SGVEP offers $5k–$10k grants

The San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership used its social channels on May 24 to push local businesses toward Los Angeles County’s Small Business Mobility Fund launch grants, a county program that offers $5,000 or $10,000 to help operators open or expand brick-and-mortar locations in unincorporated areas. LA County’s Department of Economic Opportunity, which runs the program, says the current round of launch-grant applications has been extended through June 1, 2026, at 11 p.m. The county says the smaller award is for businesses launching in non-retail commercial space such as offices or warehouses, while the larger award is for businesses launching in retail commercial space with a storefront. The program is part of the county’s Small Business Mobility Fund, which the Department of Economic Opportunity says is intended to provide flexible capital for business launch and expansion. (opportunity.lacounty.gov) ### Who can actually get the $5,000 versus the $10,000? LA County’s eligibility rules split applicants by the kind of space they are opening. The Department of Economic Opportunity says $5,000 grants are for businesses launching in brick-and-mortar non-retail space in unincorporated Los Angeles County, and $10,000 grants are for businesses launching in brick-and-mortar retail space with a storefront in those same unincorporated areas. (opportunity.lacounty.gov) The county says businesses already operating can still qualify if the location opened after Sept. 1, 2025. Shared or temporary spaces do not qualify for the non-retail category, and businesses in shared spaces of any kind do not qualify for the retail storefront category, according to the program page. ### Which businesses are eligible beyond the location test? The Department of Economic Opportunity says applicants must be for-profit businesses, be headquartered in Los Angeles County, have fewer than 100 employees, and report annual gross revenue of no more than $6 million based on a 2023-or-later tax return. (opportunity.lacounty.gov) The county also says the applicant must reside in Los Angeles County and be the majority owner and manager of the business. California filing status also matters. The county says applicants must be domiciled in California, have required filings with the California Secretary of State, and, if already operating, be in good standing with local, state and federal taxing and licensing authorities. ### What can the money be used for? The county says launch-grant money can be used for tenant improvements, facade improvements, signage and related building permits. (opportunity.lacounty.gov) In a county press release announcing the new phase of the program, the Department of Economic Opportunity said the awards are meant to help businesses launch brick-and-mortar operations in unincorporated county areas. That same press release said priority is available, though not required, for businesses displaced by recent wildfires or opening near fire-affected unincorporated areas. (opportunity.lacounty.gov) The county also said other factors can include employee count and whether the business is located in higher-unemployment areas identified through the county’s Equity Explorer Map. ### Has the county already awarded any grants through this program? (opportunity.lacounty.gov) Los Angeles County said on April 23 that it had awarded $105,000 in Small Business Mobility Fund launch grants to 12 small businesses in the first round. The Department of Economic Opportunity said those awards were for businesses establishing or expanding brick-and-mortar locations in unincorporated areas of the county. (opportunity.lacounty.gov) That earlier round is one of the clearest signals that the current application window is part of an operating county grant program rather than a one-off announcement. The county has also run related Small Business Mobility Fund programs for entrepreneurship academy participants and sidewalk vendors. (opportunity.lacounty.gov) ### Where do businesses apply, and what happens next? The Department of Economic Opportunity says applications for the launch grants are being accepted through the county’s Small Business Mobility Fund page. The deadline listed on the program page is June 1, 2026, at 11 p.m., and the county’s application materials direct businesses to the online portal and program guide for eligibility and document requirements. (opportunity.lacounty.gov 1) (opportunity.lacounty.gov 2)