Explore the potential for your business with economic stimulus small business grants. Discover how these grants can fuel growth and resilience, providing essential financial support during challenging times. Uncover eligibility criteria and application details to empower your small business.
The Small Business Stimulus Grant Program, funded through federal CARES Act and General Fund allocations by the Board of Supervisors, aims to provide economic assistance to businesses and nonprofits affected by COVID19. With a focus on reopening and sustaining businesses, the program allocates $9.5 million per Supervisorial District, ensuring equal distribution. Each district office will recommend award recipients based on eligibility, adherence to program guidelines, and submission of necessary information and documentation.
The funds can be utilized to support public health and response activities related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible expenses are applicable from March 3, 2021, until the conclusion of the agreement term. Nonprofit organizations must be registered as a charity in good standing with the California Attorney General and be able to conduct business in the State of California, as defined by the California Secretary of State.
Eligibility Determination
Criteria Checklist:
1. Are you a privately owned for-profit business or a nonprofit organization?
2. Do you have twenty (20) or fewer full time equivalents (FTEs), including sole proprietorships and independent contractors?
3. Is your business based and operated in San Diego County, providing local goods and services to the community?
4. Do you have a minimum operating history of 1 year as of February 14, 2020?
5. Have you faced financial hardship attributable to COVID19? Ensure these impacts are well documented, quantifiable, and directly linked to the pandemic.
6. Have you consistently complied with all state and local public health guidance?
7. If located in an incorporated city with its own small business stimulus grant program, is it actively accepting applications and awarding grant funds?
Eligibility
Businesses, whether private for-profit or nonprofit, situated and actively operating in San Diego County, may apply if they have encountered financial challenges due to COVID-19. Eligibility requires businesses to have 20 or fewer employees (full-time equivalents) and a minimum operating history of one year.
Before submitting an application, nonprofit organizations must confirm their eligibility. Eligible applicants should be listed on the Charitable Organization Registry by the California Attorney General (AG) as CURRENT, EXEMPT, or furnish evidence of non-registration requirements or ongoing registration progress.
Additionally, applicants must hold an ACTIVE status with the California Secretary of State or provide proof of authorization to conduct business in the State.
To prove eligibility, nonprofit entities must do the following:
California Attorney General
Under the Supervision of Trustees and Fundraisers for Charitable Purposes Act (Government Code § 12580 et seq.), most nonprofit organizations must register with the California Attorney General before engaging in fundraising activities. Information about the registration process, along with the status of registered charities, can be found on the California Attorney General’s website. Kindly provide a screenshot from the Registry Verification Search Tool on the California Attorney General’s website displaying a CURRENT or EXEMPT status or any other evidence confirming compliance with the State’s charitable registration requirements overseen by the Attorney General. Acceptable evidence includes the following documents:
1. Registry Verification Screenshot: A printed screenshot from the Registry Verification displaying a CURRENT or EXEMPT status for your organization.
2. Initial or Annual Registration Screenshot: Provide a printed screenshot of the paid Initial or Annual Registration as an additional confirmation of compliance.
Ensuring the submission of these printed documents will facilitate a thorough evaluation of your organization’s eligibility in the application process.
California Secretary of State
In compliance with the Supervision of Trustees and Fundraisers for Charitable Purposes Act (Government Code § 12580 et seq.), most nonprofit organizations are mandated to register with the California Attorney General before soliciting funds. To ensure adherence to this requirement, please follow the steps outlined below:
1. Visit the California Attorney General’s website for comprehensive information on the registration process and the current status of registered charities.
2. Provide a copy of the screenshot from the Registry Verification Search Tool on the California Attorney General’s website. This screenshot should clearly indicate a CURRENT or EXEMPT status or any other evidence demonstrating compliance with the State’s charitable registration requirements as overseen by the Attorney General.
3. Submit additional acceptable evidence. Ensuring the completion of these steps will facilitate the verification of your organization’s eligibility for the application process.
Application information
- Name of Individual Completing Application:
Please provide the name of the contact person within your organization who can address any queries that may arise during the application process.
- What is the legal status of your organization?
Please select for-profit or nonprofit.
READ ALSO: Massachusetts Business Grants 2024 – A Business Grants Guide.
Business Information
- Business Name:
Enter the organization’s name exactly as it appears on the IRS letter and the Secretary of State Business registration. This name should align with the information submitted on the W9 form and will be the name on the issued check if your application is approved.
- Tax Identification Information:
Social Security Number (SSN) or Tax ID Number (TIN):
Choose SSN if your social security number is your identifying number or TIN if you are using your Tax ID Number. Ensure consistency with the information submitted on the W9 form.
- Business Sector:
Please choose the sector that most accurately characterizes your organization from the following options:
Construction
Education and Health Services
Financial Activities
Government
Information
Leisure and Hospitality (Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation; Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation (including fitness centers); Accommodation and Food Service; Accommodation; Food Services and Drinking Places, Restaurants)
Manufacturing
Mining and Logging
Professional and Business Services
Trade, Transportation, Utilities (includes Retail)
Other Services (includes personal care services)
- Phone Number:
Provide either the organization’s phone number or the primary contact person’s phone number within the organization who can address any questions that may arise during the application process.
Contact Information:
- Business Address: Enter the physical address of the organization’s primary place of business.
- Mailing Address: If different from the physical address, provide the mailing address. If they are the same, mark the box “Mailing Address is the same as Physical Business Address.” This address must match the one on the W9 form and is where the check will be sent.
Communication Details:
- Email: Enter the email address of the organization or contact person who can address questions during the application process.
- Please retype the email address. Confirm the entered email address to ensure accuracy.
Business Details:
- Number of Employees: Enter a number from 1 to 20, considering full-time equivalents (FTEs), including sole proprietorships and independent contractors.
- Prior Year Revenues: Provide the actual revenues recorded for the organization as a whole in the immediate past year, not just for the project or activity for which funding is requested.
Business Location Details:
- Supervisorial District Business is Located In: Choose the Supervisorial District based on GIS County of San Diego Supervisorial Districts, using your business’s physical address.
- County Funding History:
Has your business previously received funds from the County? Select ‘yes’ if you’ve received funding from the Small Business Stimulus Grant before.
How many times have you previously received funds from the County? Enter the number of grants you were awarded.
What was the amount of funds previously received from the county? Provide the total amount of all grants received from the County.
External Funding History:
Has your business previously received funds from other sources? Choose ‘yes’ if you’ve received funding from other sources, such as a City, State, or Federal program (e.g., PPP).
What is the amount of funds previously received from other sources? Specify the total amount of all grants received from other sources.
- Business Operations during Shutdown:
Were you able to open at any time during the shutdown? Indicate whether your business could operate during any of the shutdowns or stay-at-home orders.
- Ownership Details:
Are you a minority, woman, or veteran-owned business? Select ‘yes’ if your business meets any of these criteria.
Eligible Activities and Funding Allocation:
- Innovation for Outdoor Business Promotion:
Specify the amount requested for initiatives promoting outdoor business to safeguard employee and public health.
- Payroll/Employee Support:
Detail the amount requested for payroll/employee retention, including expenses like workers’ compensation insurance premiums, unemployment insurance premium increases related to COVID-19, and paid leave due to COVID-19 illness.
- Purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
Specify the amount requested for acquiring PPE to ensure the health and safety of employees and the public, along with efforts to sanitize the business environment.
- Rent or Mortgage Payments:
Provide the amount requested for rent or mortgage payments (excluding property tax payments).
- Addressing Temporary COVID19 Restrictions:
Indicate the amount requested to address temporary COVID-19-related restrictions on business activity.
- Technology Capacity Enhancement:
Specify the amount requested to increase technology capacity to facilitate alternative work forms.
- Creation of Marketing Campaigns or Business Plans:
Detail the amount requested for developing new marketing campaigns or business plans.
- Payment of Vendor Invoices:
Provide the amount requested for paying vendor invoices.
- Facility Cleaning/Restoration:
Specify the amount requested for facility cleaning or restoration.
- Training/Virtual Learning Costs:
Indicate the amount requested for expenses related to additional training or virtual learning to implement COVID-19 safety measures.
- Expenses for Safe Reopening:
Specify the amount requested for expenses required to plan for a safe reopening, including expert assessments, research, or market surveys.
Ineligible Activities or Costs:
- State Share of Medicaid:
Expenses related to the State’s share of Medicaid are ineligible.
- InsuranceCovered Damages:
Damages covered by insurance are not eligible for funding.
- Reimbursement to Donors:
Reimbursement to donors for donated items or services is not covered.
- NonHazard Pay Workforce Bonuses:
Workforce bonuses, other than hazard pay or overtime, are ineligible.
- Severance Pay:
Severance pay is not an eligible cost.
- Legal Settlements:
Costs associated with legal settlements are not covered.
Frequently asked questions
1. Who is eligible to apply for the economic stimulus small business grants?
– Private for-profit and non-profit businesses headquartered and operating in San Diego County that have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19 are eligible to apply.
2. How can I confirm my non-profit organization’s eligibility before applying?
– Ensure your organization is listed as CURRENT, EXEMPT, or provide evidence of compliance with the California Attorney General’s Charitable Organization Registry. Additionally, active status with the California Secretary of State is required.
3. What is the funding period for eligible activities?
– The eligible expenditure period begins on March 1, 2020, and extends through the end of the agreement term.
4. What are some eligible activities that can be funded?
– Eligible activities include innovation for outdoor business promotion, payroll/employee support, purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), rent or mortgage payments, addressing temporary COVID-19 restrictions, technology capacity enhancement, marketing campaigns, vendor payments, facility cleaning/restoration, training/virtual learning, and expenses for safe reopening.
5. What are examples of ineligible activities or costs?
– Ineligible activities or costs include expenses for the State share of Medicaid, damages covered by insurance, reimbursement to donors, workforce bonuses other than hazard pay or overtime, severance pay, and legal settlements.
6. How can I determine the Supervisorial District my business is located in?
– Use GIS – County of San Diego Supervisorial Districts with your business’s physical address to determine the correct Supervisorial District.
7. Can businesses that previously received funds from the County apply again?
– Yes, businesses that received funding from the Small Business Stimulus Grant previously are eligible to apply. Specify the number of grants and total funds received in the application.
8. Is there a limit to the number of employees a business can have to qualify?
– Eligible businesses must have 20 or fewer full-time equivalents (FTEs), including sole proprietorships and independent contractors.
9. What documentation is required for proof of eligibility?
– Necessary documentation includes a printed screenshot from the Charitable Organization Registry, evidence of compliance with state and local health guidance, and other supporting documents specified in the application.
10. How can I contact someone for assistance during the application process?
– The contact person within your organization, as provided in the application, can address any questions that may arise during the application process.
Conclusion on economic stimulus small business grants
The Economic Stimulus Small Business Grants aim to provide vital support to businesses impacted by the challenges posed by COVID-19 in San Diego County. This initiative serves as a lifeline for both for-profit and nonprofit entities, offering financial assistance for a range of eligible activities crucial for navigating the pandemic’s economic aftermath.
As you navigate the application process, it’s crucial to carefully adhere to the specified eligibility criteria, provide accurate documentation, and take advantage of the FAQ section for any clarifications. These grants not only promote business resilience but also contribute to the broader community’s recovery.
