The first round of applications for the $500 million Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program is now open for eligible small business owners and nonprofits that have been impacted by COVID-19 and the health and safety restrictions. Grants up to $25,000 will be given to eligible small businesses and nonprofits to help cover expenses during the pandemic.
Grants will not be issued on a first-come, first-served basis and will be awarded after the close of each application round. This first round of applications ends on January 8, 2021, at 11:59 p.m.
The program will prioritize distribution based on priority key factors, including the following:
- Geographic distribution based on COVID-19 health and safety restrictions following California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, county status, and the new Regional Stay-at-Home Order
- Industry sectors most impacted by the pandemic
- Underserved small business groups served by the state-supported network of small business centers (i.e., businesses majority-owned and run on a daily basis by women, minorities/persons of color, veterans, and businesses located in low-to-moderate income and rural communities)
Small businesses and nonprofits may apply directly through careliefgrant.com. Small business webinars are available daily at https://lnkd.in/d78tj3e.
