Good news for Long Beach’s small business owners: there’s an additional $250,000 in grant funding available to help offset the costs of storefront property crimes and vandalism.

The funding, which was unanimously greenlit during the Long Beach City Council’s March 4 meeting, is part of the City’s Visual Improvement Program, a financial assistance initiative led by the Long Beach Economic Development Department.

Originally launched in January 2023 as part of the Long Beach Recovery Act, VIP was created with $350,000 in initial funding to ease the financial burden of unexpected storefront repairs—from replacing broken windows to covering insurance deductibles.

VIP Program - Enhanced by Vee

The program has so far provided 295 grants to businesses in Long Beach.

Eligible business owners can receive up to $1,500 in direct assistance to cover costs like boarding, repairs and operating expenses related to damage caused by vandalism. The program is open to privately-owned and independently-operated businesses and nonprofits within City limits that meet a set of eligibility requirements—including having fewer than 200 employees and grossing no more than $2 million annually.

This latest funding boost builds on a previous $100,000 allocation from the City’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget, approved in August 2024. The growing support reflects the City’s continued commitment to helping small businesses stay resilient.

Applications for the VIP grants are open and will remain available until funding runs out. Business owners interested in applying can visit longbeach.gov/smallbizgrants for details and further details about eligibility.

For more information or help with the application process, the BizCare Hotline is 562-570-4BIZ (4249), or send an email to 4Biz@longbeach.gov.