The Long Beach City Council has approved an additional $250,000 in grant funding for the Visual Improvement Program (VIP), which provides direct financial assistance to local businesses impacted by crime and vandalism.  

Businesses and nonprofits should apply if they meet the following criteria: 

• Must be able to prove that damages were sustained on or after Oct. 1, 2023.
• Must have a business storefront.
• Must be located and operating within the boundaries of Long Beach, California (address cannot be a P.O. Box or an address that leads to a shipping center as their physical location).
• May be a private for-profit business, including sole proprietorships, or nonprofit organization.
• Must have a City of Long Beach business license.
• Must be an independently owned and operated business (not publicly traded).
• Must have fewer than 200 employees.
• Must gross no more than $2 million annually.
• Corporations, limited liability companies and limited partnerships must have an active status with the California Secretary of State.

For additional eligibility requirements and to complete an application, those interested can visit longbeach.gov/smallbizgrants. Applications will remain open until funding is exhausted.