Small businesses that took a financial hit after the Lineage warehouse fire or the East Los Angeles oil spill can now apply for up to $3,000 in cash assistance to help them recover.
The LA County Small Business Recovery Grants are intended to provide small businesses affected by the recent environmental disasters with direct financial support after many of them lost business as a result.
“Small businesses should not be left to absorb the financial damage caused by an emergency they did not create,” said LA County District 1 Supervisor Hilda Solis.
The application launched on Thursday, Sept. 17 and will remain open until Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. To qualify, businesses must be located within a designated disaster impact zone outlined by the county.
Check your eligibility here:
Brick-and-mortar businesses and nonprofit organizations can apply to receive up to $3,000. Sidewalk vendors, home-based businesses and independent contractors can apply for up to $1,000.
The grants were established using $750,000 from Solis’ discretionary budget. According to the county, the funds will be disbursed within 45 days. If the number of applications exceeds available funding, grantees will be selected using a lottery system.
The Lineage warehouse that burned for eight days in Boyle Heights and the East LA oil spill caused a number of issues for residents and small businesses.
After the fire, street vendors were unable to set up at their usual spots because of poor air quality. Restaurants, auto repair shops and hair salons in the vicinity told Boyle Heights Beat they had to close when the smoke was unbearable; customers canceled appointments and foot traffic has not recovered, they’ve said.
Similarly, businesses near the East LA oil spill said they lost customers and revenue after the streets near the spill closed for days.
To qualify for a Small Business Recovery Grant you must:
- Live within a designated impact zone. Check your eligibility here:
- Have been operating for at least 30 days before the incident
- Have 100 or fewer employees
- Have annual gross earnings of $6 million or less
- Demonstrate or attest to a qualifying business disruption or economic impact associated with the Lineage fire or East LA oil spill
How to apply:
Apply online here. The application will take approximately 20 to 30 minutes to complete. (The application is available in English and Spanish.)
In person application assistance is available at the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity’s Office of Small Business.
- Location: 4716 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave.
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Phone: (844) 432-4900
- Email: osb@opportunity.lacounty.gov
Have questions?
If you have any questions about the application, call, text or email the AidKit support team at (213) 755-8163 or email support@recoverygrant.aidkit.org.
Frequently asked questions about the application can be found here.
