REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Travis Hopkins, City Manager
VIA: Jennifer Villasenor, Director of Community Development
PREPARED BY: Christopher Kennedy, Economic Development Project Manager
Subject:
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Approve the Surf City Small Business Digital Grant Program
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Statement of Issue:
City Council is asked to review and approve the Surf City Small Business Digital Grant Program, a competitive initiative designed to strengthen the digital capacity and economic vitality of Huntington Beach brick-and-mortar businesses. If approved, the program will award $1,000 grants to 15 small businesses, helping them expand their online presence, increase customer engagement, and grow in today's digital marketplace. The program would provide a combination of structured digital marketing training and direct financial assistance and be administered by the City in partnership with the Orange County-Inland Empire Small Business Development Center (OCIE SBDC).
Financial Impact:
The proposed $15,000 investment, funded through the City's Economic Development budget (10080101.75300), will provide fifteen Huntington Beach small businesses with $1,000 grants each to support digital marketing initiatives. The total cost of the program is fully budgeted and requires no additional appropriations.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
Approve the Surf City Small Business Digital Grant Program; and authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute up to fifteen (15) individual $1,000 grant agreements on behalf of the City and disburse funds to participating businesses upon successful completion of program requirements.
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Alternative Action(s):
Modify the Surf City Small Business Digital Grant Program requirements, or deny approval of the program, and decline to authorize the City Manager to execute grant agreements or disburse funds.
Analysis:
The OCIE SBDC is a federally funded, regional o...
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