Biz ‘Bites:’ Initial AmeriCorps grants deadline approaching

IBR Staff//January 12, 2022

Initial AmeriCorps grants deadline approaching

Idaho nonprofit, educational, community and faith-based organizations, tribes and local governments are eligible for federal funding through AmeriCorps, and the deadline is approaching to apply.

Volunteers working at the volunteer center in the new Meridian warehouse, a space much larger than in the previous warehouse. Photo courtesy of the Idaho Foodbank

Serve Idaho, the governor’s commission on service and volunteerism, announced that interested organizations have until Feb. 11 to submit an application for the grants that would support the cost of running an AmeriCorps program. Grant awards vary in size based on the size and complexity of the AmeriCorps programs.

A notice of intent to apply for a grant must be filed by 4 p.m. MST on Jan. 14. A mandatory technical assistance call will be held Jan. 20 at noon MST.

Serve Idaho and AmeriCorps provide funding for the following focus areas: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, veterans and military families. More information on the grant opportunity is available at serveidaho.gov/grantsFunding.

Bed Bath & Beyond closes Pocatello store

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BB&B) promised in its 2020 first quarter earnings report, in July 2020, that it would close approximately 200 stores over the next two years. The chain has kept that promise. As part of that staggered 200-store shutdown, BB&B announced on Jan. 6 that the Pocatello store would be one of 37 that would close immediately after a liquidation sale.

The Pocatello store closure can be considered a post-retail apocalypse closure. BB&B has been hard at work for the last two years to shed less-profitable brick-and-mortar locations and expand its e-commerce platform. The firm had 955 BB&B-branded stores in July 2020. Its BB&B-branded store count on Jan. 6 was 809. These store counts do not include any of the chain’s Buy Buy Baby-, Cost Plus- or World Market- branded stores.

At the same time, BB&B is currently remodeling 450 stores, close to half of its locations, at a cost of $250 million. In contrast, last quarter (Q3 2021) the firm closed four BB&B-branded stores and opened one BB&B store.

Other than the Pocatello locations, BB&B has six other locations in Idaho: Boise, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Falls, Meridian, Moscow and Twin Falls.

BB&B did not respond to an Idaho Business Review inquiry regarding the Pocatello closure.