Grant applications open Monday to help San Diego small businesses cover storm and flood related costs

As San Diegans continue mopping up from powerful rains and flooding Jan. 22, the city of San Diego is offering grants up to $5,000 for several dozen hard-hit small businesses and nonprofits.

Applications open Monday, and run through Feb. 27.

The Business Emergency Response & Resilience Grant is geared to reimburse owners who spent money on cleanup, restoration, or lost inventory or revenue and more due to the record-setting storm, which dumped 3 inches of rain in three hours. It became the wettest January day in San Diego and the city’s fourth wettest day since record-keeping started in 1850.

The grants are limited — just 100 are available.

Eligible business must show how they were affected by the storms. The city says the grants will be used to reimburse businesses and nonprofits for money spent on documented storm-related expenses.

To be eligible, a business must meet all requirements including:

• being within a high-impact storm-affected area in San Diego;
• having no more than 12 employees;
• being independently owned and operated; and
• having an active city Business Tax Certificate.

Businesses and nonprofits located on the ground floor will be given priority.

The assistance provides as much as $2,500 for businesses and nonprofits, but those in the federally designated Promise Zone and Low-Moderate Income Census tract areas are eligible for grants up to $5,000.

The $370,000 budget for the program comes from the city’s Small Business Enhancement Program.

A link to the application can be found at sandiego.gov/erg. Paper applications are available in the lobby of the 14th floor of San Diego’s Civic Center Plaza, 1200 Third Street.