JUNEAU, AK (December 21, 2021) – The application period for the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s (Tlingit & Haida) first round of small business support under the Rescue Small Business Relief program will close on December 31, 2021 at 4:30 PM (AKST).
The program launched in September and provides up to $5,000 in relief assistance to tribal citizens who are small business owners and have been economically impacted by the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
To date, the Rescue Small Business Relief program has received over 440 applications and provided relief assistance to over 290 tribal citizen small business owners, including self-employed fishermen, artists and consultants.
“The Rescue Small Business Relief program has helped tribal citizens across the United States,” said Will Ware, Chief Development Officer. “To continue this support over the next two years, we are implementing a process to close out all applications. Program staff will continue to make every effort to contact those who have pending applications.”
The relief assistance has infused over $1.4 million into communities where tribal citizens own and operate small businesses. Escape Game Alaska is one small business who received direct relief assistance through the Rescue Small Business Relief program. "Thank you so much for all of your work on this,” said Nicole Skeet, owner of Escape Game Alaska in Juneau, Alaska. “This is helpful and I really hope next year we can look forward to a more normal summer.”
Small businesses with pending applications are encouraged to contact the Rescue Small Business Relief program at rescuesbg@ccthita-nsn.gov or 907.463.7799.
The next round of relief assistance through the Rescue Small Business Relief program is expected to open on February 1, 2022. An official announcement will be made once all applications have been closed.
For more information on how to apply for the Rescue Small Business Relief program, click here.
