PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA - Applications and program materials are now available for the City’s new Small Business Transition and Technology (SBTT) grants, which will provide financial relief to Long Beach businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The City is also hosting a series of small business pop-ups to provide in-person assistance with grant applications and other resources for business owners. 

“The City remains committed to supporting our small businesses and the groups that have been impacted most by the pandemic,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “These grants will provide much-needed financial support during this unprecedented crisis.”

In July 2020, the Long Beach City Council approved a spending plan for the City’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds, which allocates funding for business recovery and resiliency efforts, including small business grants. The SBTT grants will support small businesses citywide that have been most impacted by the pandemic. Approximately $3,300,000 is available for the SBTT grants, which will provide working capital grants of up to $5,000 and technology grants of up to $2,000 per business. 

The following is a summary of the eligible expenditures for each grant:

Working Capital Grants

• Commercial rent
• Inventory
• Payroll
• Personal protective equipment
• Furniture, fixtures and equipment that help businesses operate safely

Technology Grants

Technology solutions that help businesses safely operate and transition to digital services and build their online presence, such as:

• Contactless payment systems
• Queuing systems
• Website development
• Digital marketing and advertising

The City is hosting a series of small business outreach pop-ups in North, West and Central Long Beach to provide additional outreach to areas of the city that may traditionally have had less access to information. The pop-ups, which are open to all business owners in Long Beach, provide business operators or their representatives with one-on-one, in-person support to complete grant applications and learn about other business and community resources. Translation services will be provided by appointment. The pop-ups are held outdoors and safety protocols are in place. Businesses throughout the city can contact the Business Hotline at 562.570.4BIZ (4249), Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., for support with completing grant applications or to request an appointment. 

The pop-ups began on August 24 and will take place through October 30, 2020, as follows:

• Mondays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Admiral Kidd Park (2125 Santa Fe Ave.)
• Tuesdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Admiral Kidd Park; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library (5870 Atlantic Ave.)
• Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library
• Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mark Twain Neighborhood Library (1401 E. Anaheim St.)
• Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mark Twain Neighborhood Library

The City will also be partnering with community-based organizations to help with business outreach and education. To learn more about the SBTT grants, all businesses can visit longbeach.gov/4BIZ or contact the City of Long Beach Business Hotline.

For the latest information on COVID-19, with details on all that the City of Long Beach is doing to keep our residents safe, visit longbeach.gov/COVID19 and follow @LongBeachCity on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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