City of Long Beach Business Brief
April 29, 2022
Welcome to the Economic Development Department's Business Brief! We are continuing to ensure you are updated on the latest business resources and news.
Application Extended for Long Beach  
Nonprofit Relief Grant 
The City of Long Beach has extended the application deadline for the Long Beach Recovery Act Nonprofit Relief Grant Program from May 15 to June 15, 2022. In addition to the application extension, the deadline for applying organizations to obtain a business license (a requirement for grant eligibility) has been extended to June 15, 2022. The Nonprofit Relief Grant Program provides assistance to small nonprofits in Long Beach that have experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now until 8 p.m. on June 15, 2022, eligible nonprofits can apply to receive working capital from $5,000 and to up to $25,000 to help pay for a variety of business expenses.  
 
Applications for the Nonprofit Relief Grant Program can be submitted through LiveStories, the City’s vendor application portal. 
Upcoming Webinar
Centro CHA is currently providing FREE, bi-monthly, educational online webinars for small business owners and entrepreneurs!

Join Centro CHA for their next webinar: "Social Media + Branding" with Aleks Lason, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Chrilleks.

Participants will have the opportunity to win a $50 gift card at the end of the webinar.
Attention Long Beach small businesses! Learn about the SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF GRANT program. Join OmniWorks and Long Beach Economic Partnership webinar on May 4 at 4pm and get all the info you need to apply.
Did you miss the Nonprofit Relief Grants Webinar on Thursday, April 28? You can now access the video below! Learn about all a Nonprofit needs to apply for the grant.
Resilience Fund
2022 Application Open April 15 – 30
Restaurants Care is proud to once again partner with SoCalGas, PG&E, SDG&E to offer $3,000 grants to independent restaurants at the heart of our communities. They are investing in two things that keep a restaurant running—kitchens and crews. Grants will be awarded to restaurants for kitchen equipment upgrades or retention bonuses. Wells Fargo is powering one year of small business support services. Restaurants will have access to experts, discounts, and trainings.

Restaurants Care was created in 2017 as a safety-net for food and beverage workers, and that hasn’t stopped! Year-round we help the servers, cooks, and dishwashers at the heart of restaurants. To learn more about hardship grants for food and beverage workers click here.
The launch of the Smart City Initiative in 2019 established guiding principles and pathways to using technology and data to improve the lives of all Long Beach residents. The Smart City Initiative is built upon principles of equity, inclusion, resilience, innovation, and community collaboration.

Find out what our City has been up to explore, implement, and create new technology to make our City better. From augmented reality, to smart traffic signals, to data privacy protections; we’re working hard to make sure technology works for you!
City of Long Beach Seeks Community Input on Local Priorities for Federal Funding
The City of Long Beach is developing the next five-year Consolidated Plan to help determine the programs and services that should be prioritized and funded by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants. The community is invited to get involved and provide input on this important process by participating in a community needs assessment survey, available online now through May 9, 2022.

For more information about the Consolidated Plan, visit longbeach.gov/lbplan. For questions or to provide comments, contact Alem Hagos, Housing & Neighborhood Services Operations Officer, Long Beach Development Services Department, 562.570.7403 or Alem.Hagos@longbeach.gov.
Long Beach Resource Line
The City of Long Beach has expanded its LB Resource Line, an informational hotline that provides free and confidential support to anyone who lives, works, learns or plays in Long Beach and needs assistance finding and accessing local community resources and social services. The LB Resource Line launched in March 2020 during the COVID-19 Safer-At-Home health orders to connect older adults to critical pandemic-related information, resources and services. The line has now expanded its services to provide support to all Long Beach residents, and callers can now connect in real time with a professionally trained Resource Navigator for support. The LB Resource Line is available by calling 562.570.4246 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Callers who are unable to connect to a Resource Navigator during normal business hours may leave a voicemail and their call will be returned within 24 hours. Residents can also submit an Assistance Request Form online to connect with a Resource Navigator and receive information and assistance in topics such as: Housing, Food access, Physical and mental health, Utilities, Transportation, and Legal Aid.
The Long Beach Public Library invites small business owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to know more about marketing and business plans to a free Digital Library Workshop on Reference Solutions by Data Axle.

For the last 30 years, Data Axle has provided exclusive data on over 17 million businesses and 320 million residents through their preeminent online tool, Reference Solutions (formerly ReferenceUSA).

Join virtually on May 4 at 10:00 AM (PT), when a Reference Solutions expert will show how to use the business and consumer databases and share strategies for growing your business. Everyone who registers will receive a recorded version of the event. Please make a reservation on Eventbrite to receive the meeting link.
City Launches Request for Proposals to Implement Nutrition Security Events and Services 
The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) has launched two Request for Proposals (RFPs) to provide support to nonprofits or community-based organizations to establish, continue and/or expand programs that improve access to nutrition assistance programs and provide food distribution events to populations most impacted by COVID-19 and experiencing high levels of nutrition insecurity. Specific details related to project scope areas, eligibility requirements and submission instructions are available at PlanetBids for the Emergency Food Distribution Events RFP and Community Food Access Projects RFP. Deadline to apply is May 4, 2022.The City also has developed an instructional video about the registration process. 
OmniWorksNext Small Business Accelerator Webinar
Is this the year you take your business to the next level? The NEXT Small Business Accelerator is here to help. Get access to personalized coaching, mastermind sessions, expert workshops, networking events, and a community of highly motivated entrepreneurs.
The next cohort starts in May. Join an information webinar on May 4 at 12:00pm to learn about the program and how to apply.
Contact the City of Long Beach BizCare 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.