California Black Chamber of Commerce to give thousands of dollars in grants to small businesses. Here’s how you can apply

The California Black Chamber of Commerce has launched an effort to provide funding for small businesses affected by the pandemic. The Small Disadvantaged Business Grant Fund is now open to qualifying businesses in the city of Sacramento.

Applications are available online at the city of Sacramento website. The deadline for submissions is November 20, 2020 at 6:00 pm. All applicants must apply online to be considered for the grant and businesses should have their City of Sacramento Business Operation Tax Certificate prior to receiving any funds.

Businesses that are approved can receive anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. Owners will have the opportunity to partake in a 14-module course on best business practices and on maintaining success through the pandemic and beyond.

“The grant program is aimed at small and micro businesses that were left out of the grant or loan programs because they didn’t qualify. Our aim is to keep our small businesses functional so they can take advantage of the different resources and opportunities that a city like Sacramento might have,” said Jay King, President of the California Black Chamber of Commerce.

The grant is not applicable to those who have received a Small Business Forgivable Loan in support of COVID-19 relief, awarded by the city of Sacramento.

It’s no question that COVID-19 has taken a huge toll on small businesses and many were forced to close. According to a Yelp Economic Impact report, California, along with Texas and New York, have had the highest numbers in closed businesses.

“When you look at a state like California, Sacramento is one of the most progressive when it comes to small business engagement and opportunity. We’re a statewide agency so we get to see the problems across the state. We get to interface with these different policies from small governments across the state and we see where the challenges are.” said King.

The application is open to businesses and owners who have established their business within the incorporated limits of Sacramento, as of January 1, 2020. The business must hold a physical location or maintain a home-based within the county.

“We’re an African-American chamber, so of course we look at African-American small businesses but we work with everybody. We’re looking at anybody in the city that is a micro business or a small business,” said King.

For further information, applicants can email projsupport@calbcc.org.