California Microbusiness Covid-19 Relief Grant Program is to solicit applications from California’s 58 county governments and eligible consortiums of nonprofits as eligible grantmaking entities to administer a grant program for their county and distribute $2,500 grants to eligible microbusinesses impacted by COVID-19 and related health and safety restrictions.
Donor Name: California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA)
State: California
County: Selected Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 03/10/2022
Size of the Grant: $2,500
Details:
Priorities
CalOSBA will prioritize funding to eligible grantmaking entities that best meet the factors listed in Section 12100.92 (d):
- Demonstrated operational experience and organizational capacity to serve one county, or in the case of a consortium of nonprofits, one or more counties, of the state, consistent with the requirements of this article.
- Demonstrated preexisting relationships with the county’s microbusiness community.
- Identified key outreach activities for the specific county they will serve, aimed at identifying underserved small business groups that have faced historic barriers to accessing capital, including businesses majority owned and operated on a daily basis by women, minorities or persons of color, veterans, undocumented individuals, and
individuals living in rural or low-wealth areas on low incomes. - Prioritization for eligible grantmaking entities that are qualified and experienced in administering similar programs.
- Prioritization for eligible grantmaking entities that commit to working with nonprofit organizations with a mission that includes economic or business development support for California’s underserved businesses and entrepreneurs.
Funding Information
Approximately fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) is available during the grant period, which will be awarded by CalOSBA in no more than two rounds; Round 1 was open to eligible grantmaking entities, and Round 2 will be open to remaining eligible county governments that did not apply in the first round, and to eligible nonprofits.
Eligibility Criteria
- Able to receive State funds Office of the Small Business Advocate Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development California county government – One designated agency/unit/department may be the Authorized Representative for the county government (e.g., Lake County Office of Economic Development) – A letter of designation must be signed by the County Board of Supervisors, the Chief Administrative Officer or similar authority figure within the county. Priority will be given to applicants who are county governments.
- Eligible nonprofit organization – One designated grantmaking entity will be awarded for the county, which may include an eligible nonprofit or consortium of nonprofits. – A letter of designation must be signed by either the County Board of Supervisors, the Chief Administrative Officer or similar authority figure within the county.
- Demonstrated ability to deliver or partner with established platforms or networks of small business technical assistance providers including nonprofits, communitybased organizations, economic development organizations, opportunity commissions, business associations, and other trusted community messengers for fast and effective distribution of funds to COVID-impacted, disadvantaged communities, and underserved small business groups.
- Demonstrated capacity for regional/local implementation to ensure all regional geographies throughout the designated county can access the Program.
- Demonstrated experience with developing and managing grant and/or loan programs including but not limited to program and application development, outreach and marketing, translation/interpretation, validation, verification and approval processes, disbursement, customer service, compliance, and reporting.
- Able to meet all deadlines outlined in this Announcement and subsequently in the Agreement established between CalOSBA and the grantmaking entity or fiscal agent.
For more information, visit California Microbusiness Covid-19 Relief Grant Program.