Thurston County Target Zone Business Startup Grant

The Thurston Strong Target Zone Startup Grant was launched as part of an economic response and recovery initiative to provide essential funding and resources to new small businesses in economically vulnerable areas.

Geographic Scope: Thurston County, Washington (with focus on Target Zone areas)

Purpose: Address economic inequity by investing in areas and people most vulnerable to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eligibility Criteria:

• New business startups
• Applicants must meet specific industry, housing cost, or income-related criteria
• Preference given to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) entrepreneurs
• Businesses in Target Zone areas

Example Awardees (2022):
The program awarded $1M total to ten promising entrepreneurs:

• AMB General Contractor, LLC (Harrilyn Smith)
• ASSHO Cultural Community & Job Training Center (Khurshida Begum)
• Bloom and Brew Café (Eunice Ndungu)
• Clean N Fix (Dae Bok Chung)
• Ikonic Wings, LLC (Kelly Wynn)
• Jerk an' Tingz, LLC (Tevin Campbell)
• Kawaii Donut House (Yen Ju Lin)
• Miss Priss Lash and Brow Academy (Jin Mi Williams)
• Revival Motors and Coffee Co. (Audrey Henley Davies)
• VBNC Physical Therapy PLLC (Nelson Daniel Rojas Mieres)

Partners: Thurston Economic Development Council and Thurston Strong coalition