The City of San Diego developed the San Diego Business Relief Fund, which provided $6.1 million in grants and forgivable or low- to zero-interest-rate loans to eligible small businesses for working capital. The City of San Diego received more than 9,000 applications and closed the submission process to focus on raising awareness.
The City of San Diego also has a comprehensive list of local, state and federal programs on its website.
The South County Economic Development Council (South County EDC) is offering a no-interest loan to eating establishments in South County, providing a one-time $5,000 no-interest loan with repayment due on April 1, 2021. At that time the entire loan amount will be due. It is anticipated that a total of 50 loans will be provided. Find out more here.
California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank) has Financial Development Corporation (FDC) partners throughout California that can assist businesses.
Small Business Assistance in the CARES Act
This program originally allocated $349 billion in loans to businesses with up to 500 employees, nonprofits, independent contractors and the self-employed. The program ran out of funds, but this week the federal government approved $310 million in additional funding to extend the program to more businesses.
Borrowers are eligible for loan forgiveness if they maintain or rehire their employees and maintain salary levels.
The total loan forgiveness will be calculated by the sum of payroll costs, mortgage, rent, and utility payments during the eight weeks after receiving the loan.
All loan payments for the Paycheck Protection Program will be deferred for at least six months, will have no fees, and have a maximum four percent interest rate.
The Paycheck Protection Program will be administered through existing SBA 7(a) lenders. Applications will be available starting April 3.
Please consult with your local bank or credit union to see if they will be providing these loans. If you would like to see a sample form to begin preparing your application, you can visit the SBA website here.
Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)
The CARES Act allocated an additional $10 billion for this existing program, which provides disaster loans to small businesses in affected areas at a 3.75 percent interest rate for small businesses and a 2.75 percent rate for nonprofits.
This program allows those who have applied for an EIDL can request an advance on that loan of up to $10,000, which the SBA must distribute within three days.
The advance is available to anyone who applies for an EIDL, regardless of whether the application was declined or is still pending.
If you have specific questions regarding your application, you can contact your local SBA office or Small Business Development Council (SBDC):
San Diego SBA Office
550 West C Street Suite 550
San Diego, CA
Phone: 619-557-7250 or 619-727-4883
North San Diego SBDC
2075 Las Palmas Drive
Carlsbad, CA
(760) 795-8740
For a summary of all the small business provisions, click here.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce CARES Act Check List
To assist small businesses through the process, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce put together a guide and checklist from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
U.S. Travel Analysis of CARES Act
U.S. Travel launched a CARES Act resources page to ensure as many travel companies as possible are equipped to take advantage of the assistance available and provide guidance on how to navigate the recently passed relief package.
U.S. Travel hosted a webinar detailing what the CARES Act means for the travel industry. View the full slide deck outlining CARES Act provisions and eligibility (PowerPoint slides available upon request).
View a FAQ that answers many of the questions asked during the webinar. U.S. Travel will continue to add to this page, which will be available with other resources.
Destinations International CARES Act Guide
DI has also published a guide specifically to help DMOs tap into CARES Act relief.
Visit California CARES Act and Other Resources Visit California has also compiled a comprehensive list of state and federal resources
OnwardCA is a one-stop resource for people impacted by job loss during the COVID-19 Pandemic with over 70,000 job opportunities in critical industries.
Individuals facing unemployment and financial instability during these challenging times are eligible for a variety of services. Visit the State of California Employment Development Department (EDD) to file an unemployment claim. The EDD also has a COVID-19 resource page.
The San Diego Workforce Partnership also has a list of employment resources.
The San Diego Housing Federation compiled an extensive list of resources for affordable housing, as well as options for individuals facing eviction.
If you need help paying bills, finding food or obtaining shelter, visit the 211 website and the United Way San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund. Visit the Feeding San Diego website for information on where to find food and other resources available.
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