In summary
Here are additional protections that need to be implemented in this relief package to better serve BIPOC-owned and rural small businesses:
By Paulina Gonzalez-Brito
Tate Hill, Special to CalMatters
Tate Hill is the executive director of Access Plus Capital, a small business loan fund for low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs, tate.hill@accesspluscapital.com.
Small businesses owned by Black, Indigenous and People of Color are being disproportionately crushed by the weight of the pandemic – and many aren’t positioned to survive the next few months.
So, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced $500 million in grant funding and a temporary tax relief package for small businesses last month, it seemed like a sign of hope. And while we agree that any aid at this moment is a step in the right direction, a closer look reveals a plan that is too simplistic, flawed and ignores many crucial considerations needed to help BIPOC-owned and rural small businesses access these grants.