TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Minh C. Tran, County Executive Officer
REPORT BY: Becky Craig, Assistant County Executive Officer
SUBJECT: California Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program
RECOMMENDATION
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County Executive Officer requests the Board:
1. Authorize the Chair to sign a letter of designation to apply for the California Office of Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant totaling $173,400 to assist qualified microbusinesses that have been significantly impacted by the pandemic;
2. Authorize the County Executive Officer to execute the grant agreement when received; and
3. Authorize the Chair to sign an Agreement with Workforce Development Board of Solano County doing business as Solano-Napa Small Business Development Center to administer the grant program.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development allocated $50 million through CalOSBA to provide Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant funding at the county level. Napa County’s allocation is $173,400. Staff recommends the County partner with Solano-Napa Small Business Development Center to administer the grant.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
No |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
State funding allocated for microbusiness grants |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
None |
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Consequences if not approved: |
Funding will lapse |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Livable Economy for All |
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Additional Information |
Designate administration with Solano Napa SBDC |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The California Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program (MBCRG) was created in 2021 to assist qualified microbusinesses that have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in California. Existing law (Government Code Section 12100.83) requires CalOSBA to make grants to assist qualified small businesses negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with specified criteria, including geographic distribution based on COVID-19 restrictions and industry sectors most impacted by the pandemic, among other things. The California Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program was enacted by Senate Bill No. 151 (Government Code 12100.90). The new funds will be expressly for microbusinesses and administered by the CalOSBA through county agencies and coalitions of nonprofit organizations (“grantmaking entities”) that will disperse the funds to microbusinesses and entrepreneurs in the state.
The MBCRG Program provides approximately $50,000,000 in one-time grant funding to administer a Request for Proposal (RFP) for eligible grantmaking entities defined as a county government or nonprofit, community-based organizations. The intent of the funding is to provide relief to the hardest to reach microbusinesses and entrepreneurs. The grantmaking entities will develop and implement an outreach and marketing plan to identify and engage eligible microbusinesses that face systemic barriers to access capital, including but not limited to, businesses owned by women, minorities, veterans, individuals without documentation, individuals with limited English proficiency, and business owners located in low-wealth and rural communities. The Program will award funds to eligible grantmaking entities to distribute grants to eligible microbusinesses that have been impacted by COVID-19 and the associated health and safety restrictions.
The Solano-Napa SBDC provides services to small businesses and has administered similar federal and state grant programs during the pandemic. As the County’s administrator, the SBDC has prepared the grant application. The SBDC is prepared to conduct outreach, connect with community organizations, support microbusiness owners to participate in this program, process payments, and provide necessary reports.