COVID-19 Business Resources

COVID-19 Business Resources
In an effort to support our business community during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have compiled the following list of valuable resources.
Please visit our Economic Development page for additional webinars, seminars, workshops, resources and press releases.

 

Small Business Association

The Small Business Administration issued a press release on December 7 announcing that Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and private nonprofit organizations in Virginia as a result of drought and excessive heat from June 1 through July 31, 2020. The loans are available in the following counties: Accomack, Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Emporia City, Greensville, Northampton, Southampton, and Sussex in Virginia. Contact Jack Camp, Public Affairs Specialist, Field Operations Center – East, U.S. Small Business Administration at (404) 331-0333 x2189 or john.camp@sba.gov with any questions. EIDL Fact Sheet
 

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan

Small Business Administration Deadline for Second Round of PPP Loans is March 31, 2021 Click here to read press release and learn more.

If you received a Paycheck Protection Program loan, you may be eligible for loan forgiveness. Here are four steps to apply for loan forgiveness.  

  • Contact your lender and complete the correct form
  • Compile documentation
  • Submit the forgiveness form and documentation to your lender
  • Communicate with your lender throughout the process

Learn more


Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan for Business with Fewer than 20 Employees

In order to reach the smallest businesses, the SBA will offer PPP loans to businesses with fewer than 20 employees and sole proprietors only from February 24 through March 9. 

Learn more

 

Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)

If your COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan was declined, you can request reconsideration within six months of the date of the decline letter. Include your application number and information required to overcome the reason for decline. You can send this information via email to pdcrecons@sba.gov or mail to the U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, Texas, 76155.  Learn more

 

Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, Travel Association (VRLTA)

Restaurant Law Center Releases Restaurant Guidance: Legal Issues to Consider Regarding COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccine Policies

Questions on whether you can or should mandate vaccines for your employees? The NRA’s Restaurant Law Center has created a lengthy guidance document, which you can review here. They advise…
• As a best practice, restaurants should encourage all employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available.
• In general, if you want to and based on existing case law, restaurants can require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Please note that most of the prior cases dealt with individuals in the health care field, which more often would require vaccinations as a prerequisite to employment.
• Restaurants still must allow for disability accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and religious accommodations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Want to learn more? Review their guidance and register here for a free webinar on February 11 at 3 p.m.

 

Shuttered Venues Grant

The Shuttered Venue Operators (SVO) Grant program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, signed into law on December 27, 2020. The program includes $15 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance.

Eligible applicants may qualify for SVO Grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees.  Learn more. Frequently Asked Questions.

 

Verizon Pledges $10M Towards Small Business Grants

Verizon is committing $10 million to provide grants to small businesses through Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Applications will open the businesses across the nation on February 8. Businesses can receive up to $10,000. Learn more. 

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December Is National Write A Business Plan Month
 
The pandemic is impacting small businesses across America. National Write a Business Plan Month is a good reminder to review your business plan and make any necessary adjustments. Learn more.
 

 

Federal Coronavirus Resources

State, local, and federal agencies are working together to maintain the safety, security, and health of the American people. Check out coronavirus.gov for updates from the White House’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Task Force. Go to cdc.gov for detailed information about COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Visit covid-sb.org, the official federal resource website for U.S. small businesses affected by COVID-19.

 

EMPLOYEE RETENTION TAX CREDIT (ERTC) INFO

Eligible businesses can now access ERTC for both 2020 and 2021 for eligible employee wages as long as these specific payroll wages and/or group benefits were not directly paid with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds. Employers can access up to $5,000 per employee for a calendar quarter in 2020, and up to $7,000 per employee and per quarter for January 1 – March 31 and April 1 – June 30, 2021. A good NRA Explainer can be found here.  View a recent VRLTA webinar focused on the ERTC.

 

LOCAL RESOURCES

 

STATE RESOURCES

 

NATIONAL RESOURCES

 

FEDERAL RESOURCES

 

Center for Disease Control (CDC) Resources

The Chincoteague Chamber seeks to provide access to recommendations, regulations, services and expertise to its members.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, this mission remains constant.  Prior to acting, members should consult their own professional advisers for information and counsel specific to the individual and unique situations faced by organizations, individuals and corporations.  The opinions, interpretations and recommendations of the Chincoteague Chamber are informational only and should not be relied upon by the recipient as legal or professional advice.  The Chincoteague Chamber makes no representations as to the accuracy or reliability of the content contained herein.  Users of this information accept any and all risks associated with the use of such information and agree that the Chincoteague Chamber has no liability to user.