Steadfast LA and Banc of California Award Second Round of Small Business Recovery Grants to Ten Local Businesses

To date, the initiative has provided a total of $525,000 in direct grants to neighborhood fixtures working to recover from devastating January wildfires

Steadfast LA, in partnership with Banc of California, distributed a second round of small business recovery grants through its Small Business Initiative, awarding a total of $400,000 to ten cornerstone businesses in Altadena, Malibu, Pasadena and the Pacific Palisades to help them reopen, restore jobs and bring a sense of normalcy back to their communities. When combined with the first round of grants, this initiative has now disbursed $525,000 in direct support to small businesses in these communities.

The latest round of funding supports a mix of small businesses ranging from restaurants and cafés to pharmacies, dental offices and veterinary centers, helping them recover from losses and get back to the important work of serving their neighborhoods. Some of these establishments were burned to the ground during the wildfires or experienced severe damage, while others faced steep declines in business as residents relocated.

“This initiative is about standing shoulder to shoulder with small business owners who define the character and strength of our neighborhoods,” said Rick Caruso, founder and chairman of Steadfast LA. “They’ve been through an incredibly tough year, but their determination to rebuild is what makes Los Angeles extraordinary. By helping them recover from the wildfires, we know entire neighborhoods will come back stronger.”

“As the largest independent bank based in Los Angeles, with deep ties to local communities, we see firsthand how much small businesses mean to the neighborhoods we serve,” said Jared Wolff, chairman and CEO of Banc of California. “By helping local entrepreneurs rebuild after these wildfires, we’re strengthening the foundation of the communities that make Los Angeles such a dynamic place to live and work.”

The ten businesses receiving grants are:

• Altadena Beverage and Market – Pasadena
• Beach Side Café / Upstage Catering – Pacific Palisades
• Bulgarini Gelato Artigianale – Altadena
• The Palisades Dentists – Pacific Palisades
• Palisades Garden Café – Pacific Palisades
• Juicy Ladies – Pacific Palisades
• V’s Restaurant + Bar – Malibu
• Pacific Palisades Veterinary Center – Pacific Palisades
• Vittorio’s – Pacific Palisades
• Knolls Pharmacy – Pacific Palisades

This round follows Steadfast LA’s first distribution of grants in September, when three Altadena businesses received funding to help recover from the wildfires.

Launched in August 2025, Steadfast LA’s Small Business Initiative provides direct grants of up to $50,000 to small businesses in wildfire-affected communities across Altadena, Malibu, Pasadena and the Pacific Palisades. Banc of California seeded the program with a $1-million contribution through its Wildfire Relief & Recovery Fund, with Steadfast LA providing additional financial and operational support.

Information for this article was sourced from Steadfast LA and Banc of California.