Economic Opportunity Holiday Grants are now available to assist businesses and nonprofits that are still struggling to recover from the financial impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is designed to support qualified small businesses, microentrepreneurs, food industry businesses, and non-profits in Los Angeles County impacted by COVID-19. Learn more and apply today at: bit.ly/SmallBusinessGrants2025
How can I apply?
To apply for the Economic Opportunity Holiday Grant, please fill out our online form here.
You can also download our PDF application and email your completed form to [email protected].
Applications will be accepted starting Small Business Saturday on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 9 am through Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at 5 pm.
What is the grant amount?
The Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) is distributing over $500,000 through grants of$3,000 and $5,000, depending on business size, made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and in partnership with PACE.
Who can apply?
Applicants must be one of the following to apply:
- Microbusinesses with gross revenue less than $250,000
- Small Businesses with gross revenue between $250,000 and $2 Million
- Very Small Nonprofits with operating budget of less than $1 Million
- Small Nonprofits with operating budget between $1 and $5 Million
Eligibility Requirements
- Submit pledge to support small businesses at shoploca.la. Must use same first name, last name, and email address when submitting the grant application and pledge.
- Operational Date: Must have been in operation prior to December 30, 2021, as determined by business license or similar government filings. Must be currently active and operating.
- Business Type and Geographic Boundaries: Grantees must operate from a brick and mortar location with a storefront in Los Angeles County. Nonprofits must be operating from an office or another commercial space and provide services Countywide. Businesses or nonprofits operating from a residence are not eligible. In addition, certain business types are not eligible. Visit bit.ly/SmallBusinessGrants2025 for a full list of ineligible businesses.
- Revenue Thresholds: The business owner applying for the grant must be the majority owner, manager of the qualified business, and own the business as the primary means of income in the 2019 taxable year. All grantees must submit a 2023 tax return and clearly show annual revenue or operating budget to qualify business/organization under the grant.
- Demonstrate Significant Impact: Grantees must demonstrate that they have experienced at least a 10% decrease in gross revenue due to COVID-19 between 2019 and 2020 or later.
- Supporting Evidence to show Impact: Grantees will also be asked to provide a short narrative describing how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their business/organization and any hardships they have encountered in their recovery.
- Business/Nonprofit in Good Standing: Grantees must be active businesses currently in operation and in good standing with all local, state and federal taxing and licensing authorities.
- Previous Awards: The grantee MUST NOT have received a COVID-19 recovery grant funded through ARPA from a local government agency, including the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, or under the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program
How can grant funding be used?
- The purchase of new certified equipment or technology tools for business or nonprofit operations;
Employee payroll expenses;
Application for, or renewal of, a local permit; - Payment of business debt accrued due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Working capital to continue operations;
Lease, rent, or mortgage payments; - Payment of outstanding business expenses; or/and
- Costs resulting from 1) the COVID-19 pandemic and related health and safety restrictions or 2) business interruptions or closures incurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When will grant awardies be notified?
Our goal is to disburse all funds by the end of February. Please note that funding is very limited. In addition to being reviewed based on the eligibility criteria, applicants will also be scored and selected according to factors determined by the County, including location in a highest/high need area based on the County’s Equity Explorer Mapping Tool and other factors. Should many applications be received, not all businesses will be funded. If you are a grant recipient, you will need to sign a grant agreement and provide documents accordingly.
How can I get additional assistance?
The Department of Economic Opportunity’s Office of Small Business and its Economic Mobility Initiative Partners are available to offer one-on-one grant application assistance.
Call: (844) 432-4900
Email: [email protected]
Visit: 4716 E Cesar E Chavez Ave, Los Angeles