Grants and free programs for small businesses in California

Nationwide programs and other states: Free grants, ad credits and software for small businesses

Opens in roundsCash grant

Restaurants Care Resilience Fund grants (funded by The PG&E Corporation Foundation)

PG&E (The PG&E Corporation Foundation)For businessesOnly in California

The PG&E Corporation Foundation funds the California Restaurant Foundation's Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, which gives independent restaurants in PG&E's Northern and Central California service area grants of $3,000 to $5,000. Grants can pay for technology and equipment upgrades, employee training and retention, and unforeseen hardships. Applications are taken once a year at restaurantscare.org/resilience; the 2026 window ran June 1 to June 30, 2026.

What you get: $3,000 to $5,000
Who qualifies: California-based restaurant owners and commercial caterers in PG&E's service area
Up to five locations (only one location can apply); annual revenue of the applying location cannot exceed $3 million
In operation for one full year; previous recipients may apply for a different location or concept
Existing food businesses expanding into a brick-and-mortar location are also eligible
How to apply: Confirm your restaurant meets the location, revenue and operating-history limits
Apply at restaurantscare.org/resilience during the annual application window (June 1-30 in 2026)

Apply Program details

Checked against PG&E (The PG&E Corporation Foundation)'s own page on October 16, 2026.

Check datesCash grantMinority-ownedBlack-ownedWomen-ownedDisability-owned

NAACP and Leslie's Certification Boost Grant

Leslie's and NAACPFor businessesOnly in 5 states: AZ, CA, FL, GA, TX

Leslie's and the NAACP award one-time $5,000 grants to help small businesses pay for business certifications such as MBE, WBE and DOBE. It is for businesses led by people of color, women or people with disabilities (or qualifying HUBZone businesses) in the consulting or food services industries and headquartered in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia or Texas. The page gives no current application window, and NAACP's grants page says all grant applications are closed for this season.

What you get: $5,000 one-time grant for certification costs (17 grants)
Who qualifies: At least 51% owned and controlled by one or more African-American individuals or other persons of color, OR by one or more women, OR by one or more persons with a disability, OR a qualifying HUBZone business
Operates in the consulting and/or food services industries
Headquartered in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia or Texas
Funds may be used for state and/or federal certification application costs, including legal/consulting fees (not personal use, debt, marketing, payroll or fixed assets)
How to apply: Apply through the program page: https://naacp.org/find-resources/grants/naacp-and-leslies-inc-certification-boost-grant

Go to the program

Program page checked on October 16, 2026. The amount or dates aren't published, so confirm them on the program page.

Every program here was checked against the provider's own website on the date shown on its card. Offers change, so confirm the details on the program page before you apply. GrantFinder isn't affiliated with these companies.