CALED & EDA Pivot to Partner with PCR to Support Business Resiliency in Los Angeles
Sacramento, CA – The California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) is pleased to announce pivoting funding from a U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant under The California Academy for Economic Development (The Academy) to support technical assistance services for small businesses affected by the recent fires in Los Angeles County. The grant is part of an effort to help businesses be more resilient and plan for disruptions under a program called Outsmart Disaster.
To support businesses in Los Angeles County, The Academy is partnering with PCR Business Finance (PCR) to help businesses apply for funds and get technical assistance to plan for resilience and sustainability. This effort is being implemented through a program managed by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), which operates under the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).
“This is a strong example of how we’re leveraging our partnerships across the state to respond to the needs of small businesses,” said Dr. Tara Lynn Gray, Director of CalOSBA. “CalOSBA is proud to support Outsmart Disaster and ensure businesses in LA County have access to the resources they need to recover, rebuild, and thrive.”
The collaboration highlights the commitment of CALED and EDA to mobilize resources in response to local economic disruptions. The program not only addresses immediate recovery needs but also prioritizes state-supported small business initiatives.
“CALED is grateful to EDA for their support and proud to partner with PCR and CalOSBA on this important effort,” said Gurbax Sahota, President and CEO of CALED. “Small businesses are the backbone of any economy. Through this initiative, we are all directly supporting efforts in Los Angeles County to help Southern California economies recover from the devastating wildfires.”
As sub-recipient, PCR will provide technical assistance and support for those businesses affected by fires including creating a disaster page on PCR’s website, collaborating with CALED members in the affected fire area, conducting various multimedia and multilingual outreach efforts, providing one-on-one coaching, hosting workshops, and assisting businesses apply for grants and loans.
“At PCR Business Finance, we strive to create opportunities for small businesses in Los Angeles County and beyond to excel,” said Mark Robertson Sr., President and CEO of PCR Business Finance. “By partnering with CALED to implement an Outsmart Disaster program as part of CalOSBA’s work in this area, we are furthering our vision of providing economic access and prosperity to small businesses and communities most in need.”
This joint effort exemplifies the power of cross-sector collaboration in enhancing California’s economic resilience. For more information, contact Helen Schaubmayer, helen@caled.org, with CALED or Colette Moore, Director, cbmoore@pcrsbdc.org, and China Naylor, Associate Director, china.spikes@pcrcorp.org, with PCR’s SBDC.
About CALED
The California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) is California’s premier economic development association. With about 1,000 members, it is one of the largest economic development associations in the country, which is why we refer to our membership as California’s Economic Development Network. Since 1980, when it was created, CALED has led the way in teaching economic developers, local elected officials, and state representatives the value of economic development and how it is used to grow businesses, generate revenue to support community development programs, and retain and create quality jobs.
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Outsmart Disaster Moves to CalOSBA with a New Website
Outsmart Disaster is a statewide awareness campaign that is focused primarily on providing California businesses with the resources they need to adequately prepare for and recover from all types of disasters. The Outsmart Disaster concept was originally conceived in 2018 as a state-led tool to help businesses and communities prepare for the next big earthquake. With the support of funders such as JP Morgan Chase Foundation, Edison International, plus approximately $782,000 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding provided by U.S. Economic Development Agency, the program evolved to help Californians prepare for all types of disasters under the leadership of California’s Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency, with administrative management by The California Academy for Economic Development.
Effective Fall 2022, The California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), part of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), assumed leadership of Outsmart Disaster and relaunched a new campaign web portal featuring the Resilient Business Challenge (RBC) virtual training to promote disaster preparedness and proactive resiliency training.
The Resilient Business Challenge (RBC) is a virtual, no-cost, self-guided training that helps businesses:
- Identify their risks
- Document business functions and the impacts of potential disruption
- Strengthen facilities and safeguard data and assets in case of a natural disaster
- Maintain relationships with vendors, partners, and employees during business interruptions
- Understand insurance policies and evaluate financial resiliency in case of interruption
- Document contingency options
“Small businesses, especially those in isolated rural areas, are extremely vulnerable to any kind of business interruption, be it a pandemic, a wildfire, or a drought. Our office is committed to helping small business owners to prepare as best they can for unexpected events, and to help mitigate the increasing risks, be it from natural disaster or supply-chain interruptions,” said Tara Lynn Gray, Director of CalOSBA.
CalOSBA will staff this effort in 2023 to develop hands-on versions of the Resilient Business Challenge for face-to-face trainings in rural communities, as well as, launching a train-the-trainer program to help local organizations such as Chambers of Commerce and Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) better communicate about disaster preparedness to member businesses.
To take the RBC, or to learn more about the Outsmart Disaster Campaign, please visit the CalOSBA website at: outsmartdisaster.calosba.ca.gov .
