Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)

The California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program provides competitive micro grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to eligible small businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19 and the related health and safety restrictions. On 2/23, Governor Newsom signed legislation to provide an additional $2.075 billion for competitive grants to eligible small businesses – a four-fold increase to the original $500 million grant program. This new allocation includes a special program allotment of $50M for non-profit cultural institutions. Visit CAReliefGrant.com for more eligibility, criteria, and updates.

• The initial $500 million competitive grant program was delivered in two rounds serving over 40,000 small businesses. With this new $2.075 billion allocation, four additional rounds will be conducted by CalOSBA’s selected intermediary, Lendistry as follows:
• Rounds 3-5 CLOSED
• Round 6: Wednesday, April 28th at 9:00 AM through Tuesday, May 4th at 5:00 PM
  • Eligible applicants: current waitlisted small businesses and/or nonprofits not selected in Rounds 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 and new applicants that meet eligibility criteria found at CAReliefGrant.com
  • Eligible grant award: $5,000 – $25,000
  • Details: Applicants not selected to receive a grant in Rounds 1, 2, 3 & 5 do not need to re-apply and will be automatically moved into Round 6. New applicants will need to apply at CAReliefGrant.com

Additional information can be found at CAReliefGrant.com

• CA Relief Grant Program – Legislative Preliminary Selected Data as of 4/21/2021 (download .xlsx)
• CA Relief Grant Program – Final Awards Data as of 4/12/2021
• CA Relief Grant Program – Final Awards List as of 4/13/2021 (download .xlsx)
• CA Relief Grant Program – Round 5 Preliminary Selected Data as of 4/09/2021
• CA Relief Grant Program – Round 4 Preliminary Selected Data as of 4/6/2021
• CA Relief Grant Program – Round 3 Preliminary Selected Data as of 3/22/2021
• CA Relief Grant Program – Round 1 and Round 2 Preliminary Selected Data as of 2/19/2021

*Final awards are subject to change

SBA, in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, reopened the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for First Draw PPP Loans the week of January 11, 2021. For more information on PPP First Draw Loans or Second Draw Loans, click here. SBA is currently offering PPP loans until March 31, 2021. If your business received a PPP loan, once your business is ready to pursue loan forgiveness, after funds have been expended, please review the Loan Forgiveness Application and consult with one of our centers, or your accountant, for assistance. Visit this webpage for loan forgiveness application instructions for borrowers, including instructions on what must be submitted to the lender directly.

U.S.  SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL):  The U.S. SBA is accepting new Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications from all qualified small businesses, including agricultural businesses, and non-profit organizations. The EIDL program is designed to provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue due to COVID-19. EIDL proceeds can be used to cover a wide array of working capital and normal operating expenses, such as continuation to health care benefits, rent, utilities, and fixed debt payments. Read more HERE.

Starting the week of April 6, 2021, the SBA is raising the loan limit for the COVID-19 EIDL program from 6-months of economic injury with a maximum loan amount of $150,000 to up to 24-months of economic injury with a maximum loan amount of $500,000. 

EIDL is a direct loan for up at a rate of 3.75% for small businesses and 2.75% for nonprofits. You must apply directly with the SBA HERE.  SBA Customer Service Line: 1-800-659-2955 / 1-800-877-8339 (TTY), or email: [email protected].

COVID-19 Targeted EIDL Advance was signed into law on December 27, 2020, as part of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Non-Profits, and Venues Act. The Targeted EIDL Advance provides businesses located in low-income communities with additional funds to ensure small business continuity, adaptation, and resiliency.

Advance funds of up to $10,000 will be available to applicants located in low-income communities who previously received an EIDL Advance for less than $10,000, or those who applied but received no funds due to lack of available program funding. 

Applicants do not need to take any action at this time. SBA will reach out to those who qualify.

SBA will first reach out to EIDL applications that already received a partial EIDL Advance (between $1,000 – $9,000). Applicants will be contacted directly by SBA via email in the coming weeks with instructions to determine eligibility and submit documentation.

All communications from SBA will be sent from an official government email with an @sba.gov ending. Please do not send sensitive information via email to any address that does not end in @sba.gov.

Shuttered Venue Operators Grant The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) includes over $16 billion in grants to shuttered venues. Eligible applicants may qualify for grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees.

SBA plans to Reopen Shuttered Venue Operators Grants for Applications on April 24 at 12:30 p.m. EDT. Applicants can register today and updated documents now available. In preparation for the application portal reopening, the SBA recommends eligible applicants take the following actions:

• Register on the portal in advance. Applicants will need a smartphone and a multi-factor authenticator app to register and apply;
• Review the SVOG Frequently Asked Questions and Applicant User Guide; and
• Prepare required documentation, per the Application Checklist.

For more information and to view applicant resources, visit www.sba.gov/svogrant. For Shuttered Venue Operators Grant application portal technical assistance such as a password reset, browser suggestions, or how to use the multi-factor authentication with an app and the QR code, applicants can call 1-800-659-2955 or, for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 1-800-877-8339 and follow the prompts to SVOG assistance. The call center is open today from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and, starting Saturday, April 24, the center will be open 24 hours a day through Monday evening at 8 p.m.

Restaurant Revitalization Fund  provides emergency assistance for eligible restaurants, bars, and other qualifying businesses impacted by COVID-19. This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023. More information on the Restaurant Revitalization fund can be found HERE.

• The State of California is allocating $50 million to the Small Business Finance Center at California’s IBank to mitigate barriers to capital for those small businesses (1-750 employees) that may not qualify for federal funds (including businesses in low-wealth and immigrant communities). The $50 million allocation will be used to recapitalize the IBank Small Business Loan Guarantee Program.
  • Disaster Relief Loan Guarantee Program: This disaster program provides guarantees for loans of up to $50,000 for small business borrowers in declared disaster areas.
• To contact IBank use email found HERE

• CalCAP is a loan loss reserve program which may provide up to 100% coverage on losses as a result of certain loan defaults. Individual borrowers are limited to a maximum of $2.5 million enrolled over a 3-year period. Contact a Participating Lender to enroll.
• To contact the California State Treasurer’s Office:
  • Email CalCAP: HERE
  • Call: Call: 1-916-653-2995

The California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program provides competitive micro grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to eligible small businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19 and the related health and safety restrictions.   On 2/23, Governor Newsom signed legislation to provide an additional $2.075 billion for competitive grants for eligible small businesses –  a four-fold increase to the original $500 million grant program. This new allocation includes a special program allotment of $50M for non-profit cultural institutions. Visit CAreliefgrant.com for more eligibility, criteria, and updates.

• The initial $500 million competitive grant program was delivered in two rounds serving over 40,000 small businesses. With this new $2.075 billion allocation, four additional rounds will be conducted by CalOSBA’s selected intermediary, Lendistry as follows.

• Round 3 (waitlisted from rounds 1 and 2): Friday, March 5th through Thursday, March 11th, 2021
  • Eligible applicants: This is a closed round and only available to eligible applicants who were waitlisted in rounds 1 and 2 – only existing applicants will be selected. If you were waitlisted, you do not need to reapply. New applications will not be accepted in this round.
  • Eligible grant award: $5,000 to $25,000
  • Details: This is a closed funding round; no new applications will be accepted
• Round 4 (nonprofit cultural institutions only): Tuesday, March 16th through Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021
  • Eligible applicants: Only nonprofit cultural institutions with any revenue size that meet eligibility criteria found at CAreliefgrant.com
  • Eligible grant award: $5,000 – $25,000
  • Details: Eligible nonprofit cultural institutions must complete a new application even if they already applied in Rounds 1 and 2; grants will only be available to nonprofits that did not receive funding in Rounds 1, 2 or 3; grants will be prioritized based on the documented percentage revenue declines based on a reporting period comparing Q2 and Q3 of 2020 versus Q2 and Q3 of 2019
• Round 5: Thursday, March 25th through Wednesday, March 31st
  • Eligible applicants: current waitlisted small businesses and nonprofits not selected in Rounds 1, 2, or 3 and new applicants that meet eligibility criteria found at CAreliefgrant.com
  • Eligible grant award: $5,000 – $25,000
  • Details: Applicants not selected to receive a grant in Rounds 1, 2, & 3 do not need to reapply as they will be automatically moved into Round 5. New applicants will need to apply at CAreliefgrant.com
• Round 6: Date to be announced soon
  • Eligible applicants: current waitlisted small businesses and/or nonprofits not selected in Rounds 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 and new applicants that meet eligibility criteria found at CAreliefgrant.com
  • Eligible grant award: $5,000 – $25,000
  • Details: Applicants not selected to receive a grant in Rounds 1, 2, 3 & 5 do not need to re-apply and will be automatically moved into Round 6. New applicants will need to apply at CAreliefgrant.com

Additional information can be found at CAReliefGrant.com

CA Relief Grant Program – Round 1 – Final Awards

Preliminary CA Relief Grant Program Data as of 2/19/2021

• The California Entrepreneurship Task Force has launched a series of Rapid Response Virtual Sessions to engage with fellow small business owners and entrepreneurs across our state. More details HERE.

• Connect with advisors in your local community through our partner centers.
• Get started and determine which financial relief program you may be eligible for through the U.S. Digital Response free tool, here.
• Find out about training and other inspirational resources at California Entrepreneurship Task Force member Nely Galán’s Becoming Self Made site.
• Click here for a list of free or discounted technology tools for small businesses.
• Hello Alice has a dedicated site of public, private, state and national resources at Covid19BusinessCenter.com, including emergency $10,000 grants and a community to help you. For a growth and resiliency grant, click on Business For All here.
• Explore crowd-funded 0% interest loans of up to $15,000, and access a grace period of up to 6 months for greater financial flexibility, check out Kiva.
• Check Venturize.org to get Small Business Majority’s daily updates on funding opportunities, policy developments and educational webinars.
• Visit a virtual office hour with California Small Enterprise Task Force (CASE Force) to access live support from lawyers and financial professionals to locate resources for small businesses.
• Bet Tzedek offers small business owners in Los Angeles free legal assistance to address problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.