LB Recovery Act Grants
VISUAL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM
The Visual Improvement Grants Program will support local businesses impacted by crime and vandalism on or after Oct. 1, 2022. This program aims to ease the burdens of property crimes and vandalism for small businesses throughout the city. Eligible businesses can receive $1,500 to cover repairs to their storefront caused by vandalism.
Grant applications will open on Feb. 22, with more information and online application available at longbeach.gov/smallbizgrants. Applications will remain open until funding is exhausted. Grant awards will be issued on a rolling basis to eligible applicants.
APPLICATION OPEN!
ACTIVATELB GRANT PROGRAMS
The ActivateLB Grant programs will provide funding for large citywide cultural events, along with neighborhood event seed grants and business activation grants. Program applications will open in June 2022 and funded events will roll out this summer.
ActivateLB Cultural Special Events Grants
Eight grants of up to $25,000 each are available to nonprofit organizations for Citywide cultural events. As part of the City’s economic and health recovery, this program aims to fund large cultural events not previously funded by the City, to put on new events that celebrate Long Beach’s vibrant communities and support community healing via cultural practices. The events must be free and open to the public and the grant funding will offset the cost of City special event permits and fees. The application period begins June 2 and will roll out on a first-come, first-serve basis to nonprofit organizations that meet the selection criteria.
Applications for this program are now closed.
ActivateLB Neighborhood Activation Seed Grants
Twelve seed grants of $5,000 are available for small-scale, neighborhood, and first-time cultural activations. This grant opportunity funds Long Beach organizations conducting cultural events aimed at fostering community resilience and creative well-being within Long Beach's neighborhoods and their community members who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The events must be free and open to the public. The application period begins June 21 and will close on July 21.
Applications for this program are now closed. Award decisions are anticipated in late August.
ActivateLB Business Activation Grants
Grants totaling $100,000 will be distributed in $5,000 and $10,000 grants to support local events and promotions that increase consumer spending at local small businesses. Events and promotions must focus on commercial corridors that are not supported by a Business Improvement District and must measure impact on consumer spending and/or foot traffic. Events and promotions must be free and open to the public. The application period is from June 21 and will close on July 21.
Applications for this program are now closed. Award decisions are anticipated in late August.
ActivateLB City Event Direct Relief
Five direct relief payments of up to $15,000 will offset City special events permits and fees for existing City-sponsored citywide cultural events. The following events will be supported by this funding: Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, Dia de los Muertos, Jazz Festival, Veterans Day Parade, and the Daisy Christmas Parade
CREATIVE ECONOMY GRANTS PROGRAM
The Creative Economy Grants Program is designed to provide direct financial relief to the arts, cultural, and historical community in Long Beach to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Long Beach is partnering with the Arts Council for Long Beach (ArtsLB) to administer this program. The following programs are available to art, culture, and historical non-profit organizations and professional artists in the City of Long Beach:
- Organizational Recovery Grants - Applications close July 7, 2022 at 11:59PM.
- Public Mural Program -Applications close September 2, 2022 at 11:59PM.
- Community Project Grants -Applications close July 7, 2022 at 11:59PM.
- Professional Artist Fellowships- Applications close July 7, 2022 at 11:59PM.
- Cultural Center Grants- Applications Ongoing
All grant program applications are available through ArtsLB except for the Cultural Center Grants. Learn more. To apply for a Cultural Center Grant, please see the information below.
Cultural Center Grants
Under the Creative Economy Grants program, the City will provide Cultural Center Development Grants in the amount of $25,000 to support the development of the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach, Latino Cultural Center, and Cambodian American Cultural Center. To apply, each organization must submit a work plan that describes the organizational development activities and programming that will be supported by the grant allocation.
Applications are NOW OPEN May 2, 2022. View the Program Guidelines.
To apply for this grant, please download the Creative Economy Grant application, fill out the information, and email the complete application to Andrew Chang, Assistant to the City Manager at Andrew.Chang@longbeach.gov.
BUSINESS AND NONPROFIT GRANT PROGRAMS
The City launched the Small Business Grant Programs on March 16, 2022. For more information on application requirements and how to apply, visit the Small Business Grants site. Applications have since closed and funding has been disbursed. For a full report of this funding's impact, see the Long Beach Recovery Act Small Business and Nonprofit Grant Final Report.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & OUTREACH
The Long Beach BizCare Program supports small businesses from across the City that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The BizCare Program connects business owners to important resources and information, such as grants, loans, technical assistance, information on City policies, and more.
The BizCare Program supports Long Beach businesses through the following services:
- BizCare Pop-Ups
- BizCare Hotline and Email
- BizCare Outreach Team
- Community-Based Organization Partnerships
BizCare Pop-ups
BizCare pop-ups are available to all Long Beach small businesses and are located in neighborhoods that have been most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pop-ups provide business owners or their representatives with free one-on-one, in-person support to complete local, non-profit, state, and federal grant applications free of charge. Businesses are also introduced to other resources, such as loans and free technical assistance. Services are delivered in English, Spanish, and Khmer. Learn about the pop-ups.
Hotline and Email
The BizCare Hotline provides information to businesses on small business programs and resources, Health Orders, and relevant City policies. The hotline operates Monday’s through Friday’s from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Business owners may contact Customer Service Representatives via the BizCare Hotline by calling 562-570-4BIZ (4249). Learn more.
Businesses may also contact Customer Service Representatives by email at 4Biz@longbeach.gov. Both voicemails and emails received will be responded to within 24 hours for customers that contact the BizCare team after normal working hours.
Outreach
The BizCare Outreach Team will primarily focus on helping small businesses located in low-to-moderate income areas learn about and benefit from small business grants, loans, technical assistance, and more. The team will also help businesses complete grant applications to help them survive and recover.
