Microbusiness Grant

• Application Period: Jan. 18 - March 12, 2023

• Review Period: Jan. 27 - March 24, 2023

  • Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis throughout the application period and for 2 weeks following the close of the application period.

  • Pay attention to your email and phone messages during the document review period, if there are errors in your application or documents you will be contacted and provided the opportunity to resubmit during this period.

  • Please note awards will be made by county on a first complete, first served basis. This means that time stamps will be considered and your application is not considered complete until all of the documents are submitted, complete and correct. it is critical that you make sure that all your documents are completely and correclty filled out.

• Funding Period:  late-April 2023
  This funding is on a first-complete first-served basis, but with priorities; this means that: 

• Time stamps will be considered

• Priority will be given to microbusinesses who are located in low-to-moderate income areas, are historically underserved, or have not received other COVID-19 relief

• Funding notifications will begin to be sent out in late-April 2023

• Funding will be provided via check

These grants are for microbusinesses, which include for-profit and nonprofit businesses and meet the requirements of the grant. 

For-profit businesses which meet the following criteria should apply: 

• Operating or located within the Counties of Alameda, Amador, Contra Costa, or El Dorado
  Note: Amador County has already awarded all available grants, no grants will be awarded to Amador County in Round 2

• Self-employed workers, independent contractors, sole proprietors, and corporations with no more than 5 employees or full time equivalent in 2019

• Currently have no more than 5 employees or full time equivalent

• Gross revenue under $50,000 (as reported for 2019)

• In operation before December 1, 2019 and still in operation in 2022

• Microbusiness was the primary source of revenue for the business owner

• Demonstrated decline in revenue or service demand due to COVID-19 in 2020 or 2021 as compared to 2019

• Did not previously receive California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant funds (administered by Lendistry)

Nonprofits may apply based on the following: 

• Operating within the Counties of Alameda, Amador, Contra Costa, or El Dorado
  Note: Amador County has already awarded all available grants, no grants will be awarded to Amador County in Round 2

• Operating in 2019 with at least $1,000 in revenue and less than $2.5 million

• Still in operation with nonprofit 501(c)(3), 501(c)(6), or 501(c)(19) status and currently registered with the California Secretary of State

• Proof of revenue with a 990 filing and current registration will be required

• Did not receive funding from the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant (administered by Lendistry)

Businesses which fall under one or more of the following are not eligible to apply: 

• Does not operate in the Counties of Alameda, Amador, Contra Costa, or El Dorado

• Is not located in the Counties of Alameda, Amador, Contra Costa, or El Dorado

• Received funding from the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant funds (administered by Lendistry)

• Had more than 5 employees or full time equivalent in 2019 (including the owners)

• Currently has more than 5 employees or full time equivalent (including the owners)

• Gross revenue less than $1,000 or exceeded $50,000 in 2019 (Nonprofit gross revenue exceeds $2,500,000)

• Is not the owner’s primary source of income

Eligible costs are only those costs incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the health and safety restrictions such as business interruptions or business closures incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following are the eligible uses of grant funds: 

• All employee expenses including payroll costs, health care benefits, paid sick, medical, or family leave, and insurance premiums

• Working capital and overhead, including rent, utilities, mortgage principal and interest payments (excluding mortgage prepayments), and debt obligations (including principal and interest) incurred before March 1, 2020 (for example, to be an eligible debt obligation, the loan agreement, promissory note, etc., as applicable, must have been entered into before March 1, 2020)

• Costs associated with reopening business operations after being fully or partially closed due to state-mandated COVID-19 health and safety restrictions and business closures

• Costs associated with complying with COVID-19 federal, state, or local guidelines for reopening with required safety protocols, including but not limited to equipment, plexiglass barriers, outdoor dining, PPE supplies, testing, and employee training expenses

• Any other COVID-19 related expenses not already covered through grants, forgivable loans, or other relief through federal, state, county, or city programs

• Any other COVID-19 related costs which are not one of the ineligible uses of funds

• ​For more information, please email us at fiscalagent4you@clpccd.org or call 925-416-5143

1. Gather the following documents:

• Government Issued Photo ID (e.g. Drivers License, Passport, Green Card, California Identification Card or foreign identification issued by a non-U.S. governmental entity)

• Completed and signed grant agreement

• Signed IRS Form W-9

• Local business permit or license (recommended but not required)

• Additional Documents for Nonprofits: 

  • 2019 federal tax return or Form 990

  • Official filing with the Secretary of State or with the local municipality, as applicable, including, but not limited to, Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of Organization, Fictitious Name of Registration, or Government-Issued Business License

  • Upload proof of nonprofit status

2. Complete the online application.

3. Need help? Look on this page under “Get Help” to request assistance.

IMPORTANT DOCUMENT NOTES:

Grant Agreement
must be submitted as a single PDF with all 5 pages. If you need help combining multiple pages into one document, there is a free tool here: https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/merge-pdf.html. Please verify the following before submitting:

• Individual, business or nonprofit name entered on the first line (enter the name that the check will be written in)

  • This must match the individual or business name on the application

• Grant Agreement can be downloaded from here:  https://sdivsbdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/CLPCCD-Grant-Agreement.pdf 

• Page 1 must include business name if you provided an EIN on your W9 and personal name if you provided a social security number on your W9

  • Ridshare and delivery service provides should use thier individual name unless they operate under a business entity that they own (do not enter the name of the rideshare organization - Uber, Lyft, GrubHub, etc.)

• Page 5 must include: signature, date, printed name, printed title

  • Signature must be a legal electronic or hand-written signature (do not just type your name in the signature box)

• All pages must be submitted as a single document

W9
must be filled out completely, dated and signed. A fillable W9 is available on the IRS website here: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf. 

• If W9 is not complete and subitted we cannot issued payment; this is required for payment

• W9 must be submitted as a PDF

• W9 cannot be submitted a photo or Word document

• W9 must be signed and dated

• Don't forget to complete Box 3

• Name and/or business name on W9 must match the information submitted on the application & grant agreement

• Name and/or business name on W9 should be the legal name used for business (this is what your check will be written to and should match your bank account for deposit; it should not be the name of a rideshare or delivery service such as Uber or Grubhub.)

• Signature box must include a legal electronic or hand-written signature (do not just type your name in the signature box)

You will need to gather the following documents to submit with your application: 

• Government Issued Photo ID (e.g. Drivers License, Passport, Green Card, California Identification Card or foreign identification issued by a non-U.S. governmental entity)

• Signed IRS Form W-9

• Local business permit or license (recommended; not required)

• Additional Documents for Nonprofits: 

  • 2019 federal tax return or Form 990

  • Official filing with the Secretary of State or with the local municipality, as applicable, including, but not limited to, Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of Organization, Fictitious Name of Registration, or Government-Issued Business License

  • Upload proof of nonprofit status

IMPORTANT DOCUMENT NOTES:

Grant Agreement
must be submitted as a single PDF with all 5 pages. If you need help combining multiple pages into one document, there is a free tool here: https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/merge-pdf.html. Please verify the following before submitting:

• Individual, business or nonprofit name entered on the first line (enter the name that the check will be written in)

  • This must match the individual or business name on the application

• Grant Agreement can be downloaded from here:  https://sdivsbdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/CLPCCD-Grant-Agreement.pdf 

• Page 1 must include business name if you provided an EIN on your W9 and personal name if you provided a social security number on your W9

  • Rideshare and delivery service provides should use thier individual name unless they operate under a business entity that they own (do not enter the name of the rideshare organization - Uber, Lyft, GrubHub, etc.)

• Page 5 must include: signature, date, printed name, printed title

  • Signature must be a legal electronic or hand-written signature (do not just type your name in the signature box)

• All pages must be submitted as a single document

W9
must be filled out completely, dated and signed. A fillable W9 is available on the IRS website here: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf. 

• If W9 is not complete and submitted we cannot issued payment; this is required for payment

• W9 must be submitted as a PDF

• W9 cannot be submitted as a photo or Word document

• W9 must be signed and dated

• Don't forget to complete Box 3

• Name and/or business name on W9 must match the information submitted on the application & grant agreement

• Name and/or business name on W9 should be the legal name used for business (this is what your check will be written to and should match your bank account for deposit; it should not be the name of a rideshare or delivery service such as Uber or Grubhub.)

• Signature box must include a legal electronic or hand-written signature (do not just type your name in the signature box)

Click here to find answers to frequently asked questions.