Walla Walla Micro-Business Assistance (MBA) Program Application

A business owner and two of her nieces sit at a table with their jewelry

The Walla Walla Micro-Business Assistance (MBA) Program is a six-month, matched-savings small business grant program for prospective or existing small businesses. Applications for the MBA Program closed on February 13, 2022 at 5:00 PM PST. Visit our MBA page to learn more about the program in 2022 and 2023.

This application will take approximately 60 minutes to complete. You do not have the option to save and continue. Please DO NOT submit an incomplete application as it will not be considered. A complete application includes all required documents.

If you need assistance filling out this form, contact the MCNW team at wallawallainfo@mercycorps.org, or by phone, Cinthya Montero (509-200-6725). Please be sure to leave a voicemail.

Eligibility requirements

  • Businesses or prospective businesses located within City of Walla Walla or City of College Place.
  • An owner or soon-to-be owner of a for-profit microenterprise with five or fewer employees. (Note: The number of employees includes owner(s), and both part-time and full-time employees.)
  • Household net worth of less than $217,240.
  • Yearly gross (pre-tax) household income must be less than 80% AMI (area median income) as indicated in the chart below. Household income refers to gross income of the applicant and other members of the household that share financial dependency. The limit is determined by the number of members in the household.

Household size and household income limits for Walla Walla, WA as of January 2021:

Family size    Income limit
1                                               $40,950
2                                              $46,800
3                                              $52,650
4                                             $58,700
5                                             $63,200
6                                             $67,900
7                                             $72,550
8                                             $77,250

NOTE: Household income refers to gross income of the applicant and other members of the household that share financial dependency. The limit is determined by the number of members in the household.

  • The following types of businesses are NOT eligible for the MBA Program:

                    -Adult entertainment

                    -Gaming

                    -Liquor stores

                    -Tobacco stores

                    -Passive real estate investments

                    -Multi-level marketing businesses

                    -Non-profit organizations

                    -Franchise businesses

                    -Cannabis

                    -Gig workers (Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart drivers, etc.)

What you need to apply

We strongly recommend compiling copies of these documents prior to starting the application.

  1. Copy of Washington ID
  2. Last 2 months of bank statements from each bank account in the household (personal and business)
  3. Proof of income for the last 2 months: You need to provide at minimum one or more of the following forms of proof of earned income for your whole household for the last 2 months:
  • All pay stubs for this period for the last 2 months to show your gross income
  • If you do not receive pay stubs, or are working “under the table,” please provide a letter that includes the following information: your full name, hours worked over the last two months, pay rate, and signature of employer.
  • Self-employment: A 2-month profit and loss statement for your business. (see section “Existing Businesses”).
  • A copy of your official unemployment letter if you received unemployment income in the last 2 months. If you no longer have a copy of your official unemployment letter, a screenshot of your online unemployment benefits account can be used instead, if it includes your name, dates of benefits received, and benefit amount.
  • If you receive public assistance (LIEAP, Public Housing, Section 8, SNAP, TANF, Low Income Tax Credit properties, WIC), provide documentation of public assistance participation certified within the last 12 months on letterhead.
  • W-2s, 1099s, or other documents showing gross household income for 2021
  1. Optional: An explanation of any special circumstances to be considered

Existing businesses must provide the following:

  1. For any businesses already in operation, provide last year’s (2021) business tax return or a Schedule C  if you are a sole proprietor
  2. A Profit and Loss Statement for the last 2 months. A Profit and Loss Statement should show all your business expenses, which are then subtracted from your gross sales to show your net profit. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should allow us to understand how much you are bringing home from your self-employment.
  3. Business bank statements (checking and savings) for all members of the household for 2 most recent months.

Questions? Send them to wallawalla@mercycorps.org

Note: If you get accepted into the grant program, your Social Security Number (SSN)/Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) will be required to open a matched-savings bank account.