Business Assistance Program
The City of Rio Vista Business Assistance Program (“program”) was developed to assist Rio Vista businesses with the direct and indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is funded by Community Development Block Grant CARES funds (CDBG-CV) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered by the state Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The program provides a one-time grant payment ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 to eligible businesses negatively affected by COVID-19 in order to create jobs for low- to moderate-income (LMI) persons or retain jobs for LMI persons that would have otherwise been lost.
Use of Funds
Funds will provide operating capital, such as payroll, insurance, lease/mortgage payments, inventory, marketing, accounting, and other supplies. Costs are incurred by the business and reimbursed by the program directly to the business, except for lease or mortgage payments, which will be paid directly to landlords and lenders. CDBG funds are used for actual costs incurred; they ARE NOT used to pay for lost revenue. Proof of cost incurred such as receipts, statement of payment, or other such proof will be required.
Eligibility
Businesses must meet the following requirements to qualify for the program:
- Able to demonstrate a direct or indirect economic impact from COVID-19 by describing how the business was impacted by COVID-19 and attach any supporting documentation, if available, such as higher costs as a result of the pandemic, including rising costs of fuel, natural gas, food, healthcare, childcare or additional costs for masks and disinfection
- Agree to create or retain a job for an LMI person(earning less than $64,050 annually) for a period of no less than one (1) year and that does not require more than 12 months of formal education or training
- Operating prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020)
- Eligible to receive federal funds (i.e., not federally debarred, delinquent on federal loans)
- In good standing/no tax liens
- Operating a for-profit business
- Possess a valid City of Rio Vista business license
- In compliance with local, state, and federal laws (i.e., no assistance is available to cannabis-related businesses)
- Maintain a physical store front or commercial/industrial space within Rio Vista city limits
- Employ at least one (1) W-2 employee
- Employ no more than 25 full-time equivalent (FTE)* employees
- Able to register with the System for Award Management (at sam.gov/content/entity-registration)
Application Process
Interested businesses should complete the Business Assistance Program application linked below and submit via email to austin.knudsen@mbakerintl.com. Applications will be accepted until funds are exhausted. The program will award funds on a first come, first serve basis to businesses that submit a complete program application and qualify under the program guidelines. Applicants that submit incomplete applications will receive written notification but will not be considered for funding until their application is complete.
Underwriting Standards
The City will apply program guidelines to all applicants consistently. The City will review all completed applications for eligibility including no duplication of funds; this includes applicant attestation to all assistance received supported with documentation of assistance; if request for assistance will result in duplication of benefits, assistance to be reduced so there is no duplication. Please see Exhibit A – Underwriting Template, below, for full details.
Applicants will be required to submit financial records and attest that award funds demonstrate public benefit and thus will be used to retain jobs that would otherwise be lost. Please see Exhibit B Program Application, below, for full details.
This program will comply with all applicable Federal Regulations including Davis-Bacon, Section 3, NEPA, HUD Underwriting Standards, and Procurement standards as part of the underwriting process. Procurement files must include pre-award independent cost estimate, documentation of procurement method, and copies of procurement documents.
Minimum underwriting includes the following:
- That project costs are reasonable
- That all sources of project financing are committed
- That to the extent practicable, CDBG funds are not substituted for non-federal financial support
- That the project is financially feasible
- That to the extent practicable, the return on the owner's equity investment will not be unreasonably high and
- That to the extent practicable, CDBG funds are disbursed on a pro rata basis with other finances provided to the project
*The calculation of full-time equivalent (FTE) is an employee's scheduled hours divided by the employer's hours for a full-time workweek. When an employer has a 40-hour workweek, employees who are scheduled to work 40 hours per week are 1.0 FTEs. Employees scheduled to work 20 hours per week are 0.5 FTEs.
Supporting Documents
Exhibit B - Program Application (390 KB) 
