City of Richmond’s ARPA Small Business Support Grant Program

The ARPA Small Business Support Program is a local grant initiative led by the City of Richmond, California, in partnership with the Renaissance Center. Designed to provide targeted relief to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, this program offers grant awards of $5,000 to $10,000 depending on business size and structure. It aims to bolster economic recovery, promote long-term stability, and foster local business growth within Richmond. The program offers $5,000 to solopreneurs, $7,500 to small businesses with 2–5 employees or those operating out of a physical location, and $10,000 to businesses with more than five employees. All applicants must have been established on or before March 13, 2020, report negative impacts due to COVID-19, and have annual gross revenue under $1 million. Eligible businesses must be physically located in Richmond, whether as brick-and-mortar operations, home-based entities, or delivery-based services. Notably, gas stations, franchises, smoke shops, churches, and nonprofit organizations are ineligible for this program. To access funding, awardees must complete at least four hours of business consultations or workshops hosted by the Renaissance Center. These free support services also include training classes and workshops on business planning, financial management, social media, access to capital, and more. Participants are encouraged to take advantage of cohort programs tailored to specific demographics, such as 2 Sistas SOAR and Latinas Empresarias. Applicants will be evaluated using the Business Support Grant Scoring Criteria, with priority given to businesses that did not receive prior federal aid, are located in lower quartile areas of the California Healthy Places Index, or have seen a decline in revenue or staff. Applications for the second batch of funding open on November 20, 2024, and close on January 20, 2025. Information sessions and office hours are provided to support applicants, including hybrid and in-person events throughout November and December. Applications must be submitted through a Google Form, and applicants are required to sign in with a Google account to complete the process. For further assistance or questions, applicants can contact the Renaissance Center at 510-221-6411 or via email at richmondarpa@rencenter.org. Additional support workshops are scheduled for December and January.

Emphasize COVID impact and lack of federal funding; participation in business support programming is prioritized.