The California Dream Fund is a one-time $35 million grant program to seed entrepreneurship and small business creation in the State of California. The $35 million is dispersed to new California business owners in $5,000 or $10,000 increments. Completing an in-depth business education program is required of business owners before they can apply for a Dream fund grant.

Entrepreneurs and small business owners will complete an intensive training program offered by an approved center, such as the Ready, Set, Launch! program offered by Access Plus Capital.

After completing the education program, filing the state-required business formation documents, and completing a business “opening activity” (such as hiring an employee, opening a business banking account, making a business purchase, or making your first sale) new businesses will be eligible to apply for the Dream Fund grant with Lendistry through a separate application process. A code from the training center will be required to submit the Lendistry application.

If you have any questions about this process please call Pamela Mostert at (559) 263-1361 or email pamela.mostert@accesspluscapital.com

Ready, Set, Launch! is Access Plus Capital’s state-approved Dream Fund education program. Each participant will be expected to attend at least 10 classes and complete assignments in their course workbook. Each participant will also be scheduled for one-on-one coaching sessions. The program is 12 consecutive weeks long, with an additional optional week scheduled as a make-up session. The classes are held in the evening over Zoom and are 90 minutes long.

Although the workbook and application forms are in English, instruction and workbook translation into other languages is available. Please contact Pamela Mostert at (559) 263-1361  or pamela.mostert@accesspluscapital.com to request translation services.

You can only miss two classes during the 12-week program, meaning those admitted into the Ready, Set, Launch! program must attend at least 10 of the 12 weekly sessions. There is one make-up class scheduled.

The classes are 90 minutes long (about 1.5 hours) each week through Zoom.

Classes will be via Zoom.

There is no charge to apply for the Dream Fund grant or the pre-requisite educational program. Access Plus Capital’s Ready, Set, Launch! Entrepreneurial training program is free.

Registering your business means having filed entity documents:

• For a corporation or S corporation, you would have filed Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws.
• For a limited liability company or LLC, you would have filed your Articles of Organization and Operating Agreement.
• For a Limited Partnership or General Partnership, you would have filed a Partnership Agreement.
• As a Sole Proprietor, you would have filed a Fictitious Business Name Statement or a city business license.

Participation in the Training Program does not guarantee an award of the grant. Determination of being awarded the grant is based upon the items listed in the eligibility criteria including any valid supporting documentation and successful completion of the training program.

The program was created to provide seed money to start-up and new businesses. If you are not sure if your existing business can be considered “new” or not, call Pamela Mostert at (559) 263-1361 for help making the determination.

Priority will be given to minority, underserved, low-wealth, veteran, and women-owned businesses in the following three industries: e-commerce, service, brick and mortar.

To be eligible to receive the grant you must:

1. Be considered a new business (established after July 2019)
2. Have a written business plan and budget.
3. Have completed an approved education program such as Ready, Set, Launch!
4. Have performed at least one “opening activity”

To apply and be accepted into the Dream Fund entrepreneur training cohort, you click the apply now button above. Once you complete the 12-week program, we will help you apply for the Dream Fund Grant.

You can only receive the Dream Fund grant once. Although you could potentially participate in more than one organization’s program, we ask that you do not. Only a limited number of spots are available in each program and if you are accepted and enrolled at two agencies, it means another business owner has been denied the opportunity to participate in the program and earn eligibility to receive a grant.

After you complete the program, you can only receive one grant.

The curriculum is written anticipating you have no experience in owning a business or business knowledge. There is required weekly reading and homework to be completed before the next class that will build off each other in completing a business plan.