Grants and Financing for Small Businesses and Non-Profits

Review information about small business grants and loans from both California and federal agencies.

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CalOSBA Grant Funding
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Other State Financing
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Federal Financing

CalOSBA Grant Funding

CalOSBA administers grant programs for small businesses, non-profits, and eligible community organizations that support and promote entrepreneurship. CalOSBA-administered programs can also be located through the California Grants Portal.

Active Programs
Program Accepting Applications Awards in Process
California Small Agricultural Business Drought and Flood Relief Grant Program (CDFRG)

THE CDFRG Program provides relief grants up to $100,000 to small agricultural businesses that experienced a decline in annual gross receipts or gross profits due to drought or storm flood conditions.

Yes Yes
Closed Programs

Award information for concluded programs is available online at  https://calosba.ca.gov/about/publications.

Program Final Awards Made

California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program (SBCRG)

The SBCRG Program was established in December 2020 in response to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The Program provided micro grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to eligible small businesses impacted by the pandemic.

330,023

$3,792,105,434

California Nonprofit Performing Arts Grant Program (CANPPA)

The CANPPA Program was created to provide grants of up to $75,000 to eligible nonprofit performing arts organizations to encourage workforce development.

881

$38,875,000

California Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program (MBCRG)

The MBCRG Program was administered through designated County agencies or a consortium of nonprofit organizations in 46 counties. The Program provided competitive micro grants of $2,500 to eligible microbusinesses impacted by COVID-19 and the related health and safety restrictions.

12,068

$30,170,000

California Dream Fund (CDFG)

The CDFG Program provided microgrants up to $10,000 to seed entrepreneurship and small business creation in underserved small business groups that are facing capital and opportunity gaps.

4,669

$30,770,000

California Venues Grant Program (CVG)

The CVG Program provides competitive grants up to $250,000 to support eligible independent live events venues that have been affected by COVID-19 to support their continued operation.

1,083

$152,891,722.00

California Small Business and Nonprofit COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Relief Grant Program (CASPSL)

The CASPSL Program provides funds to eligible businesses and nonprofits that have incurred costs for COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave pursuant to Sections 248.6 and 248.7 of the Labor Code.

Pending

Other State Financing

Small businesses can take advantage of a wide range of state-backed financing opportunities.

Agriculture

California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
The Office of Grant Administration oversees a wide variety of grant programs for farmers and ranchers, non-profits, federal/ state/ local government, institutions of higher education, schools (k-12), and other businesses. Program types include climate smart agriculture, healthy food systems, economic development and relief, healthy food systems, outreach and education, research, and veterinary programs.

Facility Improvements/Green Business

Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Program
Provides low-interest rate loans between $200,000 and $900,000 for site mitigation and restorations. Loans available to eligible public or private property owners, including government agencies, private property owners, and non-profits.

California Pollution Control Financing Authority (CPCFA)
Provides tax-exempt bond financing to California businesses, irrespective of company size, for the acquisition, construction, or installation of qualified pollution control, waste disposal, waste recovery facilities, and the acquisition and installation of new equipment.

GoGreen Business Energy Financing
Helps small and medium-sized businesses upgrade outdated equipment to more energy-efficient models. Connects you to contractors, project managers and lenders to help implement energy-saving measures including efficient heating and cooling systems, LED lighting, fans, well pumps, cool roofs, insulation, Energy Star appliances, and more.

Industrial Development Bonds
Tax-exempt financing up to $10 million for qualified manufacturing and processing companies for the construction or acquisition of facilities and equipment. IDBs allow private companies to borrow at low interest rates normally reserved for state and local governmental entities.

Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) Loan Program
Provides loans, technical assistance, and no-cost product marketing to businesses that use materials from the waste stream to manufacture their products and are located in a RMDZ. Zones cover roughly 88,000 square miles of California from the Oregon border to San Diego.

Zero-Emission Truck Loan Pilot Project
Designed to provide financing opportunities to small businesses to transition to zero-emission vehicles and charging or fueling infrastructure.

Exporting/Importing

California State Trade Export Program
Helps small businesses to begin exporting or grow their existing export sales by providing reimbursable Export Vouchers and implementing STEP Events, which includes organizing state pavilions at international trade shows and trade missions.

Small Business Capital

California Capital Access Programs
Programs encourages lenders to make loans to small businesses that may have difficulty obtaining capital. These credit enhancement mechanisms minimizes the credit risk for lenders, and makes it possible for new and existing businesses in California to qualify for small business loans. Programs include: CalCAP for Small Business, CalCAP Collateral Support, Americans with Disabilities Act Financing, California Seismic Safety Financing and CalCAP Zero-Emission.

IBank

Disaster Relief Loan Guarantee Program
Incentivizes lenders to help businesses that have suffered a loss (either physical or economic) due to a a declared disaster. Loans available up to $1 million. Eligible applicants include small businesses with 1-750 employees.

Farm Loan Program
Designed to support direct loans to small farms in California. Loans are backed up to 90% by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Jump Start Microloan Program
Incentivizes participating lenders to loan to small businesses in low-wealth and underserved communities such as women, people of color, veterans, the disabled and those previously incarcerated. Jump Start microloans are available in amounts from $500 to $10,000.

Small Business Loan Guarantee Program
Incentivizes participating lenders to loan to small businesses that experience capital barriers. The guarantee minimizes the credit risk for lenders, and makes it possible for new and existing businesses in California to qualify for small business loans. Loans available up to $5 million. Eligible applicants include small businesses with 1-750 employees.

Venture Capital Program
Designed to create a more inclusive venture capital ecosystem, by:

  • Supporting underrepresented venture capital managers
  • Investing in underrepresented and underserved entrepreneurs and business owners
  • Investing in geographic areas that are socio-economically disadvantaged or that receive very limited venture capital funding
  • Promoting climate equity and climate justice

Federal Loan Programs

Agriculture

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Rural Development Business Programs
Provides loans, loan guarantees, and grants are available to individuals, businesses, cooperatives, farmers and ranchers, public bodies, non-profit corporations, Native American Tribes, and private companies in rural communities. Business Programs are often leveraged with those of other public and private credit source lenders to meet business and credit needs in underserved areas.

Farm Loan Programs
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers loans to help farmers and ranchers get the financing they need to start, expand or maintain a family farm.Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants in California
REAP funds can be used to help those impacted by California’s drought. Projects to assist with irrigation, such as energy efficient pumps, may be eligible for funding.
Exporting/Importing
Export-Import Bank
The official export credit agency of the United States created to ensure that small U.S. companies have access to the financing they need to turn export opportunities into sales. Programs include Export Credit Insurance and the Working Capital Loan Guarantee.
Small Business Capital

Small Business Administration (SBA)

Disaster Assistance
Covers losses not covered by insurance or funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for businesses in a declared disaster area as well as business operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

Investment Capital
A Small Business Investment Company is a privately owned company that’s licensed and regulated by the SBA. SBICs invest in small businesses in the form of debt and equity. The SBA doesn’t invest directly into small businesses, but it does provide funding to qualified SBICs with expertise in certain sectors or industries. Those SBICs then use their private funds, along with SBA-guaranteed funding, to invest in small businesses.Research and Development Grants
Fund a diverse portfolio of startups and small businesses across technology areas and markets to stimulate technological innovation, meet Federal research and development (R&D) needs, and increase commercialization to transition R&D into impact. Programs include he Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR).SBA-Backed Loans
Helps small businesses get funding by setting guidelines for loans and reducing lender risk. Programs include 7 (a) multi-purpose loans; 504 loans for purchasing or repairing assets including real estate, equipment, and machinery; and microloans of up to $50,000.

California Office of the Small Business Advocate
1325 J Street, Suite 1800
Sacramento, CA 95814
Contact CalOSBA
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