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Note: all yellow text are clickable links. An * indicates new information, last updated on Friday December 4, 2020.
CA State Assistance*
Small Business COVID-19 Relief Fund Grants
CA Governor Newsom and the Legislture announced a package of assistance for small businesses impacted by COVID-19, including $500 million in grants. The program is being created by the Governor's Office of the Small Business Advocate and that office is securing grant administration assistance now. It is anticipated that this grant program will be made available in mid December, that funding will be available to both for profit and non profit corporations up to $25,000. Sign up HERE to be notified when this grant program opens up.
CA State Tax Relief
Includes Three Month Automatic Filing Extension, Interest Free Payment Plans andTax Credits
Taxpayers filing CDTFA returns for less than $1 million tax will automatically be granted a three-month extension on payments and returns originally due between December 1, 2020, and April 30, 2021. For example, 4th quarter 2020 returns and payments will now be due in April 2021. Eligible taxpayers are not required to make a request to take advantage of this extension. If you employed 100 or fewer people on December 31st, 2019 and have experienced a 50% or greater decrease in gross receipts year-over-year April-June 2020 to 2019, learn more about the Main Street Small Business Tax Credit.
California Rebuilding Fund Loans
The California Rebuilding Fund is a loan program to support California’s small businesses. Businesses who employed 50 or less full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) and had gross revenues of less than $2.5 million or below in 2019 are eligible to apply.
Read here about program eligibility and click here for full information about this state loan program.
SLOCAL Assistance*
The SLO County Workforce Development Board has grants available ranging from $1500 - $2500. Click here for the very straighforward application and elibility requirements.
The US Department of Labor has issued $118 million in Dislocated Worker Grants across the country. If you or someone you knows is experiencing job uncertainty due to the pandemic and is in search of stop-gap employment, contact Eckerd Connects to be connected with a Dislocated Worker program.
Federal Assistance*
SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (SBA EIDL)
SBA EIDL Advance and Program Information *the $10,000 advance program has ended, but the EIDL loan is still available.
Helpful hint: The Cal Poly SBDC has a 12 person task force ready and able to assist you with the SBA EIDL loan application process. Sign up for an appointment at this link.
Most Recent SBA EIDL Application Link
Legal
Click for State's Eviction Resolution
Free and Low Cost Legal Assistance
A word from local attorney, Jane Heath:
There is some relief for renters (both residential and commercial) in avoiding eviction. But, don’t just stop paying rent. Talk to your landlord if you are in financial difficulty and try to work something out (Temporary reduction? Bartering some services in exchange since you can’t go to work? Rent abatement for a month or two followed by raised rent thereafter that will pay back over a period of time?). Landlords have expenses, too, and some are more able to extend themselves than others. If you work with your landlord you will be better off in the long term than just avoiding eviction and then facing a huge bill you can’t pay down the road.Property Tax Waiver Request Form - SLO County Assessor
Request Assistance
The Cal Poly CIE/SBDC has created four task forces in the following fields of expertise: CPA, eCommerce, HR, Banking/Local Lenders. If you would like assistance from one of the task force members, please sign up here. Our local Central Coast Small Business Development Center network has an incredible resource page that can be found here.
Financial Assistance for Self-Employed Individuals
Click on yellow for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
If you’re been denied by EDD, you have to appeal. The EDD website has the forms and the instructions here: https://www.edd.ca.gov/unemployment/appeals.htm. You'll have to be prepared to cite the disaster declaration and the entitlement as a result.
Here's a helpful review from National Law Review, pay special attention to:"An individual works as an independent contractor with reportable income and is unemployed, partially employed, or unable or unavailable to work because the COVID-19 public health emergency has severely limited his or her ability to continue performing customary work activities, and has thereby forced the individual to suspend such activities. For example, a driver for a ridesharing service may qualify for PUA benefits if he or she has been forced to suspend operations as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency, “such as if an emergency state or municipal order restricting movement makes continued operations unsustainable.”
DUA consists of weekly payments that are com in the same way as regular unemployment insurance (UI) payments, that is, figured on a base period of earnings as prescribed by state UI law. The base period for all DUA claimants is the most recently completed tax year prior to their last date worked. For most claimants this is the prior calendar year. The exception to this is that unemployed self-employed individuals may base a claim on net self-employment earnings. The minimum weekly amount will be 50 percent of the average unemployment compensation amount in California during the quarter immediately preceding the date of the disaster. Access the fact sheet here.
FMLA Tax Credits
Temporary Rule on Paid Leave announced April 1 2020 by Dept of Labor
Insurance
FAQ (Engle and Associates Insurance)
Unemployment Insurance Assistance
Note: The enhanced UI at $600 per week ends on or before July 31, 2020.
Guide to Employment during COVID-19 (Jane Heath)
Information for Employees and Employers (Layoff Assistance)- EDD
Information for Employees and Employers - CA
Webinar Library and How-Tos
South County Chamber SBA Webinar On-Demand (3/18/20)
South County Chambers Families First Relief Act/Payroll Tax Credits (3/26/20)
Cal Chamber Families First Relief Act/Payroll Tax Credits
Borrowing 101/Loan Preparedness
Information and Alert Centers
City of Morro Bay COVID-19 Information Page
California Department of Public Health
California Office of Emergency Services
Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development
Financial Market Updates
Link to Sarah Santana, Raymond James
Additional Resource Pages:
Santa Cruz Business Resource Page
Office of Congressman Salud Carbajal's Resource Page
Technical Assistance Providers Master List
REAL TIME UPDATES:
Business Adaptation Community Page
Recursos en Español:
Oficina de Desarrollo Comercial y Económico del Gobernador*
(*Utilice la función de traducción en la esquina superior izquierda o derecha de la página.)
Departamento de Salud de California
Administración de pequeñas empresas de EEUU
We will continue to update this page as more information becomes available.
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Attention
*Click here to view the Chamber's 2/8/21 Pandemic Response Update with City Leaders
*Click here for guidance on tents and canopies for outdoor business operations.
*Click here for program information on hotel rooms available for COVID-19 positive or exposed licensee staff.
*Click here for the tier breakdown by industry.