39 Businesses Selected for Covid Relief Fund Checks

The Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) will issue $10,000 checks to 39 Pasadena businesses this week through the City-backed Pasadena COVID-19 Disaster Small Business Relief Fund, a representative told the City Council Monday.

According to PCF President and CEO Jennifer DeVoll, of the 39 applicants that were recommended for funding, eight repair and maintenance businesses were among the highest rated. Seven businesses were educational services, followed by six food service and drinking establishments. Businesses were located in zip codes throughout the city, said DeVoll.

Fifteen of the businesses were established between 2000-2015; 11 were older than 20 years; five were opened between 2016-2018 and four were opened less than a year in 2019, according to the PCF presentation.

The small businesses owners also reported to the PCF that they are minority (56%), women (44%) and veteran (5%)-owned.

Acting on the recommendation of the Council’s EdTech Committee, the City Council on June 15, approved a Small Business Relief Grant Fund with an appropriation of $500,000 in direct support plus up to $250,000 in matching funds. The funds were to be administered by the PCF.

A total of 94 applications for funds were received. Of the remaining 55, 43 were disqualified for not meeting the program criteria and the remaining 12 scored below the award threshold, according to the presentation..

There is a remaining balance of $110,000 of the initial $500,000 funding.

According to the report, PCF has also raised an additional $23,950 to date for the fun. The City’s matching pledge of $23,950 will be deducted from the existing $110,000, leaving a balance of $86,050 that will be returned to the City’s general fund.

Following the presentation, Council member John Kennedy asked DeVoll for an ethnic breakdown of the owners of the recipient businesses, particularly for African-Americans and Armenians, which she said she would provide. 

Kennedy also asked if the balance of the existing available funds could be provided to additional businesses  in some type of ‘micro-grant” fashion. 

City Manager Steve Mermell told Kennedy that the City currently has such a program in place, which can be utilized.