$5K COVID Grants Available For Santa Clara Co. Small Businesses

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — Santa Clara County small businesses can apply for grants of up to $5,000 to help them take protective measures against COVID-19 as part of a new program that aims to provide up to $500,000 in financial assistance.

Businesses that need assistance with the cost of providing paid time off for their employees to get tested or vaccinated can apply for grants. Other cases for which funds are eligible include constructing outdoor service areas, upgrading air filtration systems, modifying physical layouts or ordering and payment systems. The Silicon Valley and Hispanic Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) are assisting the county with administering the program.

Grants will be allotted via a lottery system that accounts for equity and inclusion, according to the county, prioritizing “areas of the county least likely to have access to capital or other banking services.” The program will be funded by fees that the county has received from businesses that violated public health orders during the pandemic as part of a plan to reinvest all of the fines back into the community.

“There’s no better way to use the money collected from the businesses that violated the public health orders than to reinvest that money in the small businesses most impacted by the pandemic that did their part to protect their workers, customers, and communities,” said Board of Supervisors Vice President Susan Ellenberg.

Small businesses must have followed the county’s pandemic-related guidelines and not been assessed fines for violating public health orders to be eligible for grants.

County Supervisor Cindy Chavez said that as the Delta variant spreads, “we’re mindful that small businesses are the lifeblood of our community, and we are happy that this grant program can support them to protect their workers and customers.”

“We know first-hand the tremendous challenges they have faced because of this pandemic, as well as the resilience, hard work, sacrifice, and leadership that they have shown to get through it,” said Dennis King, executive director of the Silicon Valley SBDC. “The grant program shows that the County recognizes what these businesses have gone through and understands the value of investing in the small business community.”

Grants are expected to be distributed by the end of September. Applications are due by Sept. 7. Visit https://www.svsbdc.org/sc-covid-grant/ for more information.