Economic Opportunity Holiday Grants
Is your small business or non-profit still feeling the financial impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic? You may qualify for funding to help you kick start the new year!
Economic Opportunity Holiday Grants are now available to assist businesses and nonprofits that are still struggling to recover from the financial impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is designed to support qualified small businesses, microentrepreneurs, food industry businesses, and non-profits in Los Angeles County impacted by COVID-19 with grants of $3,000 or $5,000.
Start by signing a pledge to support small businesses at shoplocal.la and apply today.
Applications will be accepted starting Small Business Saturday on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 9 am through Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at 5 pm. Click on the links below to submit an application online:
Should you prefer to fill out the application by hand, please print either the English or Spanish version of the application at the following links and email the completed applications to EOHG@pacela.org.
Grant Type Overview
The Holiday Grants is distributing over $500,000 made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and administered by the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity in partnership with PACE. Applications will be open for a limited time during the holidays. Grants will be awarded beginning February 2025. Through this grant, DEO will support the following:
- Microbusinesses with gross revenue less than $250,000*
- Small Businesses with gross revenue between $250,000 and $2 Million*
- Very Small Nonprofits with Operating Budget of less than $1 Million**
- Small Nonprofits with Operating Budgets between $1 and $5 Million**
* Must be a brick and mortar business and impacted by Covid-19. Approximately 40% is set aside for businesses in the Food Industry Sector that are licensed by the County’s Department of Health.
**Approximately 14% is set aside for nonprofits that provide direct workforce training, job placement, or career skills program services to young adult or the youth population between the ages of 16 and 25 within Los Angeles County.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet all of the grant program requirements in order to qualify. But please note that funding is limited and thus, meeting eligibility requirements does NOT guarantee a grant award. Requirements include:
1. Must submit pledge to support small businesses at shoploca.la.
Must use same name, last name, and email address when submitting grant application and pledge.
2. Operational Date
Must have been in operation prior to December 30, 2021, as determined by business license or similar government filings. Must be currently active and operating.
3. Business Type and Geographic Boundaries
Grantees must operate from a brick and mortar location with a storefront in Los Angeles County. Nonprofits must be operating from an office or another commercial space and provide services Countywide. Businesses or nonprofits operating from a residence are not eligible. In addition, certain business types are not eligible. See below for a full list of ineligible businesses.
- 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;
- Private or social clubs;
- Pawn shops;
- Astrology, Palm Reading;
- Liquor stores, night clubs;
- Lobbying firms or businesses that dedicate 50% or more of their time or resources to lobbying activities;
- Businesses that engage in gambling activities, such as Bingo parlors, casinos;
- Trailer-storage and junk yards;
- Businesses that present live performances of a sexual nature;
- Businesses that generate income through activities performed in violation of State or federal law, including the sale, cultivation, or transportation of marijuana;
- Businesses that exist for the purpose of advancing partisan political activities;
- Gun or ammunition stores;
- Business or organizations debarred or suspended under the laws of the United States Government; and
- Businesses owned by individuals under the age of 18.
4. Revenue Thresholds
The business owner applying for the grant must be the majority owner, manager of the qualified business, and own the business as the primary means of income in the 2019 taxable year. The business applicant must be able to provide acceptable form of government-issued photo ID (State, domestic, or foreign) and documentation that includes the owner’s name may include but is not limited to the following: a local business permit or license, a bank statement, or a tax return.
- Microbusinesses with gross revenue less than $250,000
For-profit business with less than $250,000 in annual gross revenue receipts according to latest tax return and a physical location located in Los Angeles County. Must have five or less employees, including owner. To qualify for set aside for businesses in the Food Industry, must also be licensed by the Department of Public Health to offer food products or services to the public through a physical address in Los Angeles County and have a current inspection grade of “C” or better. - Small Businesses with gross revenue between $250,000 and $2 Million
For-profit businesses with at least $250,000 and up to $2 million in annual gross revenue according to latest tax return and have a physical location located in Los Angeles County. To qualify for set aside for businesses in the Food Industry, must also be licensed by the Department of Public Health to offer food products or services to the public through a physical address in Los Angeles County and have a current inspection grade of “C” or better. - Very Small Nonprofits with Operating Budget of less than $1 Million
Non-profit social service providers with a 501(c)(3), 501(c)(6) or 501(c)(19) designation that serve low-to moderate income communities that are responding to COVID-19. These non-profits must have annual gross revenue less than $1 million. This includes Chambers of Commerce with a 501 (c)(6) or entities with a 501(c)(19) designation and will include, without limitation, entities providing services related to housing, food insecurity, transportation, the environment, justice, homelessness, health, etc. To qualify for set asides to nonprofits that service the Youth, applicants must also provide direct workforce training, job placement, or career skills program services to young adult or the youth population (between the ages of 16 and 25) within Los Angeles County. - Small Nonprofits with Operating Budgets between $1 and $5 Million
Non-profit social service providers with a 501(c)(3), 501(c)(6) or 501(c)(19) designation that serve low-to moderate income communities that are responding to COVID-19. These non-profits have annual gross revenue greater than $1million and up to $5 Million, and will include, without limitation, entities providing services related to housing, food insecurity, transportation, the environment, justice, homelessness, and/or health. To qualify for set asides to nonprofits that service the Youth, applicants must also provide direct workforce training, job placement, or career skills program services to young adult or the youth population (between the ages of 16 and 25) within Los Angeles County.
5. Demonstrate Significant Impact due the COVID-19 Pandemic
Applicant was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
6. Business/Nonprofit must be in Good Standing
Grantees must be active businesses currently in operation and in good standing with all local, state and federal taxing and licensing authorities.
7. Previous Awards
The grantee MUST NOT have received a COVID-19 recovery grant funded through ARPA from a local government agency, including the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, or under the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program.[1]
8. Additional Applicant Information
The business applicant can provide acceptable form of government-issued photo ID (State, domestic, or foreign) and documentation that includes the owner’s name may include but is not limited to the following: a local business permit or license, a bank statement, or a tax return. The business owner applying for the grant must be the majority owner and manager of the qualified business and the owner’s primary means of income in the 2019 taxable year.
9. Additional Required Documentation
Grantee may be required to share additional information during application review and verification process, which may include without limitation:
- Fictitious Business Name (FBN) filing
- Voided Check or validated business or personal bank account
- At least two signed Federal 2019, 2020, and/or 2021 tax returns to showcase financial impact
- W-9 IRS Form 941
- Business license from a government agency
- Sole proprietorships: Individual must submit a copy of government issued identification
- Corporations: Principal owner or in the case of a non-profit organizations, an officer, submitting the application, must submit a copy of government issued identification
- Corporate filings with the State’s Secretary of State, Statement of Information (SOI) showing all officers. Provide copies of all filed amendments to the SOI
- Limited Liability Companies (LLC): Principal owner of the LLC submitting application must submit a copy of government issued identification
- State’s Secretary of State Statement of Information (Limited Liability Company) forms LLC-1 and LLC-12, and LLC-2, if applicable. Operating agreement.
- Partnerships: Principal owner of the partnership submitting application must submit a copy of government issued identification and copy of signed Partnership Agreement
- Non-profits: Must submit copy of the organization’s IRS letter confirming the organization’s status as a 501 (c)(3), 501 (c)(6), or 501(c)(19) as applicable
- Other business filings deemed relevant
Eligible Uses
- The purchase of new certified equipment or technology tools for business or nonprofit operations;
- Employee payroll expenses;
- Application for, or renewal of, a local permit;
- Payment of business debt accrued due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Working capital to continue operations;
- Payment of outstanding business expenses (rent, supplier management, etc.); or
- Costs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and related health and safety restrictions, or business interruptions or closures incurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Grantee Selection
In addition to being reviewed based on the eligibility criteria, applicants will also be scored and selected according to factors determined by the County, including location in a highest/high need area based on the County’s Equity Explorer Mapping Tool and other factors.
Funding is limited and meeting eligibility criteria does not guarantee a grant award.
Application Support
The Department Economic Opportunity’s Office of Small Business and its Economic Mobility Partners are available to offer one-on-one grant application assistance.
DEO Office of Small Business
Call: (844) 432-4900
Email: osb@opportunity.lacounty.gov
Visit: 4716 E Cesar E Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90022
Book a consultation with OSB Concierge Services here!
Economic Mobility Initiative (EMI) Partners:
VSEDC, ICON, LEEAF, SBD
Visit: LACountyEMI.com
Documents and Information Required to Apply
Applicants should expect to, at minimum, submit the following:
Fictitious Business Name (FBN) filing
Voided Check or validated business or personal bank account
A signed 2019 federal tax returns and at least one other 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023 federal tax returns to showcase financial impact
W-9 IRS Form 941
Business license from a government agency as well as the following depending on business/organization structure:
Sole proprietorships: Individual must submit a copy of government issued identification
Corporations: Principal owner or in the case of a non-profit organizations, an officer, submitting the application, must submit a copy of government issued identification.
Corporate filings with the State’s Secretary of State, Statement of Information (SOI) showing all officers. Provide copies of all filed amendments to the SOI
Limited Liability Companies (LLC): Principal owner of the LLC submitting application must submit a copy of government issued identification
State’s Secretary of State Statement of Information (Limited Liability Company) forms LLC-1 and LLC-12, and LLC-2, if applicable. Operating agreement.
Partnerships: Principal owner of the partnership submitting application must submit a copy of government issued identification and copy of signed Partnership Agreement
Non-profits: Must submit copy of the organization’s IRS letter confirming the organization’s status as a 501 (c)(3), 501 (c)(6), or 501(c)(19) as applicable
Other business filings deemed relevant
Stay Connected
Stay connected and get notified on the latest BIF updates by signing up here.
English