As developments continue to unfold in response to the spread of COVID-19, we know many small businesses have questions about implications in the workplace and funding options to help bolster their businesses during this difficult time. We are compiling relevant tips and resources and information on new funding opportunities and policy developments that we are sharing on our website and through online presentations. We will be posting daily updates to this page with useful information about the ways small businesses can prepare for the impact of COVID-19 on their business and community.
Grant program for brick and mortar SBOs in Redding, Anderson or Shasta Lake:
Area served: Redding, Anderson, Shasta Lake, California Audience: Small Business Owners
Eligible small business owners with fewer than 25 employees within the Tahoe-Truckee Airport District who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible businesses must have a “brick-and-mortar” physical presence and fixed expenses. This includes retailers, restaurants, providers of specialty goods and services, and other storefront operations.
Area served: Truckee and North Lake Tahoe, California Audience: Small Business Owners
Applications are now open for the “Together Now” fund launched this month by Mayor Lightfoot to provide financial relief for Chicago small businesses and non-profits that have experienced economic distress due to COVID-19 or recent property damage. The application deadline is Monday, June 29.
Area served: Chicago, Illinois Audience: Small Business Owners, Non-profits
The BIG program will provide $60 million to businesses who have experienced losses or business interruption due to the COVID-19 crisis and civil unrest.
Area served: Illinois Audience: Small Business Owners
The East Bay/Oakland Relief Fund for Individuals in the Arts is making grants of up to $2,000 to artists, teaching artists, culture bearers, and nonprofit arts workers in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties who have been impacted by COVID-19.
Area served: California Audience: Self-employed, Non-profits
The Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce has created a COVID-19 Resiliency Relief Program to provide grants ranging from $1,500 to $10,000 for Oakland-based Black-owned small businesses that are being adversely impacted. Applications are due by Saturday, June 20. Learn more and apply here. Beauty Changes Lives and CND Creative Nail Design are making grants of $1,000 to nail professionals who have been impacted by COVID-19.
Area served: Oakland, California Audience: Small Business Owners
The grants provided through the program will be distributed in $5,000 and $10,000 disbursements to be used for: Payroll and benefit costs, Unemployment insurance costs incurred by the recipient as an employer if such costs will not be reimbursed by the federal government pursuant to the CARES Act or otherwise, Overdue rent or mortgage payments to avoid eviction or foreclosure, Unpaid utility fees, Inventory or supplies required to safely reopen the business including PPE.
Area served: Fresno County, California Audience: Small Business Owners
The Kern County Recovers Program provides $25 million in forgivable loans of up to $75,000 each to local small businesses like restaurants, gyms, and salons to directly mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19.
Area served: Kern County, California Audience: Small Business Owners
This program will support our local small businesses by reimbursing and/or offsetting costs and impacts directly related to complying with COVID-19 related business protocols and providing support to all eligible County businesses who apply for the program. Prior to receiving funding, San Bernardino County small businesses must demonstrate compliance with State/County public health orders, and incorporate safety and social distancing practices and measures in their business operations.
Area served: San Bernardino, California Audience: Small Business Owners
Business Oregon, alongside the Oregon Employment Department, the Oregon Secretary of State, and the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services compiled the information on this page to assist Oregon small business owners, employees, and others dealing with the impacts of COVID-19.
Area served: Oregon Audience: Small Business Owners
LIIF is making grants to private family child care providers who are experiencing financial hardships. Learn more and inquire about how to apply here. GoFundMe is providing matching grants of $500 to small businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, start a fundraiser on GoFundMe, and raise $500 from other supporters.
Audience: Small Business Owners
USDA launched the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to help farmers and ranchers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of $16 billion will be available in direct payments to agricultural producers and $3 billion in food purchases.
Audience: Small Business Owners
To help address some of these challenges, Google is offering more than $400 million in Google Ad credits to small businesses.
Audience: Small Business Owners
The SBA recently released its PPP Loan Forgiveness Application form. We are providing highlights and examples from the form below to help guide you through the process. If you have specific questions not covered here, please ask on our Community page where you can engage with business experts and other small business owners.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed, Non-profits
A list of crowdfunding platforms that have created special COVID-19 relief initiatives for U.S.-based campaigns.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed
325 U.S. community foundations in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, have created relief funds to support those affected by COVID-19, directing critical relief to local nonprofits and partnering with local governments and health organizations to help contain its spread.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Non-profits
Up to 30,000 eligible small businesses will be able to receive a grant (cash and ad credits) from Facebook, which is allocating $100 million for the program. Applications open April 18 in New York and Seattle, April 20 in San Francisco and April 22 in other eligible cities.
Audience: Small Business Owners
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is offering grants of $5,000 to small businesses impacted. The grant application opens on April 20. To qualify, you must: Employ between 3 and 20 people; be located in an economically vulnerable community; have been harmed financially by the COVID-19 pandemic
Audience: Small Business Owners
**Update** Salesforce is partnering with Ureeka to offer eligible small businesses the opportunity to receive a $10,000 grant to help them through the COVID-19 outbreak. Navigate below to see if you are eligible and how to continue with an application.
Salesforce will soon be offering $10,000 grants to U.S. small businesses to provide capital to help them weather this crisis. Applications open on April 24.
Audience: Small Business Owners
This fund provides over $1 Million for small minority and women of color-owned businesses. Shea has three different initiatives companies can apply for.
Audience: Small Business Owners
* UPDATE - Congress on July 1 passed an extension to the Paycheck Protection Program, giving businesses until Aug. 8, 2020, to apply. *
The CARES Act and subsequent legislation include $659 billion for federally guaranteed loans for small businesses, sole proprietors, self-employed individuals and independent contractors affected by the COVID-19 crisis. These loans can be forgiven if the proceeds are spent on payroll, benefits, mortgage interest, rent and utilities. SBA has issued interim rules for both employer businesses as well as the self-employed that answer many questions on determining eligibility and other components of these programs.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed
Below is a list of lending institutions that we believe are accepting PPP applications from new clients. We advise checking with your existing bank to see if they are offering PPP, or using the SBA’s lender search feature to find a lender near you. We are updating this list daily; however, this list is not exhaustive, nor are we able to verify at this time that the institutions listed below are successfully processing PPP applications. We will update this list as we learn more. For any errors or omissions, please contact resources@venturize.org.
Nonprofit lenders
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed
The SBA has issued additional guidance around how self-employed individuals and independent contractors can qualify for the Paycheck Protection Program.
Audience: Small Business Owners
***Update*** The portal is reopen for all businesses. If you have previously applied and not heard a decision, do not reapply. This portal is for new applications only. Check the SBA website for more information.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed, Non-profits
Intuit Aid Assist—a free service for everyone—helps U.S.-based businesses, self-employed, contractors, freelancers, and gig workers understand different business relief programs available due to the COVID-19 crisis. Start with a loan eligibility assessment or get an estimate with loan calculators.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed
$5,000 grants available to women entrepreneurs to help alleviate immediate concerns.
Audience: Small Business Owners
Apply for grants up to $50,000 to support business growth, including $10,000 emergency COVID-19 Business for All Grants to help small businesses in crisis. Business for All is a national movement to lift up 100,000 small business owners to receive funding
Audience: Small Business Owners
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