MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Workforce Development Board (MCWDB) will administer a second round of grants through the Monterey County CARES Small Business Relief Program (SBRP) to assist more small businesses in the county that have suffered financial losses due to Covid-19.
Monterey County Board of Supervisors demonstrated its ongoing commitment to supporting small businesses by allocating additional funds for this program, this time from the county’s Cannabis Tax Assignment, after allocating $1,268,000 of CARES Act funds to it in fall 2020, which enabled the MCWDB to award grants to 130 businesses.
In this round, $825,000 will be distributed to 83 or more eligible businesses in the form of grants of up to $10,000, which are paid to awardees on a reimbursement basis.
Eligible businesses must be owned and operated in Monterey County, have five to 25 full-time equivalent employees, were in operation on or before Oct. 1, 2020, and have experienced economic hardship due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Applicants must describe both their need for financial relief and their plans to use the grant funding to stay open and keep their workers employed.
Awardees may use their grant funds for operating expenses (payroll, rent/lease payments and basic utilities) and/or Covid-19-related expenses, which may include personal protective equipment (PPE), or other equipment or supplies needed to operate during this challenging time.
Priority will be given to small businesses in the hospitality and tourism sectors, which includes accommodations and food services (e.g., restaurants, bars, wine tasting rooms, etc.). Priority will also be given to businesses operating in unincorporated areas of Monterey County and those who have not received any Covid-19-related financial assistance before.
Business owners who received grants through Round 1 of the CARES SBRP are not eligible for funding in Round 2.
Applicants should carefully review the SBRP Guidance to ensure grant eligibility before applying. The application will be available on the website beginning Feb. 8, and must be submitted online, in-person or by mail by Feb. 22.
For more information, go to the Monterey County CARES SBRP website or contact the Monterey County Workforce Development Board by email at mc***@co.us.
