SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — Santa Clara County announced it will receive approximately $2.4 million from the California Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program (MBCRG) to help very small businesses impacted by the pandemic.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors accepted the grant and approved community partner Enterprise Foundation to help administer the program that will provide $2,500 each to approximately 875 local small businesses.
“The pandemic has taken a significant toll on small businesses and their employees,” said Board of Supervisors President Mike Wasserman.
“We know that the economic devastation of COVID-19 will take a long time to heal, but in the meantime, these grants are intended to provide some relief for struggling businesses in our community.”
The MBCRG program was created to help small businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Businesses including sidewalk vendors, independent contractors, and any other small businesses that had less than five employees in both 2019 and 2020, and less than $50,000 in total business revenue in 2019.
Microbusinesses facing systemic barriers to access capital, including businesses owned by women, minorities, veterans, undocumented immigrants, individuals with limited English proficiency, business owners located in low wealth and rural communities, and others, are encouraged to apply for the grants.
“Thanks to the State of California and the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors, we can begin the process to get these grants into our community,” said Chief Operating Officer Miguel Márquez, J.D.
“We hope every small business that is eligible has the opportunity to apply for the funds. With the help of our partners like Enterprise Foundation, the County will work to ensure that the grants get into the hands of those who need it most.”
In November, the county applied to the State of California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate for the MBCRG grant.
The program provides approximately $50 million in one-time grant funding that is being offered first to counties to administer.
The county said it will partner with Enterprise Foundation and other community agencies to identify eligible microbusinesses for the $2,438,122 in grant funding and assist in setting up an application process in the coming weeks.
Additionally, the county and Enterprise Foundation will work with additional partners to help with outreach and to assist microbusinesses with grant applications.