Just before the Christmas Holiday, the State of California announced the application particulars for the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program, which makes available $500 million in grants of $5,000, $15,000 or $25,000 each for small businesses and certain nonprofits in California that have been impacted by the COVID crisis.
Nonprofit applicant qualifying criteria include:
· Nonprofits having 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) Status from the IRS;
· Nonprofits with annual gross revenue between $1,000 and $2.5 Million;
· Nonprofits active at least since June 1, 2019 that are currently operating or have a plan to reopen once the State of California allows;
· Nonprofits that have a physical address and operate in California.
Please refer to the following information and hyperlinks for more details:
· Where can I find out more about this grant opportunity? The website careliefgrant.com has information about this grant opportunity. IMPORTANT :
1. Be sure to notice that individual maximum grant amounts to be awarded are based on an applicant agency’s annual revenue as documented in their most recent tax return.
2. Read the Eligibility section (including information about Ineligible Businesses) carefully, as this could save you valuable time should you determine this opportunity is not right for your nonprofit.
3. Also be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the web page and check out the “Find a Partner by County” and “Find a Partner by Language” links, as individual applications will need to be submitted through an intermediary partner. There is also a useful FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) link there as well.
· What kinds of costs will the grants help cover?
According to CalNonprofits, expenses that can be covered by the grant should include: payroll costs, healthcare benefits, rent and utilities, costs associated with reopening, and other COVID-related costs not covered through other grants. For more nuanced information, refer to the FAQ link referenced above.
· When can I apply?
The application window opens this Wednesday, Dec. 30, at 8 a.m., and closes Jan. 8, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. Funding Notifications will begin to be released Jan. 13, 2021. NOTE: This will be the FIRST Application Round. The dates for the SECOND Application Round have not been announced yet, but applicants who submit their complete application with all documentation during the first round and are not funded will be automatically considered in the second round.
· How can I apply?
The application will need to be submitted through the applicable Intermediary Partner page on the careliefgrant.com portal referenced above, but the online application will not go live until Dec. 30. However, the California Association of Nonprofits, will be offering a series of FREE webinars on the grants program and the application process. Go to their website, calnonprofits.org, to sign up for the first Webinar TOMORROW, Dec. 29, at 11 a.m. NOTE: CalNonprofits encourages nonprofits in all fields of work that have been impacted by the COVID crisis to attend tomorrow’s webinar and consider this opportunity, making it a point to mention arts and cultural institutions, a subsector whose operations have been particularly hard hit due to venue and event closures.
· Which State office is behind this grant opportunity?
The lead State agency developing this grant program is the Office of Small Business Advocate, under the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Make sure you visit business.ca.gov, as that website also has information on tax relief, recovery loans, and disaster relief programs that might be of interest to your agency.
· What if I have additional questions?
Kern Community Foundation is NOT qualified to answer questions about this grant opportunity. We are simply helping to spread the word so that our Nonprofit Partners who might be eligible can benefit from it. We strongly suggest signing up to attend tomorrow’s (12/29) CalNonprofits webinar using the link under “How can I apply?” You can also refer to the FAQ link referenced above.
