Second application round for small business relief begins in February

Round 1 of grant program has closed

California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), part of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), announced on Friday that the first round for the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program has closed.

However, a second round of applications will open at 8 a.m. on Feb. 2 and will run through 6 p.m. on Feb. 8. Applicants who submitted all necessary documents in the first round and met eligibility requirements, but did not receive a grant, do not need to reapply; their applications will be rolled over for consideration in the second round.

“There is no question that small business are hurting, and the reality of this pandemic demands urgent relief now to help those who need it most,” said Dee Dee Myers, GO-Biz director. “Before COVID-19, the 4.1 million small businesses that call this state home created two-thirds of California’s net new jobs and employed nearly half of all private-sector employees. It is crucial that we do everything we can to put more money into the hands of impacted small business owners.”

Earlier this month Gov. Newsom previewed his Equitable Recovery for California’s Businesses and Jobs plan — part of his proposed 2021-22 state budget— which called for immediate legislative action on $575 million in additional grants for the California Relief Grant Program.

This investment will add to the initial $500 million allocation announced November 30, bringing the total amount for the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program to $1.075 billion.