ORANGE, Calif. -- Small Business Development Corporation of Orange County recently received a $15,000 grant from an Ontario-based bank that will bolster the corporation’s financing programs.

The unrestricted grant will support SBDC-OC’s direct lending programs. Development corporation officials received notice of the award in early April and participated in a ceremonial check presentation on April 14 at the Citizen Business Bank’s branch in the city of Orange.

“We are excited and grateful to receive this grant award as it helps further our mission of assisting owners of small businesses obtain the capital they need to succeed, particularly those that are marginalized,” said Michael A. Ocasio, president and chief executive officer of Small Business Development Corporation of Orange County.

Left to right, Michael Ocasio, SBDC-OC’s president and chief executive officer; Armando Romero, principal, EquiPoint Capital Advisors and SBDC-OC loan committee member; SBDC-OC Board of Directors Chairman Thanh Pham; Jim Ely, SBDC-OC loan committee chair; and Cassaundra Johnson, SBDC-OC board treasurer and senior vice president, Orange (Plaza) Business Financial Center Manager at Citizens Business Bank.