Customers of Amorcito inside The Hangar food hall at Long Beach Exchange are required to wear a mask when ordering and are seperated from employees by a plexiglass barrier, Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Photo by Brandon Richardson.

Applications are now available for the city of Long Beach’s Small Business Transition and Technology grants, which are meant to slow the hemorrhaging of the city’s entrepreneurs by providing financial support for local businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The city has allocated $3.3 million for the assistance program funded by more than $40 million in CARES Act monies awarded by the federal government. The program is part of the CARES Act spending plan approved by the City Council in July and allows for working capital grants of up to $5,000 and technology grants of up to $2,000.

 

“The city remains committed to supporting our small businesses and the groups that have been impacted most by the pandemic,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a press release. “These grants will provide much-needed financial support during this unprecedented crisis.”

 

Eligible expenditures for working capital grants include rent, inventory, payroll, personal protective equipment, and furniture, fixtures and equipment that allow the business to operate safely. Technology grants can fund contactless payment systems, queuing systems, website development, and digital marketing and advertising.

 

In addition to grants, the city is hosting small business outreach pop-up events five days per week through October 30. The events provide businesses one-on-one, in-person support to complete the grant application and learn about other business and community resources.

 

Due to poor air quality caused by nearby wildfires, the pop-up events are being held at The WorkPlace, located at 4811 Airport Plaza Drive, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. According to city staff, once given the green light from the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, the recurring events will revert to its original schedule, which is as follows:

 

  • Mondays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Admiral Kidd Park (2125 Santa Fe Ave.)
  • Tuesdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Admiral Kidd Park; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library (5870 Atlantic Ave.)
  • Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library
  • Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mark Twain Neighborhood Library (1401 E. Anaheim St.)
  • Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mark Twain Neighborhood Library

 

Fore more information on the grant program and other business assistance, visit longbeach.gov/4biz.

Brandon Richardson is a reporter and photojournalist for the Long Beach Post and Long Beach Business Journal.