Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Platinum Sponsors

Funding

NEW! $5,000 Grants through US Chamber Foundation for businesses with 3-20 employees - Applications available starting April 20! Click this link to learn more.

Disaster Loan Assistance

SBA Step-by-Step Guide to EIDL

Apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loan

NC EISL Sheet

CARES Act Emergency Loan Guide & Checklist for Small Businesses

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Information Sheet

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Application

SBA-approved Lending Institutions for PPP

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources

For additional information, please contact the SBA disaster assistance customer service center. Call 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

NC Covid-19 Rapid Recovery Loan Program  

Golden LEAF deploys $15 million in funding to launch NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loan Program

Thread Capital (NC Rural Center) – Jonathan Brereton, Executive Director, 919-212-4943, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thread Capital was launched in 2018 by the NC Rural Center and continues to be an operating subsidiary of the Center to handle business loans.

Carolina Small Business Development Fund (formerly The Support Center) – (919) 803-1437

Loan Products: https://carolinasmallbusiness.org/loans/loan-products/

Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments Revolving Loan Programs (Franklin, Person, Vance & Warren counties)

Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments Revolving Loan Programs (Edgecome, Halifax, Nash, Northampton & Wilson counties)

 

Unemployment Insurance

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE - As an employer you may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). DUA is a federal program that provides temporary payments to people in a federally declared disaster area whose employment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of the disaster. Business owners that are self-employed, a farmer, or a commercial fisherman, who is unemployed as a direct result of the disaster may be eligible. For more information go to NC - https://des.nc.gov/ or VA - http://www.vec.virginia.gov/ or call NC - 888-737-0259 or VA - 866-832-2363.

Federal Unemployment Insurance Assistance Programs

The federal CARES Act provides for three temporary unemployment compensation programs due to COVID-19:

• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation

• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation

• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

The Division of Employment Security is awaiting guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor to implement these programs. Once we receive the final guidance, benefits should start being paid in about two weeks. Anyone who filed a claim due to COVID-19 before this legislation may still be eligible for these benefits. If any benefits are owed for a week previously claimed, payment will be made retroactively.

Click here for a brief summary of each program.

 

ARTICLES & Informative Links

US Small Business Administration

March 23 - Carranza Implements Automatic Deferment on Existing SBA Disaster Loans Through End of 2020

March 17 - SBA Updates Criteria on States for Requesting Disaster Assistance Loans for Small Businesses Impacted by Coronavirus (COVID-19)

March 13 - SBA Administrator Carranza Applauds President's Efforts to Reduce Public Health Barriers and Protect America's Small Businesses

March 12 - SBA to Provide Disaster Assistance Loans for Small Businesses Impacted by Coronavirus (COVID-19)

 

Other important resources

USDA Rural Development - COVID-19 Resource Webpage

NC Division of Employment Security

Virginia Employment Commission

NC Department of Health & Human Services

VA Department of Health

Small Business Center Network of the NC Community College System - COVID-19 Resources for Small Business

Halifax Community College Small Business Center

Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center

Longwood Small Business Development Center - Link to video Business Solutions in Covid-19

Click here for broadband resources NCDIT identified to help with remote work or remote education assignments.

 

NC & VA Executive Orders for Stay at Home

NC Governor Cooper Executive Order No. 121

VA Governor Ralph Northam Executive Order No. 55

 

Additional NC & VA Executive Orders

NC Governor Cooper Executive Order No. 124 to Prohibit Utility Disconnections

 

NC Department of Revenue

Expanded Tax Relief Measures

 

Ideas to keep your business strong through Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis

Let the community know the status of your business and how you are doing business during this time. Email your post link or graphic with post copy to your local Chamber, Economic Development Commission, and the Small Business Center so that they can post to their pages or email it to others.

Things businesses can do during this time of crisis

  • Communicate with your customers - Call, email, social media posts to let them know of status and how you are doing business during this time. Ask them to share this with others.
  • Consider ideas such as call-ahead (or online order, or via email), pick-up services, delivery, take out, gift cards, reschedule vs. cancel, pre-payment of future services (deposit, subscription, membership), online orders, virtual services (consulting, training, problem-solving), etc.
  • Brainstorm and collaborate with fellow small business owners to help each other with ideas and to each other's increase visibility.
  • Focus on purchasing local produce/meats to sustain local farmers and help with social distancing.

 Things customers can do to support local businesses

  • Buy now to enjoy later. Much like produce, you can also get carry-out meals to enjoy in the comfort of your home, whether you eat it while it's still hot or freeze it for later.
  • Consider delivery from local stores where available.
  • Buy gift cards. Purchasing a gift card to use at another time helps local businesses, as well by putting cash in their hands to use now.
  • Load up on entertainment on your devices and pull out the old board games to help distract your family and escape for a while. 

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