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The deadline to submit applications for the first round of Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program funding has been extended to Jan. 13, the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) announced on Monday.
Thousands of applications have been received since the program opened Dec. 30, which has caused some businesses to have “trouble accessing the application” due to high traffic, according to officials.
After making some adjustments to the program website, the Round 1 application deadline was then extended from Jan. 8 to Jan. 13 at 11:59 p.m.
Officials said the program “is not first-come, first-served, nor a rolling approval process,” and that “all applications will be reviewed following the now-extended application deadline.”
Funds will be issued as originally planned to avoid any delays to grant recipients. To learn more about grant requirements and eligibility, visit carereliefgrant.com.
Under the Alameda County CARES Grant Program, more than 1,900 grants have been issued to small, local and growing businesses. In November, the Board of Supervisors redirected up to $8 million in CARES Act funds to assist small businesses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dublin, Pleasanton and Livermore were among 10 cities in the East Bay that contributed nearly $2 million in matching funds to the program, while the East Bay Economic Development Alliance provided administrative oversight and coordination on behalf of the county.
“Alameda County and our local city partners are pleased to be able to provide these grants for small businesses who have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of the pandemic,” said Keith Carson, vice president of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and East Bay EDA board chair.
“Small and local businesses are part of the backbone of our communities, and it is crucial that we do everything that we can to help them continue to operate while concurrently following public health guidance to keep people safe,” Carson said.
More than 7,700 applications were received — about four times the number of grants available from a total funding pool of $9.8 million. Each grant awarded was for $5,000 and meant to cover necessary costs related to business disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic between March 17 and Dec. 30, 2020.
For more information about the Alameda CARES Grant Program, visit EastBayEDA.org/grants.
