-range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. For complete information, please visit our recently updated EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance page.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.