Small Business Resources For COVID-19

Our team is paying close attention to the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, and it is impact on small business owners as if you across the nation.

Please get in touch with us if you want assistance for your business, so that we can discuss your unique situation and figure out ways in which we can help. If you’re a California small company loan customer or small company advising customer, e mail us here.

We're keenly aware of the truth that businesses are closing for weeks at any given time, and people who aren't are seeing major hits for their main point here. It's hitting businesses, and it's hurting the employees who most rely on their paychecks. 40% of american citizens who work service-industry related jobs don't have any paid sick leave, and fewer than 25% of these are able to afford to take it, based on data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Forms of the jobs – retail, housekeeping, food, and entertainment, etc. – which are most likely to put those workers in broad connection with others; so protecting employee health isn't just important for these businesses long-term, but also for community health now.

Below is a collection of resources to assist small businesses and workers during this crisis. We all know that the effects this crisis has on small businesses can’t be overstated, and we’re for our community both now as well as in the approaching months as we still have the effects on our small business community.

We will continue to monitor this situation and keep you apprised of additional resources and tools on our blog and via email, once we become aware. Meanwhile, do not hesitate to achieve to us. As you're figuring things out, we desired to pass along this article on tips for leading during pandemics.

Resources To provide Paid Leave

Despite the common perception that paid leave imposes unmanageable additional costs on small business owners, studies have shown that companies have actually reaped benefits from the practice. And small business owners like you are increasingly seeing the worth. With a paid leave policy, you can do not only keep your people healthy. Offering family or medical leave tells employees that you care about their own health and general wellbeing, which you're committed to their future at the business.

California Labor Commissioner’s Office FAQ
California Employment Development Department (EDD) resource page
How To Implement Paid Leave At Your Small Business article

Resources For Smaller businesses Located Anywhere

Be sure to visit your state Governor's website to acquire more information on new small business emergency loan funds being presented daily.

SBA Disaster Assistance Loans: The U.S. Sba is expected to provide low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans to smaller businesses that are not otherwise able to access capital. We will always keep you updated because this progresses. In the meantime, learn more here.
SBA Paycheck Protection Program: The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan made to provide a direct incentive for smaller businesses to keep their workers around the payroll. SBA will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the cash is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. Details here. And here’s some additional help navigating it.
SBA Lender Match: If you haven’t yet requested a PPP loan, the SBA includes a new tool that will help you connect with Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), Certified Development Companies (CDCs), Farm Credit System lenders, Microlenders, in addition to traditional smaller asset size lenders in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Can get on here.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the biggest financial assistance bill ever, includes provisions to help small businesses. Here are the highlights.
Survival Strategies for Small Businesses: Read about how you can protect your online business throughout the COVID-19 crisis in the following paragraphs.
Free remote small company advice on any issue or challenge here
Eater lists relief funds for coronavirus-affected restaurants, bars, and food service workers article
CDC Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2022 (COVID-19) article
Preventing Stigma Associated with COVID-19 article
Guidance for Small businesses on COVID-19 article
Great resource roundup and explainer for those legal and HR considerations from Hanson Bridgett explainer
The Labor & Workforce Development Agency is sharing Coronavirus related helpful information on employers and workers article
Understand what's in the Congressional Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Restaurant.org Coronavirus information. Restaurant.org has collected a large number of resources just for restaurant operators.
FDA FAQ page. For businesses that operate grocery or convenience stores, run restaurants or produce food, the Food and Drug Administration has guidance.
Construction Association page. This site of resources is perfect for those who work in the construction industry.
Use these 4 sales tips throughout the coronavirus situation.
$10,000 GRANT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES: A good investment of $2.5 million from Verizon is making it possible for LISC to start offering critical relief and resiliency-building support to small businesses facing immediate financial threat due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will go to create grants of up to $10,000, especially to entrepreneurs of color and women owned businesses.
Hello Alice has grants up to $50,000 to support business growth, including $10,000 emergency COVID-19 Business for those Grants to help smaller businesses in crisis.
Lowe’s funds $25 million in grants to help minority businesses reopen

Full List of Local and state Business Relief Resources

For California Small Businesses

The California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) has resources open to businesses impacted by COVID-19. For the most up-to-date state helpful information on businesses, visit the GO-Biz resource page.

California's update to pandemic unemployment benefits to cover unemployed Californians who're business people, self-employed, independent contractors, etc, can be found here.

Delay of State Payroll Reports Find out more here.
Partial Unemployment Insurance Claims to Keep Employees Find out more here.
Work Sharing Program Learn more here.

Additional Coronavirus Resources for Businesses:

California Association for Micro Enterprise Opportunity (CAMEO) resource page
California Labor Commissioner’s Office FAQ
California Employment Development Department (EDD) resource page
California Competes Tax Credits are available to help small businesses add new jobs. More here

For San francisco bay area Small Businesses

The Public Health Officers of the most populous counties in the Bay Area including Santa Clara County issued a region-wide order that will affect businesses and people within the Bay Area designed to slow multiplication of COVID-19. The order begins March 17 and it is expected to last through April 7. To learn more read the full County of Santa Clara pr release and sometimes asked questions posting.
SBA Economic Injury loan program in Santa Clara (plus some other Counties in California) has become live. Additional information and paperwork of these long-term, low-interest loans can be accessed at the SBA COVID-19 page.
BONUS! For Bay Area nonprofits, Community Vision is providing 1-1 consulting, plus a number of webinars on issues like tenant rights and financial planning. More here.

City of Bay area Helpful information on Employers

Our friends at the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce possess a great ongoing assortment of resources that will help you as well as your employees cope with this time. OEWD has established a webpage that contains resources for San Francisco employers and employees in regards to the COVID-19 outbreak. This can be a rapidly evolving situation, and also the page will be updated as more information is made available.

Deferred Quarterly Business Taxes for Small Businesses Find out more here.
Deferred Annual Small company Licensing Fee Find out more here.
Small Business Resiliency Fund Grants for Micro-Businesses Find out more here.
Leasing and Legal Assistance for Landlord Negotiation Learn more here.
SF Small Business Revolving Loan Fund Find out more here.
Technical Assistance Accessing SBA Loans Once Available Learn more here.
SF Emerging Business Loan Fund Find out more here.
Providing Paid Sick Leave for workers Learn more here.
Workers and Families First Program – Up to 40 hours Additional Paid Sick Leave Find out more here

The application for the San Francisco Hardship Emergency Loan Program (SF HELP) has become available, with loans as much as $50,000 at 0% interest. Funds can be used to pay payroll, rent, utilities, inventory and more. More here.

City of Oakland Resources

Mayor Libby Schaaf has launched the Oakland COVID-19 Relief Fund with $2.5 million in private donor seed funding of which $250,000 continues to be earmarked for small company grants as much as $10,000 each. The Relief Fund will even provide grants to nonprofit organizations focusing on economic security for small businesses and workers, community health, homelessness, and food.

Coronavirus 2022 (COVID-19) Business and Worker Resources Find out more here
Small Business Emergency Grants More here
Oakland Business Assistance Center More here
COVID-19 resources make up the Oakland Chamber of Commerce More here

What if you aren't a small business owner, can there be anything you can do?

This article from CNN provides extensive ideas: A few include purchasing gift cards or gift cards from small businesses so the business can use the money while clients are slow; Continue shopping with small and local business owners if they are offering takeout or curbside pickup; and tip more than ever before. You will find a map of all our small company clients nationally at Pacific Community Ventures, and support one near you.

You can also volunteer remotely! Many companies and people are scaling back or cancelling volunteer engagements when they occur in person. Through PCV's BusinessAdvising.org platform, you, your pals, and your entire company can volunteer remotely, while supporting small businesses nationwide which are hurting now more than ever before. Volunteer advising can be achieved through email, phone, or video chat like Facetime, Slack, or Google Hangouts – whatever's easiest for you! We're always especially searching for people with financial management, HR, and marketing expertise. Discover more and start volunteering here.