Downtown La Mesa in San Diego County.
LA MESA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) – Some La Mesa businesses may receive a portion of a $350,000 grant, the City of La Mesa announced Thursday.
Two years after its launch, the city announced it has revamped the La Mesa Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (LEAP).
While the first two years of LEAP focused on helping entrepreneurs launch their businesses, the third year of the program focuses on supporting existing brick-and-mortar businesses recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Restructured to focus on
In partnership with the East County Economic Development Council (ECEDC) and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the city is providing approximately $350,000 in grants to approximately 35 businesses in La Mesa.
Each participating company will receive $10,000 in funding towards growth and success.
To receive this money, business owners must attend advice sessions and complete a business training course.
Once the program is complete, business owners can use the funds to help their business with costs related to labor, equipment, inventory, permits, and more.
LEAP was approved in 2022 and funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to encourage entrepreneurship in La Mesa. Since the program's inception, 12 people have signed leases to start their businesses.
Online applications for this year's cohort will be accepted through the ECEDC website from Monday until April 30th. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to grant availability.
