Draft Guidelines available for Microenterprise Business Assistance and Recovery Forgivable Loan Program
Plumas County announces the Draft Guidelines are now available for the Microenterprise Business Assistance and Recovery Forgivable Loan Program. The Program is made possible with Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) through the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Aid (CDBG-CV) program of the US Housing and Urban Development (HUD), with a total of $409,462 available. To promote economic stability and to assist with eligible business expenses, the Program offers a one-time forgivable loan of up to $50,000 per microenterprise business.
The Program will provide financial assistance to legal operating private for profit microenterprise businesses in the unincorporated areas of Plumas County and within the City of Portola city limits who have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. CDBG regulations provide the following definition of a microenterprise business: A commercial enterprise that has five or fewer employees, one or more of whom owns the business.
Eligible uses of the loan funds include reimbursement of costs for the following business activities incurred during the period that begins on March 13, 2020, and ends on May 11, 2023 (duration of the national disaster declaration COVID-19 Public Health Emergency):
- Commercial lease or mortgage payments
- Employee payroll (not including owner salary)
- Utility payments
- Reimbursement for expenses related to supporting operational needs to address COVID-19 requirements for opening and operating (e.g., personal protective equipment and supplies, items related to public health and safety, and temporary distancing measures, or movable equipment).
The Draft Program Guidelines are subject to change at the discretion of the County based on state and federal requirements and/or prospective program applicants’ questions and clarifications. The Final Program Guidelines, Application, and Checklist are anticipated to be released on June 1, 2023, with an application deadline of July 31, 2023.
For questions or clarifications on the Draft Program Guidelines, prospective program applicants can contact:
Tracey Ferguson
Plumas County Planning Director
555 Main Street
Quincy, CA 95971
530-283-6214
The Draft Program Guidelines can be found on the County’s website:
https://www.plumascounty.us/89/Planning-Department