Public Resources for
Northern California Entrepreneurs
Table of Contents:
Debt Financing
California Capital Access Program (CalCAP) for Small Business
Deadline: Open application
Funding Opportunity: CalCAP is a government backed program which encourages banks and other financial institutions to make loans to small businesses that have difficulty obtaining financing.
Small Business Loan Guarantee Program
Deadline: Open application
Funding Opportunity: This program provides access to capital that may not have been available to growing businesses without this program. Eligible uses of the Small Business Loan Guarantee program financing proceeds include start-up costs, construction, inventory, working capital, business expansion, agriculture, lines of credit and more.
Requirements: Eligible applicants include small businesses with 1-750 employees. Credit qualifications are based on lender criteria.
Tax Credits
California Competes Tax Credit
Funding Opportunity: The California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC) is a tax incentive designed to benefit businesses looking to establish or expand their operations in California. This program makes over $180 million in tax credits available to businesses of all types, sizes, and locations. To secure these credits, companies must participate in one of the three annual application periods. The applications are assessed based on fourteen distinct evaluation criteria, such as the number of new full-time jobs they will generate, the level of investment they intend to make, and their strategic significance to the state or local area.
Deadline: For fiscal year 2023-2024, GO-Biz will accept applications for the California Competes Tax Credit during the following periods:
July 24, 2023 – August 14, 2023
January 2, 2024 – January 22, 2024
March 4, 2024 – March 18, 2024
Requirements:
Companies must be located in California or have proof of relocating to California.
GO-Biz is required by statute to consider the extent to which the credit will influence the business’s ability, willingness, or both, to create new, full-time jobs in this state that might not otherwise be created in the state by the applicant or any other California business.
Industry Specific: No
Funding Opportunity: The Employment Training Panel (ETP) was established in 1982 by the California State Legislature and is funded by a special payroll tax contributed by California employers. ETP provides funding to assist businesses in upgrading their workers' skills, aiming to create good-paying, long-term jobs. It's important to note that ETP is a funding agency, not a training agency. Businesses are responsible for determining their training needs and delivery methods, with ETP staff available to help with funding applications and program participation.
Deadline: Open application
Requirements:
Single Employers subject to the Unemployment Insurance tax and having a California Employer Account Number (CEAN) with a prefix of 699 or lower.
Groups of Employers, including Chambers of Commerce, Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees, Trade Associations or Economic Development Corporations.
Training Agencies include the following educational institutions:
Community College or Community College District
University or University foundations
Adult School
Regional Occupational Program
Private training agency with at least a two year history of providing training and placement services to the public, and appropriate certification
Workforce Development Boards (WDB) (formerly Workforce Investment Boards) with the approval of appropriate local elected officials in the local workforce investment areas.
For additional requirements, see here.
Industry Specific: Priority industries include:
Agriculture, allied health, biotechnology, construction, green/clean technology, goods movement and transportation logistics, information technology systems, manufacturing and food production, multi-media and entertainment, and technical services
Additional Resources
California Center for Applied Competitive Technologies
The California Centers for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT) is a network of centers throughout California dedicated to bolstering the competitiveness and productivity of small and medium-sized manufacturers. CACT offers technical assistance, customized workforce training, lean manufacturing guidance, technology adoption support, compliance and standards advice, and occasionally engages in research and development projects. Their mission is to help manufacturers stay competitive in the modern market, ensuring they remain agile and adaptive in the face of evolving technologies and industry standards, ultimately fostering the growth and sustainability of California's manufacturing sector.
The California Innovation Fund is a new type of shared carry private/public Venture Capital Fund that will provide 50% of the GP carry to the University of California so the success of our startups benefits public education. The fund looks for early-stage startups from all kinds of industries seeking to raise late seed or Series A rounds of finance. They focus on UC affiliated startups that emerged from the UC ecosystem, have been founded by UC alumni, or are built upon UC technology. They support entrepreneurs who are solving significant, urgent problems that will create a positive future and better the public good.