ALAMEDA COUNTY SMALL BUSINESS RECOVERY GRANT PROGRAM

UPDATE (1/24/2023)

The Alameda County Small Business Recovery Grant program is closed. Grant applications were due Monday, October 31 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.

Due to demand for this program exceeding the available pool of grant funds, all grants through this program were awarded by lottery. Following the lottery process, all applicants were notified via email before December 30, 2022 as to whether or not they were awarded an Alameda County Small Business Recovery Grant.

Click here to view a recording of the lottery and here for details on the lottery process.

Click here for a list of businesses from any of the fourteen (14) cities in Alameda County that were awarded a grant.

Click here for Unincorporated Alameda County grant program results, including a recording of the lottery, list of grant recipients, and information on program and lottery process.

OVERVIEW

The Alameda County Small Business Recovery Grant Program (“Program”) was authorized by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors when it appropriated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for a small business grant program in response to and recovery from the public health emergency and negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In conjunction with a companion measure passed by the Board to provide $1 million in ARPA funds to businesses operating in unincorporated areas of Alameda County, the total grant funding pool is $11 million. The Program goal is to support small businesses in their economic recovery by providing one-time grant funding of up to $10,000.

The Program is open to all eligible small businesses with a priority given to those located and operating in disproportionately impacted communities, with approximately half of all available funds being set aside for businesses located in Alameda County Community Resiliency Priority Zip Codes and Qualified Census Tracts (QCT). Click here to view the map. The program is administered by the East Bay Economic Development Alliance and the Alameda County Community Development Agency.

Eligible applicants can receive a one-time grant of $5,000 for home-based businesses and $10,000 for brick-and-mortar businesses. The funds will not require repayment. Funds are limited and not everyone who applies is guaranteed to receive funding. If the funding requests for all grant applications exceeds available funding levels, grants will be awarded by lottery.

Applications will be accepted on Monday, October 3 through Monday, October 31. Applicants who receive grants will be contacted via email. Funding will be provided via check from Alameda County no later than December 30, 2022.

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

• Businesses must be for-profit entities in Alameda County meeting the following criteria:
  1. Employ between 1 and 25 employees.
  2. Independently-owned home-based businesses, businesses with brick-and-mortar locations, and franchises
  3. Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC, C Corporation, S Corporation, Partnership, or Limited Liability Company
• Business must still be in operation and is expected to remain open
• Business must possess a current business license for the location in accordance with all applicable operating requirements
• The negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to the business have resulted in income loss that meet or exceed the awarded grant amount, due to decreased revenue and/or increased costs.
• A business may only apply for and receive one grant, regardless if the business owns and/or operates from multiple locations in Alameda County
• Business has not previously received COVID-19 related ARPA funding from Alameda County (e.g. Alameda County Board of Supervisors’ District Cash Aid grants, Alameda County Social Services Agency licensed childcare grants, etc.)

EXCLUSIONS

The following categories of businesses are excluded from consideration for this program:

• App-based contractors/workers (e.g., Uber, Instacart, etc.)
• Corporate-owned chain and franchise businesses
• Cannabis businesses
• Finance, insurance, and investment companies and brokers (including lending/mortgage companies)
• Food trucks, vendor carts, and other mobile pop-ups
• Landlords of residential or commercial properties
• Real estate companies & holdings, including residential or commercial real estate brokers and property managers
• Non-profit entities

SUBMITTAL INFORMATION

• Applicants must upload a signed business IRS Form W-9 with a valid Tax Identification Number (TIN). Social Security Number (SSN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN) are accepted.
• City, Alameda County, and/or State of California business permit or license number (recommended but not required)
• Complete and signed online application

USE OF FUNDS

Funds from Alameda County ARPA Small Business Recovery grants may be used for the following items:

• Rent/lease/mortgage and utility payments for business facilities
• Payroll
• Operating Expenses such as supplies, materials, insurance, etc.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), sanitation or health & safety equipment
• Digital technology equipment and/or platforms
• Interior & exterior physical adaptations (e.g., partitions, signage, outdoor seating, etc.)

Expenses should meet or exceed awarded grant amount. Businesses will need to retain receipts and other proof of expenditures in the event your grant payment is subject to audit. 

GRANT APPLICATION

Applications for grants were due by Monday, October 31 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.

Program application: English, Arabic (عربى), Chinese (中文), Spanish (Español), Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt). Please note, all applications were submitted online. This document was developed for applicants to review before submitting their responses.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

Program guidelines and frequently asked questions (FAQ) are available in the following languages:

• English
• Arabic (عربى)
• Chinese (中文)
• Spanish (Español)
• Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)

PRESS RELEASE & MEDIA TOOLKIT

Outreach partners are encouraged to use this  official media toolkit to assist with program promotion.

ADDITIONAL CAPITAL RESOURCES

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready – Deadline 11/14/22

AARP’s Upskilling Program – Deadline 11/30/22

California Nonprofit Performing Arts Grant Program – Rolling

The East Bay is home to a wide range of business assistance organizations. For additional resources, we recommend visiting our East Bay Business Resources Map.

CONTACT US

 If you have additional questions, complete the form below and a member of our team will get back to you.