Paid family leave is an essential benefit that enables employees to take time off work to care for a newborn or a sick family member without losing their income. California has introduced a groundbreaking initiative to offer grants to companies in the state to help cover the costs of implementing paid family leave programs. This new program aims to support working families and promote a healthier work-life balance. In this article, we will delve into the details of this initiative and how California businesses can utilize this opportunity to provide valuable support to their employees.
California Paid Family Leave Grants
Under this program, California is providing grants of up to $2,000 per employee to companies that offer paid family leave to their employees. The funding for this initiative comes from the California Employment Training Panel and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Businesses can use the grant funds to cover various additional expenses incurred when employees take leave, such as cross-training existing staff or hiring and training temporary employees. The main objective of this program is to ease the financial burden that small businesses face when their employees take time off. California’s paid leave coverage provides eligible employees with up to eight weeks of wage replacement benefits for a variety of reasons, including bonding with a new child or caring for a seriously ill family member. These grants are available to small businesses with between 1 and 100 employees, with employees taking leave on or after June 1, 2024.
LIAACC Transport Grant
The Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Trellus Same-Day Local Transport & Market to assist minority-owned small businesses in Suffolk County. The LIAACC Transport Grant offers $125,000 in total funding to support small ecommerce businesses and others that can benefit from Trellus’s fast delivery services. Eligible participants can apply for grants of $2,500 each, with up to 40 Suffolk County small businesses receiving funding.
Invest Atlanta Water Outages Recovery Fund
Atlanta is considering a proposal to provide grants to small businesses affected by water outages earlier this month. Two City Council committees recently approved a resolution to allocate $5 million to establish the grant program, which will be administered by Invest Atlanta. The proposal would allow businesses to apply for funds based on the duration of their closure. The full City Council will now review the proposal, with the application period set to begin on June 24 and close on July 8.
California Small Agricultural Business Drought & Flood Relief Grant Program
California is offering grants to small agricultural businesses that suffered a decline in revenue due to drought or flood conditions. Drought Cluster 3 funds are available to eligible small agricultural businesses that did not file their 2022 tax returns until 2024 and were financially impacted by severe drought and/or flooding. Each business can apply for up to $100,000, with the deadline for the current funding round set for July 29.
SBA WBC Grants
The U.S. Small Business Administration has recently announced $30 million in new funding opportunities to support Women’s Business Centers. While the grants do not directly benefit small businesses, they will allow the WBC network to expand and enhance offerings to better assist women-owned businesses across the U.S. For example, the funds will support WBCs focusing on federal contracting and child care operations, as well as those providing virtual consulting services to businesses in underserved areas such as rural communities, tribal lands, or military bases.
Illinois Support to Business Local Chambers Program Grants
Illinois has awarded grant funds to 151 local chambers of commerce across the state to aid in marketing and development efforts. The Support to Business (B2B) Local Chambers program is allocating a total of $5 million to various recipients that experienced adverse effects from the COVID-19 pandemic. While these funds do not directly go to small businesses, chambers can use them to provide funding opportunities or support services that will benefit local business members.
these grant programs provide valuable support to businesses in various sectors, ranging from paid family leave initiatives to drought and flood relief programs. By taking advantage of these opportunities, businesses can alleviate financial burdens, enhance their operations, and contribute to the overall economic growth and well-being of their communities.