Bay Area

Grants Available for Pandemic-Stressed Microbusinesses

The Marin Microbusiness Grant Program is funded by the State of California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate, known as CalOSBA. The County of Marin, the Marin Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and Dominican University of California are partnering on program oversight. The local partners have been working with nonprofits, community organizations, and local municipalities to reach underserved business owners in the area.

Published

4 years ago

June 8, 2022

Oakland Post

The Marin Microbusiness Grant Program offers support to underserved populations that are still struggling with the impacts of pandemic shutdowns.

Online application period is open for $2,500 grants for businesses with gross revenue of less than $50,000

Courtesy of Marin County

Marin County microbusinesses with fewer than five full-time employees may now apply for $2,500 grants through a partnership dedicated to assisting the economy through the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.

As an example, those who might be eligible for the grants include artists and musicians, childcare providers, construction workers, food vendors, hair stylists, nail technicians, “handyman” providers, house cleaners, gardeners and landscapers.

“Many of these microbusiness owners faced access challenges and did not qualify for other forms of COVID-19 support,” said Miriam Karell of the Marin SBDC. “This program is a focused effort to offer support to underserved populations who are still struggling with the impacts of the pandemic shutdowns.”

The support is in the form of tax-free grants, not loans that need to be repaid. The funds must be used for payment of business debts, new equipment, costs from business interruptions and other criteria listed on the program website. Microbusiness owners do not need to be U.S. citizens to apply, and a tax return is not mandatory. Businesses that received pandemic economic assistance such as the EIDL Loan or Paycheck Protection Program remain eligible for the Marin Microbusiness Grant Program.

A Marin business is eligible to apply if it is:

located in Marin
been in business since December 2019
made less than $50,000 gross revenue in 2019
serving as the owner’s primary source of income
significantly Impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
currently open or plans to reopen
has less than five full-time equivalent employees
did not receive a California grant through Lendistry

The first round of applications — available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese — is open from May 23 through June 30. The Marin SBDC team is ready to provide application support for anyone with technology or language needs. The program will distribute 105 grants of $2,500. The application period will remain open until all funds are distributed. A lottery system will be employed if there are more than 105 eligible applications.

The second of two online informational sessions is scheduled for:

11 a.m., Wednesday, June 8

For more information or to apply, visit MarinSBDC.org/microbizgrants, call 415.482.1819 or email Team@MarinSBDC.org.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.