State funding supports small businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19 pandemic

Sacramento, CA – The first round of applications for the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program is now open. On November 30, 2020, Governor Newsom and the State Legislature announced the allocation of $500 million available to small businesses and nonprofits that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is administered by California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), part of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).

“Small business owners and our nonprofits serve as the economic heart of every California community,” said Governor Newsom. “This grant program isn’t the end, it’s the beginning. It’s a bridge to help the millions of Californians, whose dreams and livelihoods are now on the line, as we work with the State Legislature to create additional support.”

Grants will not be issued on a first-come, first-served basis and will be awarded after the close of each application round. This first round of applications ends January 8, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. Details for the second round will be announced shortly.

“Inclusive, equitable relief is fundamental to the small business support developed by this administration,” said Isabel Guzman, CalOSBA Director. “This grant program provides that support through a network of Community Development Financial Institutions and Community Based Organizations ensuring reach to those highly impacted small businesses in disadvantaged communities, underserved small business groups, and industries disproportionately impacted by this pandemic.”

The California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program provides grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. Lendistry has been designated by the State to act as the intermediary for the Program to disburse the grant funds.

“As an organization dedicated to efficiently providing capital to underserved small businesses, and with a deeply experienced senior management team that mirrors the diversity of our home state of California, Lendistry is proud to partner with the CalOSBA in this bold and critical effort,” said Everett K. Sands, Lendistry’s founder and CEO. “Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic Lendistry has assisted 20,000 small businesses in a dozen states and deployed nearly a half-billion dollars in capital, and we are bringing the full force of our technology, expertise and relationships with partner CDFIs and community organizations to bear on CalOSBA’s landmark commitment to California’s small businesses.”

The Program will prioritize distribution based on priority key factors, including the following:

• Geographic distribution based on COVID-19 health and safety restrictions following California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, county status and the new Regional Stay-at-Home Order which can be found at covid19.ca.gov
• Industry sectors most impacted by the pandemic
• Underserved small business groups served by the State supported network of small business centers (i.e., businesses majority owned and run on a daily basis by women, minorities/persons of color, veterans and businesses located in low-to-moderate income and rural communities)

Mission-based lenders and small business advisory and technical assistance providers can help small businesses with the application process in multiple languages and formats. Many of the State supported small business centers, which prioritize the expansion of technical assistance to underserved business groups, are also available to help. For more information on grant requirements and eligibility, please visit careliefgrant.com.

About CalOSBA
The Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) helps support economic growth and innovation by working to ensure that California’s small businesses and entrepreneurs have the information, tools and resources they need to plan, launch, manage and grow their businesses successfully and be resilient. The CalOSBA serves to elevate their voices in state government and to advocate on their behalf to help ensure all aspiring and current small business owners and entrepreneurs are provided with the opportunity to access capital, access markets, and connect to the networks and resources they need to succeed. For more information visit the website.

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Sacramento, CA – The California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), part of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), today announced the lineup for CalOSBA’s “Get Digital CA!” digital pop-up festivals. These interactive festivals will showcase local and diverse small businesses through social media channels, creating online neighborhood shopping experiences across the state.

“We are working to start a small business movement. Our hope is that these festivals will be replicated across California as local leaders use this model and our ‘Get Digital CA!’ tools to create communities online, attract new online tourism, and increase small business revenues,” said Isabel Guzman, CalOSBA Director. “Californians will once again experience that neighborly feeling that only small businesses can create through a safe, online space.”

Recent studies show that U.S. e-commerce sales are set to double to $1 trillion by 2023 – growing at six times the rate of all retail transactions. Surveys by the Small Business Roundtable and Facebook show that 76 percent of small businesses are relying more on digital tools than they were pre-COVID-19, and 1/3 say they would have closed all or part of their businesses without digital tools.

Facebook will offer trainings that show business owners how to use digital platforms to build their businesses and engage with customers. The social media company will also provide its “Boost with Facebook” educational content for CalOSBA to share with businesses that were unable to join the festival. Instagram will offer a training that includes tips, tricks, and best practices for small businesses participating so owners are fully prepared to “go live” and reach their target audience in creative ways.

“Small businesses are at the heart of our local communities and have been some of the hardest hit during the pandemic,” said Justin Osofsky, Instagram COO. “That’s why we have been so focused on supporting them as they turn to platforms like Facebook and Instagram to keep the doors open, through programs like the small business grants and in-app products like food delivery. We are delighted to be partnering with the California Governor’s Office to bring our Experience Festivals to various communities across California through Instagram Live. Shining a spotlight on the small businesses that have uplifted their communities and brought people together over the last several months has never been more important.”

Through organizing efforts by regional partners – Time Out Los Angeles, Oakland Indie Alliance, NextGen Policy, the Eva Longoria Foundation, Stockton Strong, and Goodstock Productions – a variety of California’s diverse small businesses will be represented as the festivals pop up around California.

Festival #1: Los Angeles (Southern California Region)
Date: Thursday, November 19
Going Live on Instagram via @timeoutla
Partner: Time Out Los Angeles

Festival #2: Oakland (Northern California Region)
Date: Wednesday, December 9
Going Live on Instagram via @keepitoakland18
Partner: Oakland Indie Alliance and NextGen Policy

Festival #3: Fresno and Stockton (Central California Region)
Date: PART 1, Thursday, December 10
Going Live on Instagram via @evalongoriafoundation
Partner: Eva Longoria Foundation

Date: PART 2, Friday, December 11
Going Live on Instagram via @stockmarketca
Partner: Stockton Strong and Goodstock Productions

Launched by CalOSBA in September, “Get Digital CA!” is an e-commerce initiative to promote accelerators and intensive trainings so that small businesses build the skills necessary to compete in an online marketplace. The initiative also builds off CalOSBA’s work supporting the “Calling ALL Californians: #ShopSafeShopLocal” campaign, which launched in July, and the 40+ free or discounted partner resources offered to support small businesses to get digital. For more information, and to connect to these important resources, visit the Get Digital CA! webpage.

About GO-Biz
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For more information visit the GO-Biz website.

About CalOSBA
The Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) helps support economic growth and innovation by working to ensure that California’s small businesses and entrepreneurs have the information, tools and resources they need to plan, launch, manage and grow their businesses successfully and be resilient. The CalOSBA serves to elevate their voices in state government and to advocate on their behalf to help ensure all aspiring and current small business owners and entrepreneurs are provided with the opportunity to access capital, access markets, and connect to the networks and resources they need to succeed. For more information visit the website.

Kaitlin Lewis
Assistant Deputy Director of Communications
Email Kaitlin, HERE 
Phone: (916) 204-2107

Explore more articles by category:  GO-Biz News  |  CalOSBA News  |  Press Releases  |  Opinion Editorials  |  Statements

Sacramento, CA – The California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), part of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), today announced a new partnership with the Eva Longoria Foundation, Stockton Strong/Goodstock Productions and State-supported Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) as part of CalOSBA’s ongoing “Get Digital CA!” initiative. The “Get Digital CA!” initiative promotes e-commerce adoption by small business owners and drives Californians to support small and local businesses online leading up to the holiday shopping season.

This partnership will create a first-of-its-kind, Digital Pop-Up Festival this December in Central California. The interactive festival will use social media channels to showcase live videos from small businesses as owners tell their stories, sell their products and services, and create new experiences for the customer. In preparation for the digital festival, and the holiday shopping season, the SBDCs will lead digital training bootcamps across all of California for small businesses that are new to e-commerce and digital marketing, and for those looking to improve their digital presence. Small businesses can register for the digital bootcamps at Eventbrite.com.

“With more customers moving to online shopping, it’s more important than ever for small businesses to adopt new technology and get online,” said Isabel Guzman, CalOSBA Director. “The State of California, and our partners, are working hard to help all of our diverse small businesses in every step of this journey.”

In recent surveys, small businesses without pre-existing e-commerce were two times more likely to close – and with consumers increasingly moving online, U.S. e-commerce sales are on trend to double to $1 trillion by 2023.

“Businesses owned by people of color have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The number of active businesses in the Latinx community alone has dropped by 32% since the start of the pandemic,” said activist, actress, director and producer Eva Longoria. “Small businesses form the economic heart of every community and represent a path to income mobility and economic advancement for many women and people of color. Our partnership with CalOSBA will provide essential training and resources to help these entrepreneurs understand the new business landscape and succeed in the digital marketplace.”

“Our Stockton Strong Marketplace launched this year and gave local women entrepreneurs, who faced challenges due to the impacts of COVID-19, the opportunity to grow their online sales,” said Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. “We appreciate the state working to expand local e-commerce by empowering even more of our small businesses with the digital tools needed to stay competitive.”

“The Digital Bootcamp program will be a great way to build new sales channels that will generate much needed revenue to support these small businesses as they navigate through these uncertain times,” said Mike Daniel, Regional Director of the Orange County Inland Empire SBDC Network. “There are more than 60 SBDC’s that are situated throughout California and we are here to help small business owners through this program and any other business need they may have.”

During the Central California December festival, CalOSBA will provide technical support and festival playbooks for the initiative. The “Get Digital CA!” initiative also builds off CalOSBA’s work supporting the “Calling ALL Californians: #ShopSafeShopLocal” campaign launched in July and the 40+ free or discounted partner resources offered to support small businesses to get digital. For more information, and to connect to these important resources, visit the Get Digital CA! webpage.

About GO-Biz
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For more information visit the GO-Biz website.

About CalOSBA
The Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) helps support economic growth and innovation by working to ensure that California’s small businesses and entrepreneurs have the information, tools and resources they need to plan, launch, manage and grow their businesses successfully and be resilient. The CalOSBA serves to elevate their voices in state government and to advocate on their behalf to help ensure all aspiring and current small business owners and entrepreneurs are provided with the opportunity to access capital, access markets, and connect to the networks and resources they need to succeed. For more information visit the website.

About the Eva Longoria Foundation
In 2012, actress and activist Eva Longoria Bastón started the Foundation to help Latinas build better futures through education and entrepreneurship. By providing Latinas with the resources to succeed in school and business, the Foundation works to improve their lives, empower their communities and shape the national conversation about leveling the playing field for minority girls and women. To date, they’ve impacted more than 28,000 Latinas in the United States and Mexico through programs in STEM education, college scholarships, mentorship, parent engagement, microloans and business training.  Visit the Eva Longoria Foundation website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

About StocktonStrong & Goodstock Productions
In March 2020, the Office of Mayor Michael Tubbs launched StocktonStrong, a coalition of public and private sectors and civic leaders that have coordinated community-based COVID-19 response efforts in Stockton. StocktonStrong serves as a source for an all COVID-19 related information and resources for Stockon area residents. Goodstock Productions is a Northern California events company known for creating exceptional and purposeful experiences. Female founded, owned, and managed since 2015- Goodstock offers a range of services- from full-service event planning to a la carte assistance. Goodstock’s flagship event, Stockmarket, gave local, small businesses a new platform for engaging with customers and showcasing their talents in a lively atmosphere. In June 2020 StocktonStrong partnered with Goodstock Productions to launch the StocktonStrong Marketplace, an innovative e-commerce project that created a one-stop shopping website featuring 27 local women-owned small businesses that ran for three months. A second digital holiday marketplace will be launching in November. Visit their websites, StocktonStrong, Goodstock Productions, or follow Stockmarket on Instagram and Facebook.

About California SBDCs
The California Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Program is the leader in providing small business owners and entrepreneurs with the tools and guidance needed to become successful in today’s challenging economic climate. Direct and personalized technical assistance is provided to entrepreneurs through professional consulting, supplemented by low-cost or free seminars and conferences. These services are delivered throughout California via an extensive network of thirty-five Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).

Kaitlin Lewis
Assistant Deputy Director of Communications
Email Kaitlin, HERE
Phone: (916) 204-2107

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Sacramento, CA – The California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), operating within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), today announced the “Grow with Google” workshop series, which will launch September 22 and is designed to help California small businesses grow their digital footprints.

Through this partnership with Google, as well as California’s network of small business centers, diverse small business groups, and other corporate partners, CalOSBA is launching the first component of its new e-commerce initiative, “Get Digital CA,” an effort to promote e-commerce to help California small businesses build the skills they need to compete in an online marketplace, increase their revenues, and improve resilience in the face of California’s current multi-disaster environment.

Small business resilience is strengthened with technology and e-commerce strategies. A recent research report by Connected Commerce Council and Google found that 93% of small businesses were disrupted by COVID-19 and, as a result, 85% of small businesses have had to rethink their approach to digital tools, with many small businesses using digital tools more and in new ways. This research also found that small business leaders of color have been disproportionately impacted by this pandemic, and businesses that have remained open attribute their resilience to embracing technology. The initiative will focus on advancing equity goals with targeted programming in historically under-resourced regions of the state and with entrepreneurs who have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, including businesses owned by people of color.

“California’s small businesses are an indomitable force, tirelessly working to pivot and address the ever-changing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have seen thousands of these businesses embrace change to adapt their businesses to a new marketplace, including adopting digital technology at higher rates,” said Isabel Guzman, CalOSBA’s Director. “This initiative will give our small businesses the extra help they need to go from surviving in a digital marketplace to thriving.”

“We’re proud to partner with California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate and GO-Biz to host four free digital skills workshops. ‘Grow with Google,’ helps create economic opportunities for job seekers and small businesses through free digital tools and trainings, which has become increasingly important as we navigate today’s challenges,” said Lisa Gevelber, Vice President Grow with Google. “These workshops will help small business owners in California understand how online tools can help them serve their customers and grow their business.”

The dates and topics for the “Grow with Google” workshop series can be found below. To register, click here.

• 09/22/2020: Get Your Local Business on Google Search and Maps: Learn about Google My Business – 10:00 AM PT A free tool for local businesses who want to connect with customers on Google Search and Maps. Get hands-on help creating or updating your business profile or a simple website.
• 09/24/2020: Ponga su negocio local en Google Search y Maps – 10:00 AM PT Explore Google My Business, una herramienta gratuita para empresas que desean conectarse con clientes en Google Search y Maps.
• 09/30/2020: Make Your Website Work for You – 10:00 AM PT In this presentation, learners will discover how to create a search-friendly website that drives user action and supports their goals. Whether launching a new website or sprucing up an old one, this workshop will help.
• 10/07/2020: Use YouTube to Grow Your Business – 10:00 AM PT Get best practices for creating a YouTube Channel and compelling video content that promotes your products and services and drives engagement with your brand.

CalOSBA’s “Get Digital CA” initiative builds off its work supporting the “Calling ALL Californians: #ShopSafeShopLocal” campaign launched in July, and the 40+ free or discounted partner resources offered to support small businesses get digital. For more information and to connect to these important resources, visit our #ShopSafeShopLocal Resources page.

About GO-Biz
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For more information visit the GO-Biz website.

About CalOSBA
The Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) helps support economic growth and innovation by working to ensure that California’s small businesses and entrepreneurs have the information, tools and resources they need to plan, launch, manage and grow their businesses successfully and be resilient. The CalOSBA serves to elevate their voices in state government and to advocate on their behalf to help ensure all aspiring and current small business owners and entrepreneurs are provided with the opportunity to access capital, access markets, and connect to the networks and resources they need to succeed. For more information visit the website.

Kaitlin Lewis
Assistant Deputy Director of Communications
Email Kaitlin, HERE 
Phone: (916) 204-2107

Explore more articles by category:  GO-Biz News  |  CalOSBA News  |  Press Releases  |  Opinion Editorials  |  Statements