10A | SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2021 | SIUSLAW NEWS
Greater
Florence
Area
Business Quarterly
EDA awards RAIN $748,833 to Jewelry, antique store reopens
support rapid recovery in Oregon
Oregon RAIN (Regional
Accelerator and Innova-
tion Network) is thrilled
to announce that it has
been awarded an 18-month
SPRINT Challenge grant
award from the U.S.
Economic Development
Administration (EDA).
RAIN is honored to
be 1 of only 44 orga-
nizations selected
for funding out of
238 applicants.
“As an estab-
lished entrepre-
neurial ecosystem
builder in this re-
gion, RAIN has the
trust of entrepreneurs
and a vast network to
draw upon to swiftly
spin-up and deliver these
programs,” EDA stated,
The SPRINT Challenge
grant was launched to
harness America’s entre-
preneurial potential to ad-
dress the economic, health,
and safety risks caused by
the coronavirus pandemic
through entrepreneurship
and innovation.
RAIN will use the EDA
SPRINT funding to:
• Serve as a recovery and
resiliency hub for startups
and small businesses im-
pacted by the pandemic in
Oregon’s Lane, Linn, Ben-
ton and Grant counties.
• Launch several accel-
erator programs to help
start-
ups and
small
busi-
nesses increase their digital
marketing footprint and
increase their financial lit-
eracy.
• Launch a fundraising
platform to address urgent
capital needs entrepre-
neurs and startups are fac-
ing due to the pandemic.
Oregon RAIN and other
EDA partners will deliv-
er the following CEDS-
aligned,
just-in-time,
technology-based,
free
programs that are de-
signed in response to the
pandemic.
• RAINmaker Accelera-
tors: Pivot business mod-
els to address anticipated
conditions, learn new dig-
ital sales and market-
ing techniques, and get
connected to needed re-
sources (people, pro-
grams, technology,
and capital).
• MoneyMaker
Accelerators: Ad-
dress financial lit-
eracy deficits dis-
covered during the
scramble to submit
financial documen-
tation to get COVID
emergency funding.
• RAINdrops
Pro-
gram: 1:1 mentoring to
implement “Entrepreneur
Resiliency Kits.” Entrepre-
neurs will learn how to
rapidly convert to online
sales, extend cash runways,
and get matched with ex-
perts (digital marketing,
bookkeepers/accountants,
lawyers).
If you would like to serve
as a mentor and share your
expertise with entrepre-
neurs and small business
owners, contact RAIN at
www.oregonrain.org.
Florence Antiques & Coast Jewelers has a large collection of high-end, vintage
and estate jewelry, along with newer pieces and other antiques.
Florence Antiques &
Coast Jewelers, 1220 Bay St.
#100 in Historic Old Town
Florence, reopened to the
public on April 1.
“What a great opening
week,” said owners Rich
and Tom. “We loved see-
ing old friends and making
new.”
There is also a sale going
on throughout the month.
The pair have begun
posting trends and tips
about jewelry on their
Facebook page, www.face-
book.com/FlorenceAnti-
quesCoastJewelers.
The store’s hours are
noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday
through Sunday each week.
People can also call to
schedule private appoint-
ments at 541-997-8104.
Grantees Announced for $40 million in
COVID-19 Emergency Solutions Grants
SALEM—Oregon Hous-
ing and Community Ser-
vices (OHCS) publicly an-
nounced awardees for the
second round of Emergen-
cy Solution Grants-Coro-
navirus (ESG-CV2) at this
month’s Housing Stability
Council meeting. Among
these are Lane County, who
will receive $6,758,209.
The ESG-CV funds are
part of the Coronavirus
Aid, Relief and Economic
Security Act (CARES Act)
and are being used to pre-
vent, prepare for, and re-
spond to the Coronavirus
pandemic among individ-
uals and families who are
experiencing homelessness
or at risk of falling into
homelessness. This is the
first time in state history
OHCS allocated homeless
response and prevention
resources allocated by the
U.S. Department of Hous-
ing and Urban Develop-
ment through a competi-
tive process.
“We know that during
this crisis, too many Or-
egonians are falling into
homelessness or living un-
sheltered,” said OHCS Ex-
ecutive Director Margaret
Salazar. “This funding is
historic because it will help
rebuild lives, and because
we are partnering with an
array of diverse service
providers that have trusted
relationships with Oregon’s
communities of color, so
we can reach people hard-
est hit by the crisis.”
During the 2020 Special
Session, given the mag-
nitude of the ESG-CV re-
sources and the demands
of the COVID-19 pan-
demic, OHCS sought and
received flexibility from
the Oregon Legislature
to allocate $42 million of
ESG-CV to providers who
had not previously been
eligible under the House
Bill 4304 (2020 2nd Spe-
cial Session). These funds
will be distributed by geo-
graphic Continuum of
Care (CoC) region to en-
sure that projects meeting
the state goals and priori-
ties are funded adequately
throughout the state.
“In the midst of this pub-
lic health crisis, we must
continue to be actionable
and strategic in deploying
solutions to address and
prevent homelessness,” said
OHCS Director of Housing
Stabilization Andrea Bell.
“Together with communi-
ty partners we were able to
be adaptive in leveraging
dollars strategically for the
greatest impact to provide
critical services to those at
the margins.”
A total of 58 applica-
tions were received from
providers across the state.
Applicants were required
to meet the federal fund-
ing definitions and com-
ply with the ESG Federal
Grant Requirements to
receive funding. After a
rigorous review process,
36 applicants were noti-
fied that OHCS intends to
award funds. Applications
encompassed
proposals
for serving multiple pop-
ulation groups, including
communities of color, vet-
erans, women and families,
youth, and include both
community-based organi-
zations and state govern-
ment/local jurisdiction en-
tities. Several applications
are considered culturally
specific providers, and
many others provide cul-
turally-responsive services
per the definitions provid-
ed in the application.
“Wonderful news!” said
Melissa Erlbaum of Clack-
amas Women’s Services.
“Over the past year we’ve
seen a drastic uptick in the
need for lifesaving sup-
port services. Being able to
participate in this funding
opportunity will provide
critical resources for the
individuals and families we
serve escaping domestic
and sexual violence.”
These resources and
partnerships will advance
Oregon’s Statewide Hous-
ing Plan in providing crit-
ical services for people
experiencing
homeless-
ness and addressing the
disproportionate
effects
of COVID-19 on commu-
nities of color and other
at-risk populations. The
complete list of ESG-CV2
awardees is available be-
low. Oregonians in need of
assistance can contact 2-1-
1 to be connected with lo-
cal service providers.
Delicious STARTS HERE
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ENTREE
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