Live Webinar -Thursday, April 9, 12PM CDT - Coronavirus and Your Small Business: Live Q&A with SCORE Mentors
City of Highland Park Webinar: Economic Injury Disaster Loans
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On Monday, March 30, 2020, the City of Highland Park hosted a webinar on Economic Injury Disaster Loans for Coronavirus Related Economic Disruptions to provide small local businesses with economic solutions for the impact of COVID -19 on their business, as they are making great sacrifices to support city and statewide measures to protect public health. The webinar presenter was Stephen Konkle, Economic Development Specialist with the Illinois District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Free assistance with reconstructing financial records, preparing financial statements and submitting the loan application is available from any of SBA’s partners: Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), SCORE, Women’s Business Centers (WBC), and Veteran’s Business Outreach Centers and local Chambers of Commerce. For the nearest office, visit: https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance. The Illinois District is hosting two training sessions daily (11a and 3pm). Go to www.sba.gov/il for more information.
Governor JB Pritzker has announced the launch of two new emergency assistance programs for Illinois small businesses. These initiatives include:
Hospitality Emergency Grant Program
To help hospitality businesses make ends meet in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, DCEO is launching the Hospitality Emergency Grant Program. Grant funds are available to support working capital like payroll and rent, as well as job training, retraining, and technology to support shifts in operations, like increased pick-up and delivery.
Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan Fund
DCEO and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) are establishing the Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan Fund to offer small businesses low interest loans of up to $50,000.
For more information visit the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity's website.
Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance Loans:
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is providing disaster assistance loans of up to $2 Million to help businesses through any disruption that may be caused by the coronavirus. The following links bulleted below provide important information on how to apply for an SBA loan. Details of the program are available in a press release.
For additional assistance on SBA Disaster Assistance Loans or the application, please contact the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800.659.2955 or e-mail disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
Facebook Small Business Grants Program
Facebook is offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries where Facebook operates.
Nav Small Business Grant Contest
Submit entries between February 24th and May 30th for your chance to win up tp $10,000.
Information for Employers
Employers play a key role in promoting healthy communities. The CDC recommends that employers encourage sick employees to stay home, especially if they have had a fever of 100.4°F or higher. Employees should be symptom-free for at least 24 hours before returning to work. For additional best practices, the CDC offers guidance for an informed response from employers. The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) has prepared a useful fact sheet for businesses and employers.
The CDC provides updates for business and leisure travelers as information becomes available. View CDC’s specific guidance for travelers at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/warning/novel-coronavirus-china.
Special guidance for healthcare professionals is also available.
