IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
San Bernardino County’s economic development department has been recognized for the help it gave to small businesses during the pandemic.
The department arranged for $1.7 million in grant money to be distributed to 713 county businesses during COVID-19, earning it a 2023 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties, according to a statement on the county’s website.
The U.S. Small Business Administration generally defines a small business as one that is independently owned and has fewer than 500 employees. About 45 percent of San Bernardino County’s small businesses are micro-businesses, meaning they employ no more than five workers.
“We spent the funds on a professional expo, which attracted many new and past clients,” said Shaofeng Ding, owner of Genetic Tools, LLC in Rancho Cucamonga, in the statement. “The micro-business grant really helped our small business recovery.”
San Bernardino County won 160 NACo awards this year, nearly twice as many as it won last year. The county received more awards this year than any of the nation’s 3,000-plus counties, according to the statement.
