JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — The Illinois Valley Community Development Organization (IVCanDO) has been awarded $1.2 million to provide grants and loans for Jackson County small businesses affected by the 2020 Labor Day fires. The funding is part of the ReOregon effort to help regions recover from natural disasters and is provided through the Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Revitalization (PIER) program of Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS).
“IVCanDO is committed to helping wildfire-affected businesses in Jackson County rebuild and thrive in the wake of the catastrophic 2020 Labor Day fires,” said Malcolm Voyager, IVCanDO’s Revolving Loan Fund manager. “We have nearly 25 years of experience supporting and providing capital to small businesses in Southern Oregon and are honored to help our neighbors create economic vibrancy through these grant and loan funding opportunities.”
IVCanDO will use the funds for two initiatives in Jackson County:
- Revolving Loan Fund: 5% fixed interest rate loans to increase capital and encourage credit building, helping small businesses in fire-affected areas launch or expand their operations.
- Microenterprise Grant Program: Flexible grants for low- to moderate-income microenterprises with fewer than five employees — often sole proprietors operating from home — to support capital building, job expansion and operations.
In addition, OHCS PIER has awarded funding to the Southern Oregon University Small Business Development Center (SOU SBDC) to provide technical assistance, consultation and support services to IVCanDO’s grant and loan beneficiaries. The partnership will help ensure long-term economic recovery through successful business launches and expansions.
The federally funded PIER program is part of the $422 million Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery initiative, which supports recovery in Oregon’s eight counties most impacted by the disaster by addressing unmet planning, infrastructure and economic revitalization needs.
IVCanDO plans to launch the Microenterprise Grant Program application window in spring 2025. Those interested in receiving program updates can sign up at www.ivcdo.org/PIER or contact Malcolm Voyager, IVCanDO Program Manager, at malcolm@ivcdo.org or (541) 592-4440.
