City of Long Beach Business Brief
June 25, 2021
Welcome to the Economic Development Department's Business Brief! We are continuing to ensure you are updated on the latest business resources and news.
Commercial Rental Assistance Grant
Do you have a business in a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) area? The Long Beach Commercial Rental Assistance Grant can provide financial relief to eligible small businesses to pay your commercial lease payments. Businesses can receive up to $4,000. To qualify, your business must be:

  • Located within a CDBG area
  • Be a for-profit business
  • Employ fewer than 50 full-time employees
  • Must hold current business license
  • Be in compliance with current City of Long Beach Health Orders

*Current proof of payment is acceptable documentation to most current commercial lease/ rental agreements. Please contact BizCare at (562) 570-4249 if you have any questions. 

Deadline to apply is Thursday, July 22, 2021, at 5 p.m. For more information, businesses may visit the City’s Commercial Rental Assistance Grant webpage to review eligibility requirements and submit an application.

For assistance applying, call our BizCare Hotline at 562-570-4BIZ (4249) to make an appointment with Economic Development staff, visit us at our Bizcare Pop-up locations, or email at [email protected].
City of Long Beach Announces New BizCare Outreach Team
The City of Long Beach Department of Economic Development has expanded its BizCare Program to include a new BizCare Outreach Team. The team, comprised of City staff, will be focused on helping small businesses located in low-to-moderate income areas of the city learn about and benefit from small business grants, loans, technical assistance and other resources.

The Long Beach BizCare Program was launched in November 2020 to support small businesses citywide that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program began with the creation of the BizCare Hotline 562.570.4BIZ (4249), which provides information to small businesses about various programs and resources, health order guidelines and relevant City policies. The program later added BizCare pop-ups that are available to all Long Beach small businesses and are focused on supporting businesses in communities that have been most impacted by the pandemic. The pop-ups provide business owners 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 located in various areas throughout the city as follows:
  • Mondays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Admiral Kidd Park, 2125 Santa Fe Ave.
  • Tuesdays, 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.

In March 2021, the Long Beach City Council approved the Long Beach Recovery Act, which includes several small business and non-profit grant programs. The BizCare Outreach Team will help people learn about and apply for all of the various programs to maximize the equitable distribution of resources.

The BizCare Program has served more than 570 customers at pop-ups, addressed over 5,200 calls, replied to more than 660 email inquiries and completed direct outreach to over 84 businesses to date.
To learn more about Long Beach BizCare and for more information about businesses assistance and resources, go to Business Support webpage, contact the City’s business Hotline at 562.570.4BIZ, or email [email protected].
Accelerate Long Beach
Did you miss out on the quarterly economic forum? You can now check it out below!
Accelerate Long Beach, focused on exploring the history, present and future of Long Beach’s aerospace, satellite and technology industries.
 
Cal State University, Long Beach Office of Economic Research speaks about Long Beach’s economic picture, and how the long history of aerospace innovation in the region means the road to Mars goes through the LBC!
City of Long Beach Small Business Loan

The Microenterprise Loan Program is designed to support Long Beach small businesses. Loans are between $25,000 to $100,000 and are available for small businesses operating in Long Beach. Loan proceeds may go toward business expenses, such as personnel, rent, supplies/materials, utilities, professional services, and more. Businesses must be a for-profit entity. All loans must be approved by the City's Loan Committee.
Free Webinars



















Jun 29 @ 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

This small business virtual networking event is perfect for small business owners interested in meeting peers and exchanging ideas about how to grow your business. Join in on this screen-to-screen experience Tuesday, June 29th from 4:30pm to 5:30pm PDT to engage in helpful, productive conversation with fellow small business owners. It has been a crazy year for everyone and this is a great opportunity to build your network. This event is great for all small businesses owners!
How To Use Instagram Stories For Sales Success
Jun 30 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

As of 2020, everyone is paying attention to Instagram(IG) stories.Why? Because IG Stories are what people are consuming, according to Social Media Examiner. These kinds of stories are the unfiltered, authentic version of your brand.

Learn about what types of stories you should post, and how that is different from your regular the feed. This webinar will teach you how to create a systematic storyboard that focuses on your brand and inspires sales!
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.