Palo Alto Small Businesses Receive Recovery Grant

Press release from the City of Palo Alto:

August 6, 2020

On May 4, 2020, the Palo Alto City Council approved the design on the City’s first ever Small Business Recovery Grant Program and allocated $500,000 in funding from the City’s general fund. Intending to help our local businesses as they navigate shifting rules during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was designed to provide up to $10,000 to for-profit businesses meeting certain eligibility criteria. Within three weeks of Council’s approval, City staff communicated the program to our business community through various methods, created new webpages, developed internal processes and procedures, and held a drawing to select businesses to apply for a grant.

As of August 6, 2020, the City chose 49 small businesses to receive a City grant. These businesses represent the wide range of companies in our community such as restaurants, spas, clothing shops, retail food stores, tutoring centers, printers, and preschools. They range from a few employees to just under 50 and are located throughout the City.

“We are so thankful to be a part of this community and deeply heartened and encouraged by the support from the City of Palo Alto,” noted the owner of Opus Arcade, a local hair salon and grant recipient.

While the City has spent almost all of the $500,000 allocated to the first 49 businesses, we hope to continue the program through private donations. The City is collaborating with the East Bay Community Foundation who established a Palo Alto Small Business Relief Fund to receive tax-deductible donations to further help our small businesses through the grant program. Donations of any size can be made online, or via a check. The need to help our local businesses continues as they face growing uncertainty; the City and our small businesses appreciate any donations from individuals or larger businesses.

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