$500 Million In CA Small Business Assistance Grants Now Available In Millbrae

Press release from the City of Millbrae:

December 30, 2020

Today (Wednesday, December 30, 2020), the State of California opened its grant application process for $500 million in financial assistance to help small businesses that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID Relief Grant, administered by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate, will award grants of up to $25,000 to small businesses and non-profit organizations that have been impacted by COVID-19 health and safety restrictions that have caused business interruptions or business closures.

To be eligible for this grant, small businesses and non-profit organizations must:

1. Must meet the definition of an “eligible small business”. An “eligible small business” means (i) a “small business” (sole proprietor, independent contractor, 1099 work, and or registered “for-profit” business entity (e.g., C-corporation, S-corporation, limited liability company, partnership) that has yearly gross revenue of $2.5 million or less (but at least $1,000 in yearly gross revenue) based on most recently filed tax return) or (ii) a “small nonprofit” (registered 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) nonprofit entity having yearly gross revenue of $2.5 million or less (but at least $1,000 in yearly gross revenue) based on most recently filed Form 990).
2. Active businesses or nonprofits operating since at least June 1, 2019.
3. Businesses must currently be operating or have a clear plan to re-open once the State of California permits re-opening of the business.
4. Business must be impacted by COVID-19 and the health and safety restrictions such as business interruptions or business closures incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
5. Business must be able to provide organizing documents including 2018 or 2019 tax returns or Form 990s, copy of official filing with the California Secretary of State, if applicable, or local municipality for the business such as one of the following: Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of Organization, Fictitious Name of Registration or Government-Issued Business License.
6. Business must be able to provide acceptable form of government-issued photo ID.
7. Applicants with multiple business entities, franchises, locations, etc. are not eligible for multiple grants and are only allowed to apply once using their eligible small business with the highest revenue.

Small business and non-profit organizations are required to apply for the grant through community development partners. In San Mateo County, those partners include:

• Asian Inc.
• California Association for Microenterprise Opportunity (CAMEO)
• California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits)
• California Small Business Development Center
• CA Women's Business Center Network
• Pacific Community Ventures
• Working Solutions CDFI

Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on January 8, 2021.

To learn more about this grant and to apply for funding, please visit: https://careliefgrant.com/.

Small businesses and non-profit organizations that need help with the grant application can visit the San Mateo Small Business Development Center for assistance. Their website is https://www.sanmateosbdc.org/.

This press release was produced by the City of Millbrae. The views expressed here are the author’s own.