Carpinteria encouraging businesses to sign up for second round of COVID-19 relief grants
CARPINTERIA, Calif. — California is allowing small businesses to signup for a second round of small business grant relief. The grants are to help businesses with losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The second round of California Small Businesses COVID-19 Relief Grants opened Tuesday, February 2. The application window closes at 6 p.m. PST Monday, February 8. Businesses will be notified if they are approved or denied between February 11 and 18.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit California's Central and South Coasts hard.
Luisa Hyatt is a co-owner of Rincon Brewery. She said, "We need help. We need any assistance we can get."
Hyatt continued that Rincon Brewery is suffering similar to a lot of the hospitality industry due to limited capacities. "During take-out and still with just patio dining, we're losing money every day."
Doralee Jacobson is a co-owner of Jack's Bistro & Famous Bagels. She said when schools and businesses shut down that impacted their catering sales. "Our wholesale business has been pretty much shutdown. So that's, you know, 25% of our business."
Both co-owners were hoping to be able to apply for the new round of business grants. However, their 2019 revenue was just too much between Rincon Brewery's three locations and Jack's Bistro & Famous Bagels' two locations.
According to the application, businesses are eligible to receive grants based on annual revenue. A business has to make between $1,000 to $2,500,000 to be eligible for $5,000 to $25,000 of grant money.
The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce is helping businesses in their area get signed up for these grants. In Carpinteria, COO and Carpinteria liaison, Joyce Donaldson, is leading the chamber’s effort. She said she has seen a need for Carpinteria businesses to receive grant money due to the pandemic. She especially sees a need with local restaurants.
"They need it to sustain," said Donaldson. "Without the grant programs and the funding that's been available a lot of these small businesses would not survive."
To apply for a grant visit the California state website.
