California extends small business COVID-19 relief grant deadline

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The State of California is offering small businesses grant money to help them through the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses are facing financial hardship during California’s second stay-at-home order. And California is now closing in on the tenth month of the pandemic.

The grant application process started at 6 a.m. on December 30. Newschannel 3-12 talked with small business owners who were eager to apply. However, many said there have been problems with the state website crashing and being overwhelmed.

This week the state pushed the application deadline back from December 8 to December 13.

Co-president of the Greater Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Jacqueline Inda, said they are working with Hispanic-owned businesses. And the extension will help them navigate the early delays.

According to the grant application to qualify a business must sell less than two and a half million dollars a year and show at least 25 percent loss of sales since last year. How much a business could receive is based on sales. A business can receive between $5,000 and $25,000 dollars.