To mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on San Joaquin County small businesses and their employees, the County of San Joaquin has created a Small Business Assistance Grant Program.
The objective of this program is to offer immediate financial assistance to small businesses located in the boundaries of San Joaquin County, in both the unincorporated and incorporated portions of the County, to address unfunded expenses resulting from impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus is reimbursement for COVID-19 related expenses; information and applications are available at the county’s website, sjgov.org.
Grants are for qualified small businesses in San Joaquin County that have documented, unfunded expenditures incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant funds may only be used to cover expenditure incurred between March 1, 2020 and the date of the grant application.
Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis for qualified applicants.
For a grant award, applicants must be a small business that operates in San Joaquin County with at least one (not counting the owner) and no more than 50 full-time employees. This requirement does not apply to independent health-care providers and health-care clinicians.
Applicants must verify the business has experienced unfunded expenditures due to COVID-19 by completing the Estimated COVID-19 Economic Injury Worksheet. The unfunded expenditures must have occurred at the applicant’s place of business in San Joaquin County between March 1, 2020 and the date of the grant application. Only COVID-19 related payroll, rent/lease or personal protective equipment expenses qualify.
Among some of the requirements are: Applicants must submit a current copy of their W-9 form and must operate out of a physical commercial storefront within the boundaries of San Joaquin County. The applicant’s operation can be in either an incorporated or unincorporated portion of the County. This requirement does not apply to independent health-care providers and health-care clinicians. Independent health-care providers and health-care clinicians must have a primary residence in the County to qualify.
Also, applicants must have an active Business License in San Joaquin County; must be in good standing with the County and any associated city within San Joaquin County. Applicants who are involved or have been involved in legal or financial issues may not qualify. Applicants must have been in operation in San Joaquin County for at least one year as of March 1, 2020.
Grant applications became available for download through the county on Monday, June 1. Completed and signed applications must be emailed to SmallBusinessGrant@sjgov.org.
