Your Sutter County approves additional grant daily funding for businesses, nonprofits briefing Community leaders discuss impacts of arts, culture
A panel of community leaders driving the arts and culture scene in Yuba-sutter gathered virtually on Wednesday for a casual conversation organized by Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture.
During the discussion, the panel discussed the various impacts of arts and culture, both at the local and national level, as well as what each organization does within the community, arts and culture policies, the importance of art education and the role arts and culture plays in social and justice change.
This was the second installment of the virtual “Leadership Conversation,” series hosted by Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture, following a talk in August inspired by the centennial anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment.
Panelists included: Vera Correa, Alliance for Hispanic Advancement board member; Candice Young
Fresquez, Bok Kai Parade and Festival Committee chairperson; Jessica Hougen, Sutter County Museum director and
Sutter County is upping the ante.
After assisting its small business owners with $600,000 worth of grants in August, to combat the impacts of COVID-19, Sutter County officials recently expanded their efforts by approving an additional $2.3 million in grants for businesses and nonprofits.
The funding, which was made available by the federal government through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, is intended to support businesses and nonprofit organizations suffering with loss of revenue, fundraising ability and unanticipated expenses due to the ongoing pandemic.
“We are trying all we can to help local businesses survive the economic problem that we are having and to cope with the various rules and regulations that the governor has laid down,” said Ron Sullenger, chairman of the Sutter County Board of Supervisors. “We understand that a lot of businesses that are in the community need the financial assistance in order to try and keep them going, so that’s what we are trying to do.”
Of that funding, up to $1.5 million will be part of the second round of the Sutter County Small Business
Economic Resiliency Grant program. Businesses in the county will be able to apply for up to $20,000 in one-time funds that can be used to cover day-to-day operating expenses such as payroll, rent/ mortgage, utilities, operating inventory or supplies.
Qualifying businesses must have a physical location in the county, have been in business since January 2019; have majority ownership by an individual whose primary residence is within the state; not be a national chain or franchise; have had at least one employee during the first quarter of 2020; comply with Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973; be free of federal liens or judgements or other conditions that would exclude the business from receiving federal funds; and not be owned by a member or in the immediate family of a member of the Sutter County Board of Supervisors. Businesses will be ranked according to need, economic impact and geographic location.
Ineligible businesses include gambling establishments, adult companies (adult toys and novelty items, strip clubs, etc.), petroleum sales or distribution, cannabisrelated businesses, lobbying or agriculture.
Businesses that previously qualified and received funding in the initial round are still eligible, though the total grant funds awarded may not exceed $20,000 in total.
Sullenger said the grant program, both the initial phase and second round, has helped a number of businesses keep their doors open, along with other federal financial assistance that has been funneled into the area.
“It’s not the total answer, certainly not enough to completely finance businesses, but we are trying to do what we can to help fill a gap,” he said. “It’s supplemental funding that will hopefully be able to keep these businesses and nonprofits alive and well, who knows for how long, but hopefully we’ll be able to resume some form of normalcy as quickly as we can.”
The rest of the funding, or $800,000, will be available through the Nonprofit Organization Economic Resiliency Grant. Nonprofits will be able to apply for up to $20,000 in grants that can be used to cover gaps in net revenue due to the inability to fundraise. Nonprofits eligible for the funding are those that serve county residents without proselytizing.
The Yuba-sutter Economic Development Corporation will administer the grant programs. For more information about how to apply, go to www.ysedc.org. Grant applications will be received from Oct. 1-23, or until funds have been exhausted.