CALIFORNIA TREASURER'S OFFICE
Resources for Small Businesses and Families
Fiona Ma, CPA
California State Treasurer
Grants
California Community Reinvestment Grants Program
Grants support job placement, mental health and substance use treatment, legal services, and medical care for communities affected by past drug policies.
California Grants Portal
A centralized destination to find all grants and loans offered by California state agencies.
CalSEED
Provides grants of up to $700,000 and professional development to early-stage clean energy entrepreneurs to accelerate California's clean energy goals.
Incentives
California Competes Tax Credit
Available to businesses who want to come, stay, or grow in California.
Income tax credits and sales and use tax exemptions
Tax credits and exemptions that may help reduce the amount of tax a business owes.
Sales and Use Tax Exclusion Program
Offers a full sales and use tax exclusion for advanced manufacturers and those producing alternative source, recycled feedstock, and advanced transportation products.
Loans
California Capital Access Programs (CalCAP)
Supports financial institutions making loans to small businesses through CalCAP for Small Business and CalCAP Collateral Support, catering to various sectors.
California Small Business Loan Match
Helps connect small business owners with trusted lenders at no match.
IBank's Small Business Finance Center
Supports California communities with loan guarantees, Jump Start loans, disaster relief financing, and more.
Lendistry
A minority- and women-led small business lender offering loans and access to government and private programs to support growth for new business owners.
Small Business Administration
Offers loans to start or expanding businesses.
Tax Exempt Bond Financing Program
Facilitates the issuance of tax-exempt bonds for businesses with qualifying projects in the federal tax code categories of solid waste (organic and inorganic), water furnishing, and wastewater.
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI)
CDFIs are a resource for undeserved communities that face low income barriers to affordable lending. Locate a CDFI near you.
Other Small Business Resources
California Investment & Innovation Program (Cal IIP)
Provides grants to community development financial institutions to enhance support for economically disadvantaged California communities, with up to $15,000 awarded annually.
California Office of Small Business Administration (CalOSBA)
Provides small businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs with tools and resources to start, manage, and grow.
California Workforce Development Board
Offers information and guidance on job training, placement, and business services.
CalSavers
A state-mandated retirement program enabling California workers to save through automatic payroll contributions from their workplace.
CalTestBed
This voucher program assists clean energy entrepreneurs in gaining access to critical testing facilities. It expedites their pathway to commercialization through connection to a network of next-level partners.
Department of general Services, Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services (OSDS)
Supports California's small, diverse, and disabled veteran businesses in pursuing state contracts through outreach, certification, and education. OSDS manages the SB, SB-PW, DVBE, and NVSA certification programs.
GoGreen Financing Programs
Helps California residents, businesses, and nonprofits save energy and money by providing accessible financing for energy efficiency improvements.
Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)
Offers permit and regulatory assistance.
iHub 2
Aids DEI-focused science and tech firms in designated area, helping diverse entrepreneurs develop their ideas through local connections and access to advising and training.
Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC)
Provides one-on-one technical assistance, information, and training to small businesses to help them compete more 3 effectively on federal, state, and local government contracts at no cost.
Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
Offers FREE business consulting and affordable training on various topics. The California SBDC network assists all industries with capital, HR, marketing, e-commerce, and more.
Small Business Majority
Provides information on Federal, State and Local Resources.
Venturize.gov
Offers small business owners on-demand information on topics like capital access, COVID-19 relief, retirement, and workforce benefits.
ScholarShare Workplace Savings Program
Integrates the ScholarShare 529 program into employee benefit plans, requires no contract or reporting, and costs employers nothing to participate.
Income Taxes
CalEITC4Me Calculator
Use CalEITC4Me Calculator to estimate your tax credits.
California Earned Income Tax Credit
California Foster Youth Tax Credit
Expanded California Young Child Tax Credit
Federal Earned Income Tax Credit
Free Tax Preparation Assistance
Free in-person or online tax return preparation services are available for low- and moderate-income taxpayers.
Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) Resource Hub
Provides free assistance with the ITIN application process and information about the benefits of having an ITIN.
Internet
Broadband for All
Links California households, schools, and businesses to affordable internet, computers, and digital training.
Lifeline Program
Offers up to $9.25 per month off phone and internet plans for eligible households.
Savings & Financial Wellness
CalABLE
People with disabilities diagnosed before 26 can save up to $18,000 without risking other health and safety benefits.
CalKIDS
Since July 1, 2022, newborns receive up to $175 for college savings, while 1st-12th graders on free/reduced lunch can receive up to $1,500 for education or apprenticeships.
CalSavers
California's retirement savings program ensures all residents have access to workplace accounts. Gov. Newsom recently signed SB1126 to expand the mandate to employers with at least one employee by Dec. 31, 2025.
HOPE Program
Provides trust accounts for children who lost a parent or guardian to COVID-19 or who have been in foster care for over 18 months.
MyMoneyPath
An interactive hub by United Ways of California that offers personalized and trusted financial resources.
ScholarShare529
Encourages college savings to keep students out of high student loan debt.
Grants for Food and Beverage Workers
Restaurants Care Referral Program
Offers grants up to $2,500 for California food and beverage workers facing unexpected illness, injury, death in the family, or disasters.
Homeownership
CalHFA MyHome Assistance
Offers deferred-payment junior loans up to 3.5% of the property's purchase price or appraised value to assist with down payments and closing costs.
CalVet Home Loan
Products feature below-market interest rates with low or no down payment. CalVet Home Loans has also expanded eligibility, making nearly all California veterans eligible to buy a home.
United Policyholders (UP)
A non-profit 501(c)(3) serving as a trusted resource and voice for insurance consumers nationwide. They don't take money from insurers, helping you buy insurance and navigate claims while advocating for your rights.
Pathway to Home Closing Cost Assistance Grant Program
Helps first-time homebuyers who are members of an undeserved bridge the affordability gap by providing them with up to $10,000 in closing cost assistance.
Education
Income Driven Repayment Account Adjustment
The U.S. Department of Education is retroactively crediting borrowers with time toward 20- or 25-year student loan forgiveness under income-driven repayment plans, even if they were on a different plan. This significantly boosts many borrowers' progress toward forgiveness.
College Countdown
Provides families with insights about admissions, student life, academic success, affording college, and parenting.
Disaster Tax Resources
Disaster Loss Deduction
Individuals and businesses in declared disaster areas with uninsured losses can claim them on state and federal tax returns.
Extension to File Sales & Use Tax Returns
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) offers emergency tax relief for taxpayers affected by declared disasters, providing up to a three-month extension to file and pay taxes or fees.
Federal and State Income Tax Extension
The IRS and Franchise Tax Board may grant extra time to file or pay for individuals and businesses in areas affected by a major disaster declared by federal or state government.
Free Copies of Tax Returns
The IRS, FTB, and CDTFA will provide free copies of lost or damaged tax returns to disaster victims.
Other Disaster Resources
CalOSBA Outsmart Disaster
Equips California businesses with resources to prepare for and recover from disasters and interruptions.
Disaster Legal Services (DLS)
Provides free legal help to low-income disaster survivors. DLS may help with insurance claims, home repair contracts, issues with landlords, and recovery of legal documents lost in the disaster.