The California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program
Beginning on 12/30/2020, eligible businesses in California can apply for a grant through the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program. We recommend reading through our summary below, reviewing the CaReliefGrant.com webpage, and applying for the grant if you qualify.
Eligibility
Eligible businesses are not required to show a certain decrease in revenue. Instead there are a series of conditions that a small business or nonprofit must satisfy. Most importantly:
- Active since at least June 1, 2019
- Must have a physical location in California
- 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
- Must meet the definition of an ‘eligible small business’
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- Less than $2,500,000 in annual revenue
- Includes sole proprietors, independent contractors, 1099 workers, C-Corps, S-Corps, LLCs, partnerships
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The 3rd bullet-point is the most important to meet, however we are not certain how they will determine this on the application. Look at the past year. Have you been forced to close? Have business operations been interrupted due to anything COVID-related? If yes, and you have had a decrease in revenue, we think you can apply. If yes, and no decrease in revenue, we aren’t entirely sure how this will be handled, but advise that you apply if the conditions are met.
Recipient Determination
The recipients of the grant will not be selected on a first come, first served basis as prior programs have been. Rather, recipients will be selected on 4 “key priority factors”.
- Businesses located in areas impacted the most by the effects of COVID-19.
- Businesses impacted the most financially
- Specific industries
- Underserved small business groups
Keep in mind that these are factors that will be taken into consideration for the grant, not an absolute set of rules. If you are an eligible business, apply. Let the processor of the application make the determination.
Amount of Grant
- Annual gross revenue up to $100,000 will get $5,000
- Annual gross revenue up to $1,000,000 will get $15,000
- Annual gross revenue up to $2,500,000 will get $25,000
How to Apply
California has designated Lendistry to administer the entire process of the grant application, determination, and distribution. The application will not be available until 12/30/2020 at 6:00 AM PST. Our suggestions:
- Review the webpage the state has set up: https://careliefgrant.com/
- On that page scroll down to “Grant Amounts”, click on the All Business Application Guide, and review this document.
- Get ready to apply by gathering the necessary documentation detailed in the All Business Application Guide
This is a brief overview to inform you of this grant and help you determine your eligibility. There are more details to this grant found in the links above. Please feel free to share this post with your business friends and colleagues that may benefit from this grant.
