(Stockton, CA) - Beginning on Friday, June 17, 2020, small businesses and nonprofit organizations in San Joaquin County can apply for funding through a new round of federal CARES Act grants approved by the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors.

On May 12, 2020, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors established a $15 million CARES Act Economic Development Fund to provide immediate relief for small businesses and nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The first round of grant funding occurred from June 1 through June 30, 2020.

On July 7, 2020, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors approved the expansion of the County’s Small Business Assistance Grant Program which will expand the parameters of the grant funding criteria and devotes approximately $8 million for the following:

• Micro Business Assistance Grant Program. This grant is intended to assist business with zero full-time employees (other than the business owners). The maximum grant is $4,000.
• Small Business Assistance Grant Program – Round 2. This grant is an extension of the grant program launched on June 1, 2020 and closed on June 30, 2020. This grant is intended to assist small businesses with between 1 and 50 full-time employees. The maximum grant is limited to the number of full-time employees multiplied by $2,000.
• Enhanced Small Business Assistance Grant Program. This grant is intended to assist businesses with between 51 and 250 employees. The maximum grant is $100,000.
• Personal Protective Equipment Grant Program. This grant is intended to provide businesses of any size with PPE supplies, such as masks, which will be available for pick-up at a location determined by the County.

The Micro Business, Small Business and Enhanced Small Business Assistance Grants are for qualified businesses in San Joaquin County that have documented, unfunded expenditures incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant funds may only be used to cover expenditures incurred between March 1, 2020 and the date of the grant application. The Personal Protective Equipment Grant will be open to all qualified businesses in San Joaquin County.

"San Joaquin County's CARES Act grant program has received widespread interest and support from businesses throughout the County," said Kathy Miller, chair of the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors. "We have expanded the eligibility criteria to ensure that more businesses can qualify for these critical dollars, especially now that the State has mandated additional closures."

he grant application forms and associated documents will be available for on the County’s website www.sjgov.link/grants beginning at 5 pm on Friday, July 17, 2020. In order to apply for grant funding, businesses should submit a complete application package via email to SmallBusinessGrant@sjgov.org. Grant applications will be evaluated by a private firm for completeness using a comprehensive set of criteria consistent with Federal statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions of San Joaquin County award. This private firm will provide an independent review of the grant applications and ensure a timely and transparent approval process.

This new round of grant programs will end on August 31, 2020. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis for qualified applicants, so business owners are encouraged to apply as soon as possible before all funding is allocated. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

San Joaquin County staff are available Monday – Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm, to answer questions at: SmallBusinessGrantQuestions@sjgov.org.

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