Steadfast LA and Banc of California Award Second Round of Small Business Recovery Grants to Ten Wildfire-Impacted Local Businesses
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To date, this initiative has provided a total of $525,000 in direct grants to neighborhood fixtures working to recover from devastating January wildfires
LOS ANGELES, November 06, 2025–(BUSINESS WIRE)–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. In addition to the announcement, Steadfast LA released a video featuring these business owners receiving their grants and sharing how the funding will accelerate their recovery.
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
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.
To learn more about this initiative and the small businesses it has supported, visit SteadfastLA.com or follow Steadfast LA on X and Instagram.
About Steadfast LA
Steadfast LA, founded and led by Rick Caruso, is a civic nonprofit organization dedicated to rebuilding Los Angeles after the devastating January 2025 fires. United by resilience and a shared vision for a stronger future, the organization comprises Angelenos committed to revitalizing the Altadena, Malibu, Pasadena, and Pacific Palisades communities. The group aims to accelerate the rebuilding process with efficiency and innovation by bringing together top leaders, bold ideas, and effective solutions to get things done right and fast. Visit https://www.steadfastla.com for more information about the organization and follow their efforts on X and Instagram.
About Banc of California, Inc.
Banc of California, Inc. (NYSE: BANC) is a bank holding company with over $34 billion in assets and the parent company of Banc of California. Banc of California is one of the nation’s premier relationship-based business banks, providing banking and treasury management services to small-, middle-market, and venture-backed businesses. Banc of California is the largest independent bank headquartered in Los Angeles and the third largest bank headquartered in California and offers a broad range of loan and deposit products and services through 79 full-service branches located throughout California and in Denver, Colorado, and Durham, North Carolina, as well as through regional offices nationwide. The bank also provides full-service payment processing solutions to its clients and serves the Community Association Management industry nationwide with its technology-forward platform, SmartStreet™. The bank is committed to its local communities through the Banc of California Charitable Foundation, and by supporting organizations that provide financial literacy and job training, small business support, affordable housing, and more. Member FDIC. For more information, please visit us at www.bancofcal.com.
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