California Relief Grant Program

How to Take Advantage of the California Relief Grant Program

Update: March 9, 2021, 9:13am

The California Relief Grant Program, which awards direct grants ranging between $5,000 and $25,000 to small businesses impacted by the pandemic, received an additional $2.1 billion in new funding―a fourfold increase over the $500 million distributed to applicants in Rounds 1 and 2.

The first application round opened late December 2020, while Round 2 opened Feb. 2 and closed Feb. 18. So far, award amounts have been based on each business’s annual revenue as documented in the business’s most recent tax return.

California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate administers the program, and the state-designated intermediary Lendistry distributes the funds. Details about the next application cycle will be published soon on the California Relief Grant Program website.

Round 3
(Waitlisted from Rounds 1 AND 2)

Round 3 is a CLOSED round and only available to eligible applicants that have been waitlisted in Rounds 1 and 2.

Applicants will be selected from the existing pool of waitlisted applicants. Applicants do not need to reapply.

Important Dates for Round 3

• Closed Round Opens: March 5, 2021
• Closed Round Closes: March 11, 2021
• Start of Selection Notifications: March 5, 2021

Round 4
(Arts & Cultural Program)

Round 4, the Arts & Cultural Program, will support California eligible nonprofit cultural institutions defined as registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit entities that satisfy the criteria for a qualified small business, but with no limitation on annual gross revenue.

Important Dates for Round 4

• Application Opens: March 16, 2021
• Application Closes: March 23, 2021
• Start of Selection Notifications: TBD

Here is the list of nonprofits that are eligible for Round 4:

• (A) 453920 – Art Dealers
• (B) 711110 – Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
• (C) 711120 – Dance Companies
• (D) 711130 – Musical Groups and Artists
• (E) 711190 – Other Performing Arts Companies
• (F) 711310 – Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with facilities
• (G) 711320 – Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without facilities
• (H) 711410 – Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures
• (I) 711510 – Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers
• (J) 712110 – Museums
• (K) 712120 – Historical Sites
• (L) 712130 – Zoos and Botanical Gardens
• (M) 712190 – Nature Parks & Other Similar Institutions

How to Apply

There will be a new online application for eligible nonprofit cultural institutions to complete, which will also be available through multiple partner portals.

Eligible nonprofit cultural institutions for the Arts & Cultural Program will be permitted to complete a new application even if they already applied in the COVID-19 Relief Grant Program; provided that grants will not be awarded to any eligible nonprofit cultural institution if such entity has otherwise been awarded a grant.

Round 5
(Thursday, March 25 through Wednesday, March 31)

• Eligible applicants: current waitlisted small businesses and nonprofits not selected in Rounds 1, 2, or 3 and new applicants that meet eligibility criteria.
• Eligible grant award: $5,000–$25,000
• Details: Applicants not selected to receive a grant in Rounds 1, 2, and 3 do not need to reapply as they will be automatically moved into Round 5. New applicants will need to apply on this website.

Round 6
(Date to be announced soon)

• Eligible applicants: current waitlisted small businesses and/or nonprofits not selected in Rounds 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 and new applicants that meet eligibility criteria.
• Eligible grant award: $5,000–$25,000
• Details: Applicants not selected to receive a grant in Rounds 1, 2, 3 and 5 do not need to re-apply and will be automatically moved into Round 6. New applicants will need to apply on this website.

Update: Jan. 4, 2021, 8:40am

To help restore our economy and support the small business owners who are the lifeblood of communities across the state—and who have been hit particularly hard in the pandemic—the California Office of the Small Business Advocate is administering new relief grants to eligible small businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature recently announced the $500 million California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program, which provides relief grants for eligible small businesses and nonprofits. These funds do not need to be repaid and can be used to cover a wide range of expenses incurred as a result of the pandemic.

Lendistry will be distributing these grants, which range from $5,000 to $25,000, and will be working with its mission-based lending partners across the state to support the applicants for these grants.

The second round of applications will launch on Tuesday, February 2. The application period for this phase will close on Monday, February 8. Any applicants who were not awarded in Round 1, but eligible, will be automatically considered for the second round.

You can learn more about the program at CAReliefGrant.com. Eligible small businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19 are encouraged to apply.

Applying is quick and easy. Applicants just need a few key documents about their business, and partner organizations are available across the state to help small business owners and nonprofits apply, answer any questions, get in-language services, and help applicants compile the necessary materials. Partners are listed on the California Relief Grant Program website and can be searched by county and language.

We are partnering with Lendistry to connect small businesses to this fantastic opportunity and provide technical assistance to small business owners in California. Click on this link and you will be directed to the application page to start the process.

Applications will be evaluated based on eligibility and pre-determined COVID-19 impact factors will be incorporated into the program’s priority criteria.