LA County Financial Clinic

No-cost education and counseling to help small businesses strengthen financial management, stabilize debt, access capital responsibly, and build long-term resilience

LA County Financial Clinic

With support from the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) and in partnership with Managed Career Solutions (MCS) and Money Management International (MMI), DEO is offering the LA County Financial Clinic—no-cost program designed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners strengthen their financial health, access capital, improve financial management, reduce debt, and build long-term creditworthiness.

The Financial Clinic addresses common financial barriers for small businesses through expert financial education and individualized business coaching, including profitability analysis, capital readiness services, debt counseling, and credit management.

Program Services

Business owners and entrepreneurs can either attend individual workshops and/or enroll in one-on-one financial counseling, including detailed debt and credit assistance.

Financial Counseling

Financial assessment
Financial/business planning
Fiscal management
Profitability and growth strategy

Debt & Credit Counseling

Debt counseling with certified counselors
Customized debt management plans
Structured repayment services

Financial Workshops

In-person and virtual group sessions covering financial literacy, budgeting, money and debt management, and more!

Spanish translation available.

Access to Capital

Loan readiness support
Application preparation
Financing options and referrals
Documentation assistance

Program Highlights

Program Offerings: Workshops and one-on-one counseling (upcoming workshop dates and registration links listed below)
Program Duration: Available through the end of September 2026
Format: Virtual/In-person
Language: English and Spanish

Successful Graduates

By the end of the Financial Clinic, participating businesses will:

Improve Financial Literacy: Build a stronger understanding of business financial management
Increase Financial Readiness: Establish sound and sustainable financial practices
Strengthen Capital Readiness: Prepare to pursue grants, loans, and other financing opportunities
Improve Credit Health: Enhance credit profiles and reduce debt
Promote Long-Term Sustainability: Boost financial resilience and long-term business viability
Expand Access to County Resources: Connect with DEO’s Office of Small Business for ongoing support and technical assistance

Eligibility Criteria

To participate, applicants must:

Be located and operating in LA County

Applicants must have a business that is located and operating in the County of Los Angeles.

Be a small business

Per the California Department of General Services (DGS), have 100 or fewer employees and $19 million or less in annual revenue.

Be a for-profit business

Applicant must be a for‑profit business. The program is not available to nonprofits at this time.

Able to commit to participation in program sessions

Eligible participants must commit to participating  in consultation services. Commitment will be required at time of enrollment.  This is not required for those attending workshops only.

Agree to provide follow‑up information as requested to support assessment of program effectiveness

Applicants must confirm their willingness to complete a post‑service survey to help the County evaluate program effectiveness and provide required reporting data to the program’s funder, the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA).

Documentation Required

To participate in one-on-one financial consultations, applicants must provide the following documents:

(Not required to attend workshops.)

Required Documentation

Government-issued photo identification
Business address verification
Business license (if applicable)
Fictitious Business Name Statement or Articles of Organization/Incorporation (if applicable)
EIN or Tax ID (if applicable)
One document is required, address must match business address:
- W-9
- Most recent business tax return or Schedule C (if available)
- Profit & Loss Statement (or self-certified revenue for microbusinesses)
- Recent business bank statement

Application Assistance and Enrollment

For general application assistance or questions regarding financial consultations and workshops, contact MCS at info@mcscareergroup.com or (213) 355-5300.

For questions regarding debt & credit counseling, contact MMI by calling 1866-619-7435. Provide referral code: LA_COUNTY_DB

This program is funded through the CalOSBA’s Technical Assistance Program (TAP) .

Financial Clinic Workshops

Guidance and education offered in English and Spanish. Virtual and in-person options available.

Dates & Registration Links:

Introduction to Business Finances

Date: Thursday, Aug 27, 2026

Time: 4:30PM - 7:30PM

Address: Offered virtually and in-person at Lennox Library - 4359 Lennox Blvd Lennox, CA 90304

Learn the core financial concepts needed for successful operations, including revenue, expenses, profit, proper recordkeeping, and best practices for separating personal and business finances.

AUG.

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Register at bit.ly/Tapclinic2

Capital Options, Funding Strategy

Date: Wednesday, Sept 2, 2026

Time: 9AM – 12 PM

Address: Offered virtually and in-person at MCS – VanNuys Business Center - 7100 Hayvenhurst Ave Suite 114 VanNuys, CA. 91406

Explore loans, grants, lines of credit, and other funding options, while learning how to identify and select the most appropriate sources of capital to meet their business needs.

SEPT.

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Register at bit.ly/tapclinic3

Becoming Loan Ready and Managing Your Credit

Date: Tuesday, Sep 8, 2026

Time: 1PM - 3PM

Address: Virtual Only

Learn what lenders look for when evaluating a loan application, which documents are required, and how personal and business credit can impact your ability to qualify for financing.

SEPT.

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Register at bit.ly/tapclinic4

Financial Health and Profitability + Debt and Credit Management

Date: Monday, Sept 14, 2026

Time: 4:00PM - 6:00PM

Address: Virtual Only

Learn the skills to assess your business’s financial performance and learn actionable methods to manage debt, enhance creditworthiness, and build long‑term financial resilience.

SEPT.

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Register at bit.ly/tapclinic5

Managing Financial Challenges and Navigating Local Business Resources

Date: Monday, Sept 28, 2026

Time: 9AM – 12 PM

Address: Offered virtually and in-person at Centro Maravilla 4716 E Cesar E Chavez Ave Bldg. B Los Angeles, CA 90022

Get guidance needed to manage financial challenges that arise from disrupted operations, reduced sales, or unexpected expenses. Learn practical strategies to stabilize your finances, including how to prioritize essential costs, safeguard available cash, communicate effectively with creditors and vendors, and access business assistance and resources.

SEPT.

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Register at bit.ly/tapclinic1

Frequently Asked Questions

The LA County Financial Clinic is a free small business support program administered by the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO). It is funded through the CalOSBA’s TAP initiative.

The program provides financial counseling, debt management, and capital readiness support to entrepreneurs and small businesses across all five LA County supervisorial districts.

As the Financial Clinic is entirely grant-funded, the program is completely free. There are no fees, no costs, and no obligations for participants.

The program is administered by DEO.

Services are delivered by two contracted organizations:

Managed Career Solutions (MCS) — Financial Consultation track
Money Management International (MMI) — Debt & Credit Counseling track

The services under the Financial Clinic are currently available from August through September 30, 2026.

Please check back for updates as the services may be extended depending on available funding.

The program serves entrepreneurs, micro businesses, and small businesses across LA County.

For one-on-one technical assistance and consultation: Prioritization is provided to brick-and-mortar businesses, wildfire-impacted businesses, and those located in the unincorporated areas of LA County.

The program serves businesses across all five LA County supervisorial districts. Businesses in both incorporated and unincorporated areas are welcome to apply and participate!

Please note: one Financial Clinic workshop is planned per district and is available both virtually and in person.

The program operates through two coordinated service tracks:

Track A — Financial Consultation (MCS)
Delivered by Managed Career Solutions. Includes financial literacy, financial planning, profitability assessment, and capital readiness support. It provides:

Individualized Small Business Financial Health Assessment
One-on-one financial consultation sessions
Financial literacy training
Financial planning support
Profitability assessment and cash flow analysis
Capital readiness coaching
Loan packaging documentation support
Referrals to capital providers, legal clinics, and other technical assistance providers
Development of individualized financial improvement plans

Track B — Debt & Credit Counseling (MMI)
Delivered by Money Management International. Includes debt counseling, money management coaching, budgeting, and individualized debt management plans. It provides:

Individualized debt and credit history assessment
Credit report review and analysis
Personal vs. business credit assessment
Debt-to-income ratio assessment of business financials
One-on-one debt counseling sessions
Money management coaching
Budgeting support
Individualized debt management plans
Workshops on credit management and loan readiness

Both tracks work toward the same goal: strengthening financial management and increasing access to responsible capital.

In the short term, participants can expect:

Increased understanding of their business financial health
Improved knowledge of credit, debt management, and lending options
Better budgeting and cash flow management skills
Greater awareness of available financial resources and capital pathways

Over time, the program aims to deliver:

Improved business budgeting and recordkeeping practices
Reduction in unnecessary or high-risk debt
Improved credit scores
Greater readiness to apply for loans or grants
Improved financial sustainability and resilience of small businesses
Increased access to affordable capital
Decreased business closures due to financial mismanagement

As a CalOSBA/TAP-funded program, DEO is required to report aggregate performance data to the State of California. This includes metrics such as number of clients served, counseling hours, and business outcomes.

Demographic data—such as business ownership category and community type—is collected for underserved business categories as required by the state grant.

Individual business information is used solely for program administration and is not sold or shared for commercial purposes.