City of Long Beach Business Brief

Welcome to the Economic Development Department's Business Brief! We are continuing to ensure you are updated on the latest business resources and news.

Small Business Transition and Technology Grant

Applications and program materials are available for the City’s Small Business Transition and Technology (SBTT) grants, which provides financial relief to Long Beach businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The City is also hosting a series of small business pop-ups to provide in-person assistance with grant applications and other resources for business owners.

In July 2020, the Long Beach City Council approved a spending plan for the City’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds, which allocates funding for business recovery and resiliency efforts, including small business grants. The SBTT grants will support small businesses citywide that have been most impacted by the pandemic.

To qualify for the SBTT Grant, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Must have active City of Long Beach business license
Must have been impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic and be able to provide supporting documentation to verify financial loss
Must not operate one of the following businesses:
Bail bonds
Cannabis related business
Check cashing businesses, payday loan and other short-term loan businesses or similar types of businesses
Insurance companies
National franchises (except for franchises individually owned)
Non-profit organizations (eligible for Non-Profit Relief Grant - coming soon)
Pyramid sale distribution plans
Real Estate Companies including short-term rental operators
Start-up Businesses/Ventures
A business not located in Long Beach, California

To learn more and access the application click the button below.

Click Here

Economic Impact Survey

New Survey of Long Beach Businesses to Assess Impacts of COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the wellbeing of Long Beach businesses, local advocacy organizations including the Council of Business Associations (COBA), Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DLBA) and Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) are again teaming up with the City’s Economic Development Department to conduct a survey that will assess the extent of these impacts.

Survey responses will aid these organizations and the City of Long Beach in developing targeted recovery resources for the business community. The effort will build upon data collected through a similar citywide survey of businesses in April of this year, the results of which illustrated that more than half of the 509 respondents had laid off or furloughed employees due to revenue losses caused by the economic shutdown. We strongly encourage all small businesses to participate in the survey.

COVID-19 Business Impact Survey

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Upcoming Events

Small Business Saturday is an important annual event that supports small businesses

throughout the country. This year’s Small Business Saturday is happening on Saturday, November 28th, the day after Black Friday.

Small businesses are an important essential part of our city fabric in Long Beach, and we are strongly encouraging the community to do everything they can to support them, especially this year, which has been an incredibly tough and challenging one.

The community is encouraged to do their holiday shopping, by shopping small and local this holiday season. Long Beach has some truly amazing fantastic small businesses. Everything from great eateries to local retail shops. Whether one shops in North Long Beach, Fourth Street, Belmont Shore, Bixby Knolls, Cambodia Town, Wrigley, or somewhere else in the City, they are likely to to encounter an amazing small business shop. Some ways we are encouraging participation in this year’s Small Business Saturday is by customers purchasing gift cards and ordering-in locally.

The City has multiple grant and loan programs available for small businesses.

BizCare Program to Support Small Businesses Impacted by Pandemic

Mobile Support Pop-Ups Connect Businesses With Resources

BizCare mobile pop-ups are available to all Long Beach small businesses and are focused on businesses in communities that have been most impacted by the pandemic. The pop-ups provide business owners or their representatives with free one-on-one, in-person support to complete grant applications and learn about other business and community resources, such as loans and free technical assistance. Multilingual translation services are available on-site at each of the pop-ups.

The BizCare pop-ups are currently taking place through Dec. 30, 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; Mark Twain Neighborhood Library (1401 E. Anaheim St.)
Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mark Twain Neighborhood Library
Pop-ups at this location will begin on Dec. 2

BizCare pop-ups are equipped with PPE, laptops, wireless internet devices, printers and scanners to assist business owners with applying for COVID-19 grants. The pop-ups are held outdoors and safety protocols are in place.

The City will also be partnering with community-based organizations to help with additional business outreach and education for businesses impacted by the pandemic. To learn more about Long Beach BizCare and for more information about business assistance and resources, go to the Business Support webpage or contact the City’s Business Hotline at 562.570.4BIZ (4249).

For the latest information on COVID-19, with details on all that the City of Long Beach is doing to keep our residents safe, visit longbeach.gov/COVID19 and follow @LongBeachCity on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Contact the City of Long Beach Business Hotline for Immediate Assistance:

Phone number: 562-570-4BIZ (4249)

Days: Monday - Friday

Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.

City staff will respond to voicemails made after business hours within 24 hours.