California Small Agricultural Business Flood Relief Grant Program
This grant is provided by California Office of the Small Business Advocate
Grant Amount
Up to $100KApplication Deadline
February 15, 2024
About This Grant
The California Small Agricultural Business Drought & Flood Relief Grant Program will provide relief to small agricultural businesses that experienced a decline in annual gross receipts or gross profits due to drought or storm flood conditions.
How You Can Use the Funds
- Grant moneys awarded under the Program shall only be used for costs to maintain the recipient business through the flood, including the following:
- Employee expenses, including payroll costs, health care benefits, paid sick, medical, or family leave, and insurance premiums.
- Working capital and overhead, including rent, utilities, mortgage principal, and interest payments, but excluding mortgage prepayments, and debt obligations, including principal and interest, incurred before the onset of severe drought.
- Any other drought-related expenses not already covered through grants, forgivable loans, or other relief through state, county, or city programs.
Documents Required
- Applicant Certifications.
- Acceptable Government-Issued Photo Identification uploaded via Persona, which will be embedded in the application.
- Official filing with the California Secretary of State (which must be active) or local municipality, as applicable, for your business or organization, such as one of the following: Articles of Incorporation; Certificate of Organization; Fictitious Business Name filing; Professional license; Government-issued business license or permit.
- Proof of Tax Exemption (for nonprofit organizations only).
- 2022 Federal Tax Returns or IRS Form 990 (completed, unaltered, and filed)
- Proof of Employee Count: 2022 IRS Form W-3 or payroll records
Eligibility Requirements
- An applicant must meet this Program’s definition of a “qualified small business” to be eligible to receive a grant award.
- For the purpose of this Program, a “qualified small business” means a business that meets all of the following criteria, as confirmed by the office or fiscal agent through review of revenue declines, other relief funds received, credit history, tax returns, payroll records, and bank account validation:
- Is a sole proprietor, independent contractor, C-corporation, S-corporation, cooperative, limited liability company, partnership, nonprofit (other than a 501(c)(4) organization), or limited partnership, domiciled in California, with 100 or fewer full-time employees in the 2022 taxable year and will have 100 or fewer full-time employees in the 2023 taxable year. Seasonal employees are included in the full-time employee count.
- Had 100 or fewer full-time employees in the 2022 taxable year and will have 100 or fewer full-time employees in the 2023 taxable year. Seasonal employees are included in the full-time employee count.
- Be domiciled in the state of California.
- Began operating in the state prior to January 1, 2020.
- Is currently active and operating.
- Has been affected by storm flooding or is within or serves a county that has a state or federal disaster declaration for storm flooding.
- Provides organizing documents, including a federal tax return or Internal Revenue Service Form 990, and a copy of official filings with the Secretary of State or with the local municipality, as applicable, including, but not limited to, articles of incorporation, certificate of organization, fictitious name of registration, or government-issued business license.
- Storm Flood Group 1 is allocated to applicants that meet all the following criteria:
- Is a qualified small business or nonprofit organization as defined on the program's website.
- Has an owner or, in the case of a nonprofit, an authorized person, submitting the application that is at least 18 years of age.
- Operates under any of the following 2022 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) or National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) codes identified as an industry most impacted by storm flooding (codes are listed on the program's website).