Utilizing GIS Technology for COVID Compliant Business Partnership Program

About the Program

Category: Information Technology (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

To respond to the needs of the business community as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the County of San Bernardino deployed an economic recovery strategy that provided financial assistance to small businesses within San Bernardino County. On May 4, 2020 the County of San Bernardino Board of Supervisors approved the deployment of $30 million dollars in CARES Act funding to activate the County’s COVID Compliant Business Partnership Program (CCBPP). This program, the first of its kind in the State of California, was designed to provide business relief to the approximately 17,000 businesses within the County having fewer than 100 employees while encouraging businesses to comply with State and County health orders. Configurations of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software were used to rapidly deploy several key applications to distribute these funds to businesses. Applications for the program were submitted and processed online, with in-person support available for those who needed it. Additionally, dashboards showing the impact of the program were made available both to the public and to program managers. Approved businesses were granted access to a system that allowed them to advertise their business to members of the public, which also allowed the public to find and support local, compliant businesses.