The Malibu Administration and Finance Subcommittee has awarded 46 grants through the Small Business Micro Stabilization Grant Program to help local businesses recover from wildfire impacts and the prolonged Pacific Coast Highway closure.
The grants range from $2,500 to $15,000 each in assistance for businesses demonstrating a commitment to remain operational and support the community.
"This is a major step forward for the Malibu business community, and we're proud to support these incredible recipients," said Mayor Marianne Riggins. "Every applicant was deserving, and while we couldn't award everyone, we're committed to continuing our local business support through both regional partnerships and direct assistance."
Recipients span multiple sectors including food service, retail, health and wellness, beauty services, hospitality, cleaning services and design services. Businesses can use the funds for lease payments, equipment replacement, marketing and other recovery-related expenses.
The city launched the program in late April, allocating $300,000 from the General Fund. Applications were accepted from May 1-31, drawing 157 requests totaling $2.8 million in funding demands.
The Malibu City Council authorized the subcommittee to select recipients based on specific eligibility criteria, with all awardees meeting requirements and demonstrating clear recovery needs.
The city will begin distributing funds while tracking the program's impact on the local business community. Additional resources for local businesses are available at https://maliburebuilds.org/Small-Business-Resources
The grant program represents the city's direct response to economic challenges facing small businesses following recent wildfires and extended highway closures that disrupted normal operations and customer access.
Edited by SMDP Staff