FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 4, 2021

CONTACT:
MayorPress@sandiego.gov

SAN DIEGO As San Diegos economy recovers from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Todd Gloria today was joined by Congressman Scott Peters and a local business owner to outline how his proposed Back to Work SD budget invests into local businesses and nonprofits so they can keep or rehire employees as more people get vaccinated and restrictions are lifted.

Small, local businesses can face what feel like daunting challenges in normal times and many struggled immensely over the past year to keep their doors open and employees paid, Mayor Gloria said. My proposed budget includes support that will provide a needed safety net for San Diegans who create jobs and contribute to our local economy. These investments strengthen hard-hit industries and set the stage for our more equitable recovery.

Mayor Glorias proposed budget includes more than $14 million in investments to get San Diegans back to work. The highlights of the plan are:

• $10 million in nonprofit and small business grants and loans in hard-hit industries and owned by people of color
• The creation of a concierge team to support small businesses
• $750,000 to expand and grow the small business enhancement program to include microgrants
• $900,000 in discretionary grants for City Councilmembers to provide support to nonprofits and small businesses in each of their districts
• $1 million investment in the Connect2Careers workforce development program to bolster youth employment

The City had faced an expected budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year of $124 million a figure that exceeded the entire Parks and Recreation Department annual budget. Thanks in part to the leadership of the San Diego Congressional delegation including Rep. Scott Peters, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law, allocating more than $300 million in one-time federal relief to the City of San Diego.

"San Diego is building back better after this pandemic, Rep. Peters said. Mayor Gloria's budget proposal puts funding from the American Rescue Plan to good use by providing San Diego small businesses with timely assistance to weather this storm. We are confident that this aid also paves the way for our businesses to thrive for a bright future.

In addition to the $10 million in nonprofit grants and small business loans for hard-hit industries and neighborhoods, the San Diego Foundation has pledged to add another $2 million in grants for City of San Diego nonprofits. Their match would provide $4 million total relief that will be dedicated to nonprofits serving communities of color and provide more equitable opportunity to capital.

Mayor Glorias proposed budget centers on the Back to Work SD plan he developed during his campaign. It has served as a framework to help San Diegans devastated by COVID-19 and equip them for a brighter future. It places a focus on traditionally underserved communities to ensure a more equitable recovery in all San Diego neighborhoods.

The Mayors budget proposal sets the City on a path toward structurally balancing its City finances over the next five years. The $4.6 billion budget proposal recommends spending levels for City operations and capital projects for Fiscal Year 2022, which runs from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022. The final budget will be adopted in June following several weeks of review by the public and the City Council.

The full budget proposal can be found at www.sandiego.gov/finance/proposed.

Information about how small businesses and nonprofits can receive assistance can be found at https://www.sandiego.gov/economic-development/resources/relief.

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