In Lafayette, more financial help is on the way for businesses and nonprofit organizations struggling with the economic fallout from the pandemic.
The City of Lafayette’s Business Assistance Program will begin again after the City Council voted recently to resume paying a consultant $10,000 a month to coordinate the program.
The program began at the start of the pandemic and has so far helped 82 local businesses and 10 local nonprofits each secure more than $1,500 in federal assistance.
The program was suspended in September after Congress failed to reach a deal on the Phase 4 COVID-19 relief package. With a new relief package now signed by President Donald Trump, the program can move ahead.
Now, as before, Townsend Public Affairs, with an office in Sacramento, will help coordinate the program, working to match grant requests with local, state and federal funding sources.
“One of our missions is to try to make the most of cities’ dollars,” said Casey Elliott of Townsend. “It’s a great return on investment.”
Lafayette isn’t the only East Bay city looking to help businesses with funding.
The Town of Danville has just started a similar business assistance program working with Townsend, and the City of San Ramon has also used Townsend’s services.
On Wednesday, Elliott and Lafayette Mayor Susan Candell will host a webinar to provide detailed information about the new funding opportunities offered through the Lafayette Business Assistance Program.
Register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1230762941626661389
The webinar will also provide information about a similar state-operated program, the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program.
This program awards micro grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to eligible small businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19. Applications are now being accepted for this program; for more information, go to https://careliefgrant.com/.
You could help 10 businesses a month by eliminating the $10,000 consultant salary.
So they pay the consultant 10k a month who has helped biz get 15k….ok….
If you’ve ever looked at a grant or loan application from a government source, you’re going to need a consultant. Reams of paperwork requiring precise documentation, the slightest error in which can cause the whole package to be rejected. If this helps get the money to businesses that need it, I think it’s a wise investment.
Too late to help El Charro.
El Charro’s building and land is being sold (announced in November) .. what does this have to do with anything from this news story?
Joe Blo
The comment was probably made because this sale was certainly connected to the Chinese virus. Don’t take the World Serious.
Ricardoh – It wasn’t connected in any way. the land/building owner has other plans for the space. Nothing more, nothing less.
Conspiracy theories are fun (and my GOD there’s a lot of them on this website … HAHA) – but facts are facts .. at least according to the restaurant operators themselves on their own Facebook.
E Charro closed because it went bankrupt. The property isn’t even on the market yet. I was the General Manager.
Restaurant owners denied the sale of the property as did the property owner on multiple occasions and on multiple social media sites including Facebook, Nextdoor, Instagram, and in person for the last 3 months these rumors circulated. Be careful what you believe in, because your favorite restaurant could be next. El Charro closed because of hardship due to coronavirus, I should know, I was the one running it.
Ten thousand a month? Is there no one on salary in Lafayette that can handle this? This is where aid always pays off to someone. This person will need a paid assistant or three and that is where the money will go.
@TOB – that was the landlord selling the property…best to have facts. Happy 2021!
Always nice to have the correction police around.
It was a combination of the property owners selling the land and the economic fallout of covid. Said as much in the article on claycord last Tuesday
I was El Charro’s General Manager. It went bankrupt. The land was not sold, we all just got done denying this rumor which was all it was. A rumor. Had nothing to do with the property being sold, it isn’t even on the market yet.
Wonder how much they’re willing to pay for a box of paperclips ?
How much do you want?