Small Business Assistance Services
Keeping Our Businesses & Non-Profits Strong
To better serve our local businesses and non-profits impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the City Council has created the Laguna Beach Small Business Assistance Service and hired Townsend Public Affairs to provide FREE assistance to local businesses and non-profits as they access available resources offered by the County, state, and federal governments.
On Thursday, January 7, 2021 The City and Townsend Public Affairs held a webinar to highlight the help offered by the Business Assistance Services and to provide more information about the new funding. If you missed this informative and helpful webinar, you can watch it here.
For assistance with the Small Business Assistance Service, contact Senior Administrative Analyst Jeremy Frimond, in the City Manager's Office, at (949) 464-6673 or by email at jfrimond@lagunabeachcity.net
Click Here to Apply for the Small Business Assistance Service
What Does the Laguna Beach Small Business Assistance Service (BAS) Provide?
Participant Registration & One-on-One Triage: This service is intended to serve Laguna Beach-based businesses and non-profits only. Individuals should register their business or non-profit by filling out the linked business survey. The City will screen applicants to ensure they qualify for the one-on-one business triage appointments.
Business Needs Assessment: Once a business or non-profit has been qualified to be part of the program, the service will connect directly with business owners, and their representatives, to evaluate their individual goals and desired outcomes. Using this information, the service Business Assistance Service will identify what assistance programs the business may be eligible for and how they can leverage those various programs to achieve their stated goals.
Guidance and Direct Support: the BAS will provide businesses with direct support as they apply for the identified programs, including assessment of eligibility, step-by-step instructions, identification of information needed to submit with any applications, and addressing any technical questions they may have with the application.
Address Application Issues: Where necessary and able, the BAS will act as a liaison to individual agencies and departments to assist businesses in resolving issues with their application. This includes utilizing legislative contacts, relationships with state and federal government officials, and collaboration with industry groups.
Tax Relief
Exclude PPP Loans from State Taxes: Governor Newsom signed AB 1577 (Burke), which conforms state law to federal law by excluding from gross income Paycheck Protection Program loans that were forgiven through the federal CARES Act and subsequent amendments in the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act of 2020.
Main Street Hiring Tax Credit: Governor Newsom signed SB 1447 (Bradford, Caballero and Cervantes), authorizing a $100 million hiring tax credit program for qualified small businesses. The credit will be equal to $1,000 per qualified employee, up to $100,000 for each small business employer.
Tax Relief for Small Businesses: 90-day extension to small businesses in state and local taxes and an extension of all licensing deadlines and requirements for several industries.
Waived Minimum Franchise Tax for New Businesses: Estimated $100 million allocated in the 2020-21 Budget to waive the $800 minimum franchise tax for the first year of business creation and remove a barrier to entrepreneurship and job creation.
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Resource Links for Businesses |
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U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidance to Businesses and Employers |
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Currently Active Assistance Programs |
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In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, small business owners and nonprofit organizations can apply for up to $150,000 loans for those that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue due to COVID-19. |
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COVID-19 response-funded express loans for small businesses with existing SBA loan agreements. Up to $25,000 in additional loans added to existing SBA agreements. |
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The Federal Reserve established the Main Street Lending Program (Program) to support lending to small and medium-sized for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations that were in sound financial condition before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Provides large scales loans ranging from $250,000 to $300 million. |
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The California Rebuilding Fund is designed to provide capital to support the rapidly increasing volume of lending activity to under-served California small businesses in dire need of low-cost loan capital. |
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Tenant, Homeowner, and Small Landlord Relief and Stabilization Act of 2020 |
Under this California legislation, no tenant can be evicted before February 1, 2021 as a result of rent owed due to a COVID-19 related hardship accrued between March 4 – August 31, 2020, if the tenant provides a declaration of hardship according to the legislation’s timelines. For a COVID-19 related hardship that accrues between September 1, 2020 – January 31, 2021, tenants must also pay at least 25 percent of the rent due to avoid eviction |
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Anticipated Future Assistance Programs |
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Anticipated to reopen once federal funds are approved by Congress.This program provides loans designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll during the COVID-19 crisis. Loans will be fully forgiven if 75% of funds are used on payroll. |
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Anticipated to reopen once federal funds are approved by Congress.This program assists unemployed Californians who are not usually eligible for regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. This includes business owners, self-employed workers, independent contractors, and who are out of business as a direct result of the pandemic. |
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Anticipated to be released in Early 2021.This program will distribute relief through grants of up to $25,000 to underserved micro businesses, small businesses, and non-profits throughout the state. |
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