In the first initiative of its kind, the City has granted a total of $111,600 to five local organizations that provide small business programs to entrepreneurs and start-up businesses in Stockton. The entrepreneurship grant involved a competitive application process that began in January 2016, with grant awards approved by the City Council at the
May 24, 2016, City Council Meeting.
The City of Stockton Economic Development Department has awarded grants to Stockton businesses that are developing innovative programs to support and cultivate small business entrepreneurs. Grant recipients include:
- Downtown Stockton Alliance (www.downtownstockton.org): $30,000 grant to support the opening of the Bricks & Mortar art-and-retail incubator space on the ground floor of the B&M Building. The space will provide a venue for new entrepreneurs to showcase products and services, along with the ability to test market to new customers.
- Huddle Cowork (www.huddlecowork.com): $36,600 grant to launch an “Entrepreneur-in-Residence” Program to provide opportunities for start-up companies, along with office space and a range of networking opportunities. Huddle Cowork is a premier downtown co-working space.
- Goodstock Productions (www.goodstockca.com): $10,000 grant to expand and enhance the increasingly popular Stockmarket events downtown, providing monthly events and opportunities for artisans and those marketing specialty products.
- The Northeastern California Small Business Development Center, San Joaquin Delta College(www.sbdc.deltacollege.edu): $15,000 grant to provide technical assistance to start-ups and entrepreneurs.
- Stockton Impact Corps (www.stocktonimpactcorps.com): $20,000 grant to provide technical assistance and microlending to local small businesses.
"Creating resilient economies are of the utmost importance in today's economic climate, and we're pleased the City of Stockton continues to think outside the box on this topic,” said Huddle Cowork Cofounder and grant recipient David Garcia. “By investing in small businesses and entrepreneurs, the City of Stockton is helping to diversify our city's economy and retain our homegrown talent.”
These grant funds are supported by an Economic Development Strategic Plan, adopted by the City Council in 2015, which calls on several key objectives to grow and foster new opportunities for business growth in Stockton and to support a robust entrepreneurship business sector. This initiative was made possible by grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant and targets local low-to-moderate income families to create jobs in Stockton.
For more information on the City’s economic development programs and future grant opportunities, please visit www.stocktonca.gov/econdev, sign up for email notifications through Ask Stockton, or call (209) 937-8539.