The Governor Gavin Newsom’s Office of Business and Economic Development announced Wednesday that the first round of applications for the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program is now open. 

This first round ends Jan. 8 at 11:59 p.m. Details for the second round will be announced shortly. 

On Nov. 30, 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, part of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. 

“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. Grants will not be issued on a first-come, first-served basis and will be awarded after the close of each application round. 

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; industry sectors most impacted by the pandemic; underserved small business groups served by the state supported network of small business centers — for example, businesses majority owned and run on a daily basis by women, persons of color or veterans or businesses located in low-to-moderate income and rural communities. 

For more information on grant requirements and eligibility, please visit careliefgrant.com.