Skip to main content

West Sacramento News-Ledger

Big Plans for Small Businesses

Oct 08, 2024 01:15PM ● By Angela Underwood

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - It's just like it sounds: Small Business Accelerator Program (SBAP).

City officials plan to thrust forward small business owners with 15 or fewer employees here.

Economic Development manager Meaghan Stiles held a brief workshop on Sept. 18 for the program funded through Measure N in 2019, when city officials committed 30% of resources over time to inclusive economic development.

Up to $1.5 million was set aside for the program in 2023. Currently, 2,200 businesses reside in West Sacramento, with 1,700 considered small, not accounting for home-based commerce not eligible for the program.

Of the 1,700, Stiles said 68% have less than five employees, 24% have up to 10, and 8% have 11 to 15 employees.

“Part of the reason we went with the 15 and under is based on some research we did with our jurisdictions that have similar programs,” Stiles said.

The Small Business Accelerator Program has four funding categories. The first is for business makeovers.

To qualify, a business of less than 15 must make $3 million annually and be located in a disadvantaged geographic or be a minority or majority-women-owned commerce. Once accepted, that business can receive up to $75,000 in frontage and site improvements if accepted. 

“If you are a small business that has an aging exterior, landscaping, signage or parts of our building that are struggling, that would be eligible under this,” Stiles said.

The next Small Business Accelerator Program funding category is the Small Business Permit Fee Assistance Program. Of the four proposed funding categories, the Small Business Accelerator Program Permit Fee Assistant Program is the simplest to implement, according to a staff report, “but rather is used internally to reimburse staff time for plan check and review costs associated with improvement project(s).”

The following funding category is the Small Business Microgrant Program, allotting up to $20,000 for small businesses transitioning to brick-and-mortar or expanding to larger commercial space. Lastly, the Small Business Vandalism Relief program provides up to $5,000 for victimized business owners.

“This was created through talks with PD (police department),” Stiles said of funds that can be used for high insurance deductibles related to vandalism.

Additional program costs for the new program include funding a dedicated website and design cost assistance to seek out architects familiar with city features regarding redesign.

Councilwoman Verna Sulpizio Hull said the idea of an “on-call architect and people that know city processes and how we do business will really help usher in businesses who haven't gone through the permitting process.”

While Stiles said a small business could take care of all four funding category avenues, Sulpizio Hull suggested adding a “fifth bucket” that has everything to do with the A's coming to town.

According to the councilwoman, a more unified voice and marketing dollars are vital to attracting new businesses now that the Major League Baseball team calls West Sacramento home.

“Hire a marketing agency specifically focused on restaurants and hotels and get ahead of creating a brand for the community to lead off,” Sulpizio Hull said. 

West Sacramento Chamber of Commerce President Denice Seals approached city officials, saying the Small Business Accelerator Program is “a long time coming.”

“It is so encouraging,” Seals said, specifically of the permit assistance fee funding.

“Entrepreneurs and small businesspeople are people that start with a passion,” Seals said. “They are excited about what they do.”

According to the commerce president, “acknowledging that passion by reducing a fee sets a tone with the city for the rest of their relationship with the city.”

“This is worth waiting for and will make a difference for businesses,” Seals said.