The City of San Diego has established a Small Business Relief Fund (SBRF) to provide grants and forgivable or low- to zero-interest-rate loans to eligible small businesses for working capital. Financial assistance, in the form of grants and loans, will range from $10,000 to $20,000 and will be allocated to eligible, qualified small businesses based on the availability of funds, program guidelines and the submission of all required information and supporting documentation. The goal of the SBRF is to help businesses retain employees and sustain continuity of business operations impacted by federal, California, San Diego County and local emergency declarations regarding COVID-19. Approximately $6.1 million is available in the SBRF, which is being administered by the City of San Diego Economic Development Department.

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Small Business Relief Fund FAQs

Once an application has been submitted and determined eligible for funding, business owners will be asked to include backup documentation, including but not limited to:

• IRS Form W-9
• Recent Tax Returns
• Bank Statements
• Current Balance Sheet

Who’s Not Eligible? Businesses that are NOT eligible to request or receive SBRF financial assistance include, but are not limited to:

• Lending and investment institutions and insurance companies
• Golf courses, race tracks or gambling facilities
• Nonprofit entities
• Businesses engaged in any illegal activity per local, state or federal regulations with federal regulations taking precedence over local or state regulations.
• Home-based businesses
• Chain stores
• Businesses with more than 100 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) employees as of Feb. 28, 2020.