COVID-19 Micro-business Relief Grant Program coming to Santa Barbara County

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. -- Local small businesses that were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic can receive up to $2,500 in grant funding as part of the Micro-business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program.

“The pandemic has been especially hard on very small businesses that often operate without much cushion,” said Joan Hartmann, Chair of the county Board of Supervisors.

“These micro-business grants may serve as a lifeline to reestablishing reserves or as a means to invest in people, materials or new ways of doing business. The grants offer another important resource to help businesses bounce back from the pandemic."

The county has more than $500,000 of funds to give out to eligible micro-businesses that were adversely impacted by the pandemic, according to county spokeswoman Gina DePinto.

The application period for the grants opens on March 7 on a rolling basis until all funds are granted. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come-first-serve basis.

The county, California Office of the Small Business Advocate, and the Santa Barbara Foundation partnered to bring this grant opportunity to the county.

The funds are administered by the Office of the Small Business Advocate through local government agencies and coalitions of non-profit organizations, DePinto said.

Santa Barbara County staff and the Santa Barbara Foundation are hosting two informational workshops for interested micro-businesses on March 15 at 12 p.m. and March 24 at 9:30 a.m.

Click here to register for the workshop.

Click here for additional information and to review the grant program guidelines.