The Visual Improvement Program (VIP) is a grant from the City of Long Beach, California that funds storefront repairs for small businesses and nonprofits impacted by crime and vandalism. Administered through the FORWARD Platform, this program provides up to $1,000 per approved vandalism occurrence on or after October 1, 2023, covering repairs, boarding costs, insurance deductibles, and business operating expenses.

Awards are issued on a rolling basis until funding is exhausted. Eligible applicants must be Long Beach businesses or nonprofits with fewer than 100 employees and annual revenue under $2. 5 million.

At least 50% of awards are reserved for businesses owned by people of color or located in low-to-moderate income areas.

City of Long Beach - Visual Improvement Program - FORWARD Platform Visual Improvement Program (VIP) Grant The Long Beach Visual Improvement Program now offers $1,000 per approved occurrence to help more businesses across the City benefit from the support. This updated award amount expands our reach to serve even more impacted businesses Citywide.

Frequently Asked Questions This City of Long Beach Visual Improvement Program (VIP) Grant will provide direct financial relief to local small businesses and nonprofits impacted by crime and vandalism on or after 10/1/2023. Eligible businesses can receive up to $1,000 to cover repairs to their storefront caused by vandalism. Eligible Uses of Funds: storefront repairs, boarding costs, insurance deductibles and business operating expenses.

Grant applications are now open and will remain open until funding is exhausted. Grant awards will be issued on a rolling basis to all eligible applicants. The City is prioritizing the equitable implementation of all Long Beach Recovery Act programs.

This program will ensure funding reaches underserved areas by focusing outreach in low-moderate income areas and reserving a minimum of 50% of awards for businesses owned by a person of color or located in a low-moderate income area. Qualifying businesses have the option to submit 1 application per unique vandalism occurrence and can receive up to $1,000 per unique vandalism occurrence.

For free application assistance call the BizCare Hotline at 562-570-4249 or email 4Biz@longbeach. gov . If you need technical assistance with the online application, please email us at support@forwardplatform.

zendesk. com or call us at 1-855-582-3973 . Businesses must meet all of the following eligibility requirements to qualify for the grant: Must be located and operating within the boundaries of Long Beach, California.

Address cannot be a PO Box or an address that leads to a Shipping Center as their physical location. Must be private for-profit business including sole proprietorships or 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Must have a City of Long Beach business license.

The business must hold an active or delinquent license. Businesses that have closed or canceled their licenses are not eligible for the program. Must be currently open and active for business, or only temporarily closed due to the vandalism or property damage sustained.

Be an independently owned and operated business that is not publicly traded. Franchises are eligible. Have less than 200 employees.

Earn no more than $2 million in annual gross revenue. Corporations, limited liability companies and limited partnerships must have an “ACTIVE” status with the California Secretary of State. Sole Proprietors are not required to have “Active” status with the California Secretary of State.

Must be able to prove that damages were sustained on or after 10/1/2023. Must have a business storefront. Must have a valid EIN/FEIN/SSN number for the business.

The following business types are NOT eligible for the Visual Improvement Program (VIP) Grant: Businesses that have previously received this grant or that received a similar grant to cover their expenses (such as DLBA’s Storefront Recovery Grant) for the same incident. Businesses without a physical location in Long Beach, California. Businesses that are permanently closed.

Government entities or elected official offices. Businesses primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities. Passive businesses, investment companies, and investors who file a Schedule E on their personal tax returns.

Churches and other religious organizations. Financial businesses primarily engaged in the business of lending, such as banks and finance companies. Landlords and property managers (unless repairing on behalf of a small business).

Businesses engaged in any activity that is illegal under federal, state, or local law. Businesses engaged in any socially undesirable activity or activity that may be considered predatory in nature such as check cashing businesses. Businesses that have active and unresolved code enforcement and COVID-19 Health Order violations.

Cannabis-related businesses. The following documents will be used to verify the above eligibility: State-issued Identification Card Student Identification Card Military Identification Card Passport or Passport Card City of Long Beach Business License Proof of vandalism/damage (provide at least 2 per incident) Receipts for damage repair Each applicant will need to upload a current W9 with their application. You can find a W9 form here .

You can store documents in your profile so that you can easily find them to include in your applications. These file formats are supported: . doc, .

docx, . gif, . jpeg, .

jpg, . pdf, . png, .

xls, and . xlsx Frequently Asked Questions How many times can I apply? You can apply 1 time for each vandalism occurrence your business experiences.

Note: your first application must go through a full review before you can apply for additional incidents. What is the application process timeline? Once the review process is complete and your application is approved, an award agreement will be sent to you to review and sign.

Once the award agreement is received, payment will be initiated and will take 14 to 21 business days to be received. How do I check on the status of my application? You can check the status of your application by logging back into the application portal .

What is being done to ensure equitable distribution of grant funds? The City is prioritizing the equitable implementation of all Long Beach Recovery Act programs. This program will ensure funding reaches underserved areas by focusing outreach in low-moderate income areas and reserving a minimum of 50% of awards for businesses owned by a person of color or located in a low-moderate income area.

What if I am a business owner with more than one business? Each business located in Long Beach is eligible for an award for each instance of vandalism. Only one award can be received by a business in a 6-month period.

Do home-based businesses qualify? Homebased businesses do not qualify, you must have a physical storefront to qualify. What if I already have an account on FORWARD?

If you already have a registered account on the FORWARD platform, you can use those same login credentials to apply for this grant. Will I receive notification that my application has been received? Yes.

You will receive an email confirmation from support@forwardplatform. zendesk. com once your application is received.

Check your spam/junk folder if you are still waiting to receive an email shortly after submitting your application. Can I edit my submission after applying? No. However, if you need to correct an error, please contact visualimprovementprogram-support@livestories.

zendesk. com , and our team can work with you to provide additional and correct information to your application. Can questions be answered in any language on the application?

We ask that all answers be in English. Free application assistance is available in multiple languages. Please contact BizCare at 562-570-4249 or 4Biz@longbeach.

gov . Who do I contact for help? For free application assistance, please contact the BizCare Hotline at 562-570-4249 or 4Biz@longbeach.

gov . If you need technical assistance with the online application, please email us at visualimprovementprogram-support@livestories. zendesk.

com or call us at 1-855-582-3973 . FORWARD is a Washington state technology company that powers the application portal. FORWARD offers application services for programs such as this nationwide.

The City of Long Beach has partnered with FORWARD to manage the application process and distribute awards. How are applications reviewed? Each application is reviewed soon after submission.

Each application will be reviewed to ensure applicant meets eligibility requirements. How long do I have to apply after application portal has opened? We encourage all eligible businesses to apply as soon as possible to ensure consideration for grant funding.

The portal will stay open until all funds are exhausted. Can I apply on my smart phone or tablet? Yes, this application is mobile friendly.

How will I be notified if I am awarded the grant? You will receive an email from visualimprovementprogram-support@livestories. zendesk.

com notifying you if you have been awarded a grant, and included in the email will be “Next Steps. ” What is expected of me after I receive the award notification? FORWARD will email you to request additional information if you are awarded a grant.

You will need to provide a completed and signed Award Agreement and ACH form that includes your bank account and routing number. What is an award agreement? An award agreement is a signed agreement between an applicant and the City of Long Beach that indicates funds will be used as the program intended them to be used.

Generally, yes this would be considered taxable income . All awardees will receive a 1099 at the end of the tax year. We recommend you consult with a tax professional to understand the tax implications when receiving this award.

What if I can't afford to complete my repairs? It you cannot afford to complete your repairs you can upload a quote from a vendor to complete your repairs with your application. FORWARD Online Application Tutorials FORWARD Online Application Tutorials FORWARD is administering the Visual Improvement Program (VIP) Grant on behalf of the City of Long Beach.

FORWARD is the leading Integrated Program Administration solution that incorporates all essential components, people and technology into a single streamlined workflow to effectively, securely, and equitably administer critical resources to help communities thrive.