LAKEWOOD CREATES SMALL BUSINESS EMERGENCY RELIEF GRANT

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for small businesses in Lakewood.

As a result of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the City of Lakewood received additional Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding and the city is using some of these funds to award $1,000 grants to eligible small businesses in this time of need.

View the complete Small Business Emergency Relief Grant Program Information Packet for eligibility and application requirements.

Business eligibility requirements

• Must be a Lakewood-based small business, including but not limited to a restaurant, coffee shop, retail shop, salon, barber shop, or small-scale manufacturer.

• Have a physical storefront or commercial-designated facility in Lakewood (home-based businesses do not qualify).

• Have documented business income loss stemming from COVID-19.

• Be a for-profit business.

• Been in business for at least one year.

• Had no more than 30 employees on payroll in a Lakewood business location(s) at the time the initial Los Angeles County Shelter-in-Place Order was issued on March 16, 2020 by the County of Los Angeles Health Officer. Sole proprietors are eligible to apply.

• Have a maximum of 3 business locations.

• Had gross receipts under $1 million for all business locations for calendar year 2019.

• Be in possession of a valid business license at the time the initial Los Angeles County Shelter-in-Place Order was issued on March 16, 2020 by the County of Los Angeles Health Officer.

• Must comply with CDBG low-moderate income requirements (see the Application Package for all the details).

• Businesses must commit to retaining at least one employee from a low-moderate income household, defined as having household income that is 80% or below the Area Median Income (AMI) limits. Lakewood is within the Los Angeles County Metropolitan area (see the Small Business Emergency Relief Grant Program Information Packet PDF for all the details).

How to apply

The application period will open on Monday, July 13, 2020 and close on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 11:59 pm.

If you believe you are eligible, you’ll need to gather this information for the application:

• Your basic business information (contact info, address, etc.)

Other forms of assistance you have applied for

• Estimated gross receipts (total sales) during calendar year 2019 from all your business locations (NOTE: follow-up documentation will be required if your business is selected)

• Estimated monthly pre-COVID-19 revenue

• Estimated monthly revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Estimated July 2020 revenue

• Knowledge of at least one employee who qualifies under CDBG low-moderate income guidelines

Please Note: Once you start filling out the application, you may not exit and then return. You can go back to a prior page and fix it before submitting it, but cannot return to the application once you exit. You would need to start over in a new application. Please have everything ready before you begin.

The application has 24 questions and will take approximately 30 minutes.

Contact the city for assistance

Please contact Carolyn Lehouillier at 562-866-9771, ext. 2320 or [email protected].