GRANTS OF UP TO $10,000 AVAILABLE FOR ELIGIBLE SMALL BUSINESSES – APPLICATION OPENS FEBRUARY 8

Salinas, CA – Thursday, January 28, 2021 – The Monterey County Workforce Development Board (MCWDB) will administer a second round of grants through the Monterey County CARES Small Business Relief Program (SBRP) in order to assist more small businesses throughout Monterey County that have suffered financial losses due to COVID-19.

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 twenty-five (5–25) full-time equivalent employees, were in operation on or before October 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.

The MCWDB will host a series of informational webinars February 3–4, 2021 (in English and Spanish) to provide detailed information about eligibility requirements and instructions on how to apply. The application period will open February 8, 2021, applications must be submitted online, in-person, or by mail by February 22, 2021.

For more information, including the SBRP Guidance and links to register for the informational webinars, go to the Monterey County CARES SBRP site at https://www.montereycountywdb.org/monterey-county-cares/ or contact the Monterey County Workforce by email at mcsbg@co.monterey.ca.us.

Register for the Monterey County CARES Webinar using the links below.