City of ParamountSmall Business Assistance Grant
This opportunity will provide grants of up to $20,000 to City of Paramount businesses to assist those negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
**Businesses that have previously received grants from the City of Paramount do not qualify.**
Grant Amount: up to $20,000
General Timeline
• Applications will open at 8:00 AM PDT on August 3, 2022 and remain open until funds have been exhausted.
Log in to start your application now!
How to Apply
You will need to set up an account to apply online.
City of Paramount has partnered with FORWARD to manage the application process and distribute awards.
To access the online application form, you will need to set up an account in FORWARD.
On the login page, click on the link to "Create business, non-profit account" You will be prompted to register for an account; the prompt will ask for your Business/Organization name and email address.
Once you have entered your information, FORWARD will send an email to create a secure password. After you set your password, login and start the application process. Please check your SPAM/Junk folder if you don’t receive the email.
We recommend using Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari as browsers.
If your application is successful, you will be notified by email. At that point, you will receive a Grant Agreement to sign, and you will be asked if you would like to receive the funds via ACH direct deposit or paper check. For a paper check, you will have to provide the address that you would like to receive your paper check; in most cases, the address you have provided on your W-9 will be utilized. For ACH, you will have to provide a voided check with the account and routing numbers on it.
Please note: Communications about the application and award will come by email from forward-notification@forwardplatform.com. Please make sure to check your spam folders as the award emails will come from FORWARD on behalf of The City of Paramount. Please be sure to monitor your email, including Junk or "spam" folders.
Eligibility Requirements
• Must be located and operating within the boundaries of Paramount, California (address cannot be a PO Box or an address that leads to a shipping center as their physical location).
• Must have a current City of Paramount business license (Active or delinquent, not closed or expired).
• Must have been in operation prior to December 31, 2021.
• Must be a for profit business.
• Must have less than $1 million in gross revenue in 2020 or 2021.
• Must have experienced financial hardship as a result of COVID-19 and the related health and safety restrictions, such as business interruptions or closures incurred due to the pandemic. Must be willing to self-attest under penalty of perjury that the business experienced financial hardship. Grant recipients may be subject to an audit administered by the City to verify financial hardship.
• Must have less than 20 employees.
• Corporations, limited liability companies and limited partnerships must have an “ACTIVE” status with the California Secretary of State. Check your license status here, prior to applying.
• Must NOT have an active Code Enforcement case.
Required Documentation
• Copy of photo ID to verify identity. Examples of eligible forms of ID include the following:
Valid Driver’s License
Birth Certificate
State-issued Identification Card
Student Identification Card
Military Identification Card
Passport or Passport Card
• W-9 Form, instructions can be found here.
• 2020 or 2021 tax returns showing gross revenue less than $1 million. Upload all pages of a business tax return or a personal tax return that includes a complete Schedule C or other proof of gross revenue.
• Rent/Utility/Payroll arrears “Past due” notice, which clearly shows address and business name.
• Payroll documentation showing number of employees.
• Current City of Paramount business license (Active or delinquent, not closed or expired).
• Corporations, limited liability companies and limited partnerships must have an “ACTIVE” status with the California Secretary of State. Check your license status here, prior to applying.
• Optional* proof to repair damages, including pictures of damages or quotes received from vendors.
Selection Criteria
Grant applications will be open until all funds have been depleted, eligible businesses will be funded on a first come, first served basis.
Eligible Uses of Funds
How to Create an Account
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an EIN or TIN#?
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number (TIN) and is used to identify a business entity. Generally, businesses need an EIN. Like a Social Security number, the EIN number is nine digits long and assigned by the federal government. The IRS uses the number to identify taxpayers who are required to file various business tax returns.
Will I receive a notification that my application has been received?
Yes. You will receive an email confirmation from forward-notification@forwardplatform.com once your application is received. Check your spam/junk folder if you do not receive an email shortly after submitting your application.
Will I be able to edit my submission after applying? Should I make an error?
No. However, if you need to correct an error, please get in touch with forward-support@forwardplatform.com, and our team can work with you to provide additional and correct information to your application.
Who do I contact for help?
The FORWARD Technical Support will be provided by phone and/or email to any applicants with questions related to the FORWARD platform. For technical support, call (855) 582-3973 or email forward-support@forwardplatform.com. The hours for the support line are as follows: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Monday-Friday.
Who is FORWARD?
The City of Paramount has partnered with FORWARD to manage the application process and distribute awards. FORWARD is a Washington state technology company that powers the FORWARD application portal. FORWARD offers application services for programs such as this nationwide.