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Council previews Surf City small‑business digital grant program to help local brick‑and‑mortars
Summary
Staff previewed a proposed small‑business digital grant program that would pair training with a $1,000 implementation grant for up to 15 Huntington Beach brick‑and‑mortar businesses, run in partnership with the Orange County Inland Empire SBDC; launch targeted for April 13 if approved.
City economic development staff presented a proposed 'Surf City' small‑business digital grant program intended to help Huntington Beach brick‑and‑mortar businesses improve digital marketing and e‑commerce capacity.
Program details Economic Development Manager Chris Casanova explained the program would partner with the Orange County Inland Empire Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to serve up to 15 local businesses with a three‑week curriculum that combines group training and one‑on‑one advising. Each participating business would receive a $1,000 grant to implement a paid digital advertising campaign upon completion. Curriculum topics would include Google Business Profile optimization, social media advertising (Facebook/Instagram), e‑commerce and analytics. If demand exceeds funding, staff proposed a lottery to allocate program slots.
Council and next steps Councilmembers asked whether the program could be offered annually and whether the city would expand slots in future years; staff said a positive initial response could justify repeating and expanding the effort. Staff listed planned outreach through city newsletter, website hbbiz.com, and social channels and targeted an April 13 launch date if council approves the program on the consent calendar.
Local reaction Public commenters and councilmembers praised the program as an affordable, practical investment for small businesses, noting the potential multiplier effect of marketing education plus an implementation grant. "Even a $200 investment on properly targeted Facebook ads can turn $20,000 to $30,000 a year in extra revenue," a business owner told the council during public comment.
Staff will bring the formal program documents forward on the consent calendar for council consideration; if approved, outreach and signups will be posted on the city's business channels.
