By Los Angeles County Politics (LACP)
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis (D-Central and Eastern Los Angeles including Downtown LA, East LA, Pico-Union, Boyle Heights, El Monte, West Covina, Baldwin Park, Pomona) and Janice Hahn (D-Southeastern LA County including Long Beach, San Pedro, Diamond Bar, Whittier, Cerritos, Downey, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hacienda Heights) this week announced that 367 small businesses have been awarded grants totaling $1.53 million as part of the first round of funding from the Small Business Resiliency Fund (SBRF).
This emergency relief program provides direct financial assistance to small businesses economically impacted by federal immigration enforcement actions.
The Fund was launched last September following Solis and Hahn’s motion calling for the development of a business interruption fund to support businesses directly affected by immigration enforcement activities, among other economic resiliency and humanitarian-focused actions.
Based on early economic analysis conducted by the County’s Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), LA County lost an estimated 11,730 jobs, $932 million in labor income, and $2.5 billion in economic output from June to December 2025.
Of those job losses, approximately 6,590 occurred within the downtown curfew zone and 5,140 across other parts of the County. Fiscal losses to local governments are estimated at $379 million.
“Small businesses are the heart of our communities and the engine of our local economy. When they face disruption and uncertainty, we must step in quickly to protect them,” said Solis. “The Small Business Resiliency Fund is a vital lifeline, giving business owners and their employees the resources they need to recover, rebuild, and continue serving their communities with strength and confidence. Supporting these businesses isn’t just about dollars—it’s about safeguarding livelihoods, stability, and the future of our local economy.”
“These ICE raids aren’t targeting dangerous criminals – they are sweeping up workers. On top of the harm they have caused families, they have been devastating to the small businesses that have lost the employees they rely on and whose customers are afraid to leave their homes,” said Hahn. “The goal of these grants is to help these small businesses survive this onslaught. I continue to call on the federal government to recognize the harm these raids are doing both to people and the economy and to stop them immediately.”
Award notifications are currently being issued by the third-party administrator AidKit in coordination with DEO and fiscal sponsor SoCal Grantmakers. The SBRF received over 3,400 applications from small businesses across Los Angeles County. Applications were evaluated based on eligibility and prioritized based on several factors, including property damage and location within the curfew zone.
Grants may be used to cover essential business recovery expenses, such as rent, payroll, inventory, marketing, and debt repayment. To support applicants, DEO and its network of multilingual, community-based technical assistance providers, including Initiating Change in Our Neighborhoods (ICON) Community Development Corporation (CDC), Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD), and Los Angeles Economic Equity Accelerator and Fellowship (LEEAF), offered live webinars in English and Spanish, one-on-one guidance, and application guides in 13 languages.
Eligible businesses not selected in this initial round will remain on a waitlist for the second round in the first quarter of 2026 and future consideration, pending availability of additional funds.
DEO welcomes the support from philanthropic institutions and private donors to expand the impact of the Small Business Resiliency Fund. Those interested in contributing are encouraged to contact Funds@opportunity.lacounty.gov.
