• Money for Small Businesses: Federal, State and Local Resources
  • Business Closure Update: Shelter in Place through at least January 8
Money for Small Businesses: Help Navigating Your Options
For assistance applying for or understanding the resources available to your business, we recommend scheduling a a free one-on-one consultation with the Santa Cruz Small Business Development Center.
Money for Small Businesses: Anticipated Federal Funding Package
While final legislation and details are pending, this morning's news outlined some promising aspects of the $900 billion pandemic relief bill agreed on by leaders in the House and Senate late last night:
  • The hardest hit businesses can apply for a second round of Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) funding with $12B specifically designated for minority-owned and very small businesses left out of the first round.
  • In contrast to the CARES Act, $15B has now been carved out for live venues, independent movie theaters and cultural institutions, and eligibility for nonprofits and local media outlets has been expanded.
  • Unemployment benefits: the jobless will receive $300/week for 11 weeks from the feds, and gig workers/contractors/the self-employed will continue to be included
  • $600 direct stimulus payments will be made to individuals meeting income requirements, with an additional $600 per child to eligible families.
Money for Small Businesses: California State Relief
The State has recently announced immediate assistance for businesses impacted by COVID-19, including temporary tax relief and $500M in grants:

Small Business Relief Grant
  • Grants up to $25,000 will be available for small businesses and nonprofits. Sign up here to receive an update when this program launches.

Tax Relief
  • Automatic Filing Extension ~ taxpayers filing CDTFA returns for less than $1 million in tax due will automatically be granted a three-month extension on payments.
  • Interest-free Payment Plans ~ Any business with annual taxable sales of $5 million or less will be eligible to apply for a 12-month, interest-free payment plan to defer payment of up to $50,000 for 4th quarter/1st quarter sales and use tax liability.
  • Main Street Small Business Tax Credit ~ CDTFA is accepting online applications through January 15, 2021 for qualified small business owners to reserve up to a $100,000 hiring tax credit, which can be used to offset income taxes or sales and use taxes when filing tax returns.

Loans
  • The California Rebuilding Fund is a loan program to support California’s small businesses located in economically disadvantaged and historically under-banked areas of the state.
Money for Small Businesses: Local Low-Interest Loan Sources for Businesses that Need Assistance Qualifying
Do you need help qualifying for a loan for your small businesses? The Santa Cruz Community Credit Union and El Pájaro Valley Community Development Corporation want to help!

El Pájaro CDC Fondo Adelante Emergency Program is designed to support Santa Cruz businesses that have been financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with $5,000 to $50,000 loans at 4.25% interest. For more information, call 831-722-1224 or email loans@elpajarocdc.org.

El Pájaro CDC Fondo Adelante Programa de Emergencia está diseñado para apoyar a las pequeñas y micro-empresas de Santa Cruz que han sido afectadas financieramente por la pandemia COVID-19. Para más información llame al 831-722-1224 o envíe un correo electónico a loans@elpajarocdc.org.

Money for Small Businesses: Grants for Local Businesses Affected by the CZU Complex Fires
The Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County Neighbor to Neighbor Fire Relief Grant for Small Businesses provides up to $5,000 in grant funding for businesses affected by the CZU Complex Fires. Learn more and apply here.
Business Closures: Weekly Update
The Bay Area Region's ICU availability is currently 13.7%. Because intensive care unit (ICU) capacity is below 15%, a Regional Stay at Home Order is now in effect.

The Regional Stay at Home Order will last until at least January 8th. It will last longer if our ICU availability does not rise above 15% during that period. We will continue to monitor our region's ICU capacity and update you weekly. You can also see the data here: https://covid19.ca.gov/ (hover your mouse over the map of California to see the ICU figures.)

Business operations that must CLOSE under the Stay at Home order include: outdoor dining, hair salons & barbershops, personal care services, movie theatres, wineries, bars, breweries, family entertainment centers, and cardrooms.

Business operations that are allowed to stay OPEN with modifications and 100% masking include: retail at 20% capacity, restaurants for take-out/delivery only, childcare/schools, and critical infrastructure.
Business Closures: Contact Tracing Can Help Us Reopen
Download California's exposure notification app to be alerted when you come in contact with someone carrying the coronavirus. Encourage others to do the same.

If 3 or more employees in your workplace test positive for COVID-19, it is considered an "outbreak" and must be reported to the County Health Department for tracing.
Business Closures: Hibernating Your Business
Are you considering "HIBERNATING" your business for the winter? OR curious about how to afford a cool-factor parklet OR want to grab some of CA's $500M Small Business Relief Grant money? Santa Cruz Small Business Development Center Advisor, Bryce Root covers it all.
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Executive Director | Jorian Wilkins
Director of Operations | Sonja Brunner
Marketing Partner | Shiri Gradek