As businesses continue to struggle with the effects of COVID-19, some are looking for ways to help. Arizona Snowbowl officials say the resort is partnering with the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce to create the Arizona Snowbowl/Flagstaff Chamber COVID-19 Relief Fund, which will provide eight $7,500 grants to qualifying small businesses.
“COVID-19 has created new challenges for everyone, including all of us at Snowbowl,” said General Manager Rob Linde. “As a part of our continued commitment to the local community, it was important for us to find a way to give back during these difficult times.”
In April, the ski resort pledged to donate 1% of its initial season pass sales through May 29 to local small businesses affected by COVID-19. During the sale, Snowbowl raised $30,000, which was matched dollar-for-dollar by resort owner James Coleman’s Coleman Charitable Foundation.
The application for the relief fund is located on the Flagstaff Chamber’s website, flagstaffchamber.com/relief-fund. To qualify, businesses must have 25 or fewer employees on current payroll, must be located in the Greater Flagstaff area, and must have not received assistance from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). Additional qualifying criteria will be listed on both organizations’ websites.
“As one of the premier attractions in Flagstaff and Northern Arizona, Snowbowl has always been an integral part of the local business community. We’re proud to partner with Snowbowl during these challenging times to provide another way for hard-hit small businesses to receive financial assistance,” said Flagstaff Chamber President and CEO Julie Pastrick.
The relief fund is yet another way that Snowbowl reaches local communities through charitable giving. During the 2019-2020 season, the resort raised $25,000 for non-profit organizations in Arizona from its Community Benefit Days. Snowbowl also continues to provide free season passes to guests ages 10 and under and 75 and older, as well as free skiing and lessons for local 5th grade students as a part of a partnership with the Flagstaff Unified School District. FBN
For more information on the relief fund and planned new improvements for the 2020-2021 season, visit snowbowl.ski. To learn more about the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce, please visit flagstaffchamber.com.