COVID-19 Resources
| North Carolina will remain in the Safer At Home Phase 2 for five more weeks, until at least September 11th. Face mask coverings will continue to be required for public outings for adults. View more information here! * View Executive Order 155  |
Not sure what to look for in a face mask? Click here for a few pointers!
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 EZ and Revised Full Forgiveness Applications for the Paycheck Protection Program
The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, posted a revised, borrower-friendly Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application implementing the PPP Flexibility Act of 2020, signed into law by President Trump on June 5, 2020. In addition to revising the full forgiveness application, SBA also published a new EZ version of the forgiveness application that applies to borrowers that:
- Are self-employed and have no employees; OR
- Did not reduce the salaries or wages of their employees by more than 25%, and did not reduce the number or hours of their employees; OR
- Experienced reductions in business activity as a result of health directives related to COVID-19, and did not reduce the salaries or wages of their employees by more than 25%.
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:
| 9 Free Team Communication Tools for Startups |
| When it comes to team communication tools, you have plenty of options to pick from, but not all of them will fall within your price range. If you’re looking to cut down on your monthly expenses, here are nine free tools to try out. |
| 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!
PPP and EIDL webinar presented by Sharon Harvey, SBA Senior Area Manager for Western, NC and Michael Arriola, Deputy District Director.
Click here to access the webinar and click here for a copy of the power point presentation!
BBB Webinar: Covid-19 Scams and What You Need to Know. Click here to watch!
Carolina’s Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives CARES Act Slide Show Presentation – can be found here! Click here for the accompanying webinar.
Click here for COVID-19 response webinars presented by Sun Life.
