LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Officials with the Los Angeles County Development Authority said they will open the application process Friday for small businesses to seek COVID-19 financial assistance.
The county Board of Supervisors recently voted to use Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funds to create the Small Business Revitalization Grant Program.
“Now that the Trump administration has made the unconscionable decision to walk away from a stimulus package, it has fallen to Los Angeles County to do what we can to support local small businesses,'' Supervisor Janice Hahn said. “We aren't going to turn our backs on communities during this crisis.''
Eligible applicants will receive $30,000 to use for employee payroll, working capital to continue operations, payment of outstanding business expenses and adaptive business practices needed to remain open.
Applications for the program will only be accepted from noon Friday to noon Oct. 16. LACD officials said the grants are time-sensitive and businesses need to apply within the time frame to be considered.
The program is designed to assist businesses that have been closed due to the pandemic, such as breweries with no kitchen, wineries with no kitchen, miniature golf parks, batting cage facilities, kart racing centers, tanning salons and others, LACD officials said.
The program is not open to businesses operating within the city of Los Angeles, which has its own program.
LACD officials said applications will be selected through a lottery, and applicants will be selected in the order of that process. The lottery will be broadcast live at 9 a.m. Oct. 20 at revitalizationgrant.lacda.org.
“Through grant programs like the one we are announcing today, we are doing what we can to help ease the financial burdens these businesses are facing, even as some are gearing up to reopen in the near future,'' said Emilio Salas, acting executive director of the LACDA.
Program details are available at revitalizationgrant.lacda.org.
Questions regarding the Small Business Revitalization Grant Program can be sent to revitalizationgrant@lacda.org.
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