As part of the City Council’s ongoing commitment to Cypress’ small businesses, we have created a $750,000 program to provide $5,000 grants to 150 of businesses most vulnerable to COVID-19 impacts. The Cypress Small Business Resiliency Grant Program targets businesses that serve Cypress residents and have been forced to temporarily close or limit operations as a result of the pandemic.
According to city officials, online applications will be available on this web page from
December 29, 2020 through January 8, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.
Businesses most impacted by the pandemic, and those that did not previously receive a CARES Act small business relief grant from the City, will be given priority for participation in the City Council’s new grant program.
According to the city’s website, eligibility requirements are as follows:
1. Applicants must have been financially affected by the COVID-19 National Emergency
2. Applicants must operate in a commercial, office or industrially zoned area in Cypress and cannot be a home-based business
3. Applicants must be a for-profit business with either 25 or fewer employees or an independent contractor who leases/rents space in Cypress
4. Applicants must have a current Cypress business license and an active Cypress business license since March 1, 2020
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What types of businesses are eligible?
Small, service-based businesses who have been significantly impacted by COVID-19, such as restaurants and food services, beauty salons and barber shop and similar businesses are eligible. Priority will be given to those businesses who had to temporarily close or limit operations due to the pandemic.
2. What types of businesses are ineligible?
Due to the limited amount of resources currently available, and the desire to get grant monies to businesses most impacted by the pandemic, many business sectors potentially impacted by the pandemic are not be eligible. These ineligible sectors include automotive repair services, dentistry and medical services, professional services and general retail.
3. I operate my business out of my home in Cypress, am I eligible?
No. Due to the limited amount of resources available for the grant program, home based businesses are not eligible to receive funds.
4. I lease a space at a barbershop/beauty salon located in Cypress, am I eligible?
Yes. If you maintained an active business license since March 1, 2020 you are eligible to apply.
5. I received a CARES act small business grant from the City of Cypress in the summer, am I eligible?
Yes. You are eligible to apply. However, eligible businesses who did not previously receive a CARES act grant from the City of Cypress will be given priority over businesses that did receive grant proceeds.
6. My business License has expired since March 2020 and I haven’t renewed yet, can I renew it now and be eligible?
No. Business licenses must have been renewed prior to December 1, 2020.
7. My business was not forced to limit its operations or temporarily close due to the stay at home order, am I eligible?
Yes. If your business is in an eligible sector and you have been financially impacted by the pandemic you can apply. However, the program is targeted to those businesses who have been forced to limit their operations or temporarily shut down and these businesses will be given priority.
8. If my business is eligible, am I guaranteed a grant?
A: No. If eligible applications exceed available resources, the City will conduct a lottery to determine the recipients.
Please direct questions via e-mail to cypressresiliency@cypressca.org.
