COVID-19 Resources
North Carolina has moved to Safer at Home Phase 2.5 of lifting COVID-19 restrictions, effective until at least October 2nd. Under this phase, people are required, with some exceptions, to wear face coverings while in public when physical distancing of 6 feet is not possible.
* View Executive Order 163
* View FAQ’s about Safer At Home Phase 2.5
* View guidance on wearing face coverings. Not sure what to look for in a face covering? Click here for a few pointers.
Public Schools Now Able to Implement Plan A for Elementary Schools
After several weeks of stable COVID-19 trends and continued low virus spread in school settings, Governor Roy Cooper today announced that beginning on October 5, North Carolina public school districts and charter schools can choose to implement Plan A for elementary schools (grades K-5). Plan A continues to include important safety measures like face coverings for all students, teachers and staff, social distancing, and symptom screening, but does not require schools to reduce the number of children in the classroom.
Click here to see the entire press release and more information
As you and your employees return to the office, you may be considering whether to adopt Covid-19 testing or mandatory temperature checks and health surveys. Check out this Inc.com article for more!
Back In Business & Better Initiative:
We are happy to announce that we have a new “Back in Business & Better” Initiative.
The Chamber will provide you with a sign for the front of your business and you record a short 30-60 second video about your reopening, new hours, sales, etc!
We will share your video on Facebook and via email to let our members and the community know you are “Back in Business & Better!”
Please contact us to get your sign at 704-487-8521 or [email protected].
New Video Conferencing Benefit for Members!
| The COVID-19 Pandemic has brought the power of Video Conferencing to the forefront as a must have business tool. This technology however does come at a cost!
As a chamber member you have access to a FREE video conferencing application built into our Cleveland County Jobs board! All you have to do is register as an employer at ClevelandCountyJobs.org and the video conferencing option will appear on your dashboard! Our unique user name and password for our members is: |
New Guidance from the SBA on the Paycheck Protection Program
The SBA & Treasury has released additional guidance for the PPP:
o Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs # 50 and #51 have been
added (Released 8/11/20)
o Frequently Asked Questions For Loan Forgiveness (Released
8/11/20)
SBA Forgiveness Application for the Paycheck Protection Program
The EZ application requires fewer calculations and less documentation for eligible borrowers. Details regarding the applicability of these provisions are available in the instructions to the new EZ application form.
Both applications give borrowers the option of using the original 8-week covered period (if their loan was made before June 5, 2020) or an extended 24-week covered period. These changes will result in a more efficient process and make it easier for businesses to realize full forgiveness of their PPP loan.
Forgiveness Application
EZ Forgiveness Application
Below are additional links to assist with the application and calculation process:
Forgiveness Application Instructions for Borrowers
EZ Forgiveness Application Instructions for Borrowers
Local Resources:
Funding Opportunities:
City of Shelby has now implemented an emergency loss program designed for small businesses impacted during COVID-19! Shelby 1 Fund Small Business Loans aim to provide a rapid source of assistance for City of Shelby-based businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19. Mountain BizWorks is the administrator for the emergency loans program. Click here for details and to apply. For more information you can access a Shelby1Fund webinar here.
The NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loan program supports North Carolina small businesses and family farms as they grapple with, and recover from, the economic impact of COVID-19. This rapid recovery loan helps small businesses bridge the gap between when crisis strikes and when federal loans and other relief funds are approved, or businesses have time to recover. The NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loan is supported by North Carolina entities and is for North Carolina businesses. It is designed to complement federal and other assistance programs, but it is not directly associated with the Small Business Administration (SBA). Learn more here!
Since its inception, Spanx and The Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation have been dedicated to elevating and supporting women through entrepreneurship. Knowing the ripple effect that empowering women can have to strengthen neighborhoods, cities and countries, The Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation donated $5 million to support female entrepreneurs in the wake of COVID-19 and teamed up with GlobalGiving to establish The Red Backpack Fund. GlobalGiving will be overseeing the fund, making 1,000 grants of $5,000 each to female entrepreneurs in the U.S. to help alleviate the immediate needs and support the long-term recovery of those impacted by this crisis. Click here for more!
Resources and Webinars:
Growing Your Business with LinkedIn Webinar Recording
Did you miss the Growing Your Business with Linked In Webinar!!
Ira Bass with Connect to Success showed us how to focus on the business side of Linked In and reach growing prospects for your business.
Legislative Update with Speaker Tim Moore
Don’t worry if you missed the webinar! You can access the recording and presentation materials below. Tim gave us an update on pending legislation, his vision of the current state of the economy, as well as his projection for the future. Make sure to listen!!
| $tate of the $tate |
| Did you miss the $tate of the $tate Webinar presented by Treasurer Folwell?
Access the recording here as he discusses the issues and the role that the Department of State Treasurer has in the economic well-being of the state |
What to Know About Children Going Back to School During COVID-19
Following North Carolina’s recent announcement about how the upcoming school year will look, Atrium knew there would be questions. They talked to three Atrium Health experts about their response to the recent announcement and what their advice might be for parents who have questions about their children’s safety
| How to Set Up a Safe Remote Office |
| Did you miss the Safe Remote Office Webinar presented by Pharr Technologies? Don’t worry! Here is the webinar recording and presentation material! |
| Virtual Donor-Driven Fundraising Events in a Post Covid World |
| Did you miss the non-profit webinar for virtual donor-driven fundraising? Don’t worry! Here are some resource materials in case you missed it or for future reference when planning your upcoming year! |
| PPE Resource |
| Check out the Carolinas Alliance COVID-19 PPE match site. This is a program dedicated to matching the needs of the Carolinas healthcare providers, businesses, and government organizations with manufacturers, vendors, suppliers, and talent who can help deliver crucial supplies and services. |
Let Google Help You Reach Customers Online Webinar Recap
Did you miss the Google webinar? Don’t worry! Here are some resource materials in case you missed it !
Thank you for those that joined us for the Positioning Your Business for Post-Pandemic Success Webinar presented by Martin Brossman and Jeanne Munoz. Click here to access the webinar!
As North Carolina’s restaurants, hotels, attractions and businesses reopen after the COVID-19 stay-at-home order, Count On Me NC is a mutual pledge and public health initiative that empowers guests and businesses to help keep everyone safe and protected.
Maximize Your PPP Loan Forgiveness webinar presented Scott Fedyshyn, Fedyshyn CPA Group.
Click here to access the webinar and click here for a copy of the power point presentation!