MALIBU—The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Recovery Fund grant applications close on Friday, June 6 at 5 p.m.
If a business is in a fire-impacted community, they may be eligible for grants of up to $25,000 to help reopen, rehire and reinvest. Individuals can apply now at LAChamberRecoveryFund.com for funding and resources.
The Small Business Disaster Recovery Fund grant program is designed to support qualified small businesses impacted by the catastrophic Los Angeles County wildfires beginning January 7, 2025, throughout the Eaton and Palisades Wildfire Disaster Impact & Evacuation Area.
It is possible that the number of applicants that meet the eligibility requirements will exceed the available funds. Submitting an application, meeting the eligibility requirements, and/or being approved does not guarantee that you will receive funding.
To be eligible for this Program, small businesses and nonprofit organizations must meet all of the following requirements:
1) The authorized signer (owner or, in the case of a nonprofit, an officer) submitting the application is at least 18 years old as of the date of application submission;
10 million dollars or less in annual revenue for the calendar year 2023;
2) Revenue Size Grant Award Amount
$5,000,000-$10,000,000 $25,000
$1,000,000-$4,999,999 $15,000
Less than $1,000,000 $10,000
3) Registered to do business legally in the state of California on or before June 1, 2023;
4) Is currently open and operating within the Eaton and Palisades Wildfire Disaster Impact & Evacuation Area (see below), or (b) plans to reopen and resume operations within the Eaton and Palisades Wildfire Disaster Impact & Evacuation Area; and
5) Meets both of the following criteria: (a) is/was physically located within the Eaton and Palisades Wildfire Disaster Impact & Evacuation Area and (b) 50% or more of its business clientele base is/was located within the Eaton and Palisades Wildfire Disaster Impact & Evacuation Areas.
6) Nonprofits only: must be registered as a 501(c)(3) and in good standing with the California Department of Justice’s Registry of Charities and Fundraisers.
The following businesses are ineligible:
-Religious institutions, including churches.
-Government offices or agencies, other than Native American tribes.
-Publicly traded companies.
-Corporate-owned franchises.
-Financial institutions, such as banks, lenders, pay day lenders, auto title lenders, check cashers, other businesses whose stock in trade is money and mortgages, and other similar entities.
-Insurance companies, such as life, auto, home, bail bond, and other similar entities.
-Businesses who restrict patronage for any reason other than age.
-Lobbying firms or businesses who dedicate 50% or more of their time or resources to lobbying activities.
-Businesses that generate income through activities performed in violation of local, state or federal law, and through the sale, cultivation, or transportation of cannabis.
-Businesses that exist to advance partisan political activities.
-Businesses or organizations which are, or whose owners, officers, partners, directors, and/or principals are, currently suspended, disbarred, ineligible, or excluded from participation in federal, State, or County assistance programs or from receiving federal or State financial or nonfinancial assistance and/or benefits.
-Businesses with any owner with greater than ten percent (10%) equity interest in it, or nonprofit organizations with any officer, who meets one or more of the following criteria: the owner of the business or the officer of the nonprofit organization has, within the prior three years, been convicted, or had a civil judgment rendered against the owner, or has had commenced any form of parole or probation, including probation before judgment, for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a federal, state, or local public transaction or contract under a public transaction, violation of federal or state antitrust or procurement statutes or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property.
By Danny Jones
