In its meeting on Tuesday night, the Santa Clarita City Council approved the Santa Clarita Small Business COVID Relief Grant program.

The grant program will provide local small businesses a one-time financial reimbursement for expenses incurred from business interruption due to COVID-19 impacts.

Santa Clarita small businesses with 100 employees or fewer would be eligible for reimbursable expenses up to $5,000.

Applications are now open to the public on ThinkSantaClarita.com/SmallBusinessCOVIDReliefGrant and will close Wednesday, October 28, at 5 p.m.

Financial assistance will be distributed to eligible, qualified small businesses selected by a random lottery conducted by an independent, third-party vendor on October 29.

The new grant program will utilize CARES Act funding to reimburse local small businesses throughout the Santa Clarita Valley.

Reimbursable expenses are exclusively for costs related to the following categories:

* Personal protective equipment, such as masks, gloves, face shields, disposable gowns, and shoe covers;

* Cleaning and sanitizing products;

* Equipment related to remote working and distance learning;

* Health screening services such as temperature assessment services and symptom screening services;

* Physical space modification to allow social distancing indoors as well as expand activities outdoors to continue business operations safely according to current health order guidelines; and

* Adaptive business services: services needed for your business to stay open while health order restrictions are in place. These include but are not limited to disinfecting services and increased sanitation to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and alternative disinfection procedures, such as ultrasonic waves, high-intensity UV radiation, and LED blue light methods against the COVID-19 virus.

The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation will partner with the city on this program to provide one-time financial reimbursements to eligible businesses located throughout the SCV, both within the city of Santa Clarita and unincorporated areas, using the same criteria as noted above through the same application link.

For more information on the 2020 Santa Clarita Small Business COVID Relief Grant, including eligibility requirements, submission guidelines and more, visit ThinkSantaClarita.com.

If you have additional questions, contact Administrative Analyst for Business Development Monica Fawcett at mfawcett@santa-clarita.com.