Hello business community!

In this newsletter you will find information on:

NEW B2B Business Development Series - Northumberland Roundtables
Northumberland Economic Recovery Task Force
Consumer Survey: What will it take for you to shop in a curbside store?
Regional Relief and Recovery Fund - CFDC
Webinars &Toolkit for Reopening / Industry Guides
NEW B2B Business Development Series - Northumberland Roundtables

Join us this Friday, May 29 @ 10:30am with guest speaker Melissa Johnstone of the HKPR District Health Unit to have your questions answered regarding safe operations of your business during Covid-19.

This is also an opportunity to connect, network, and share ideas with other businesses in Northumberland.

Roundtable Agenda:
Best Practices/Success Stories
Educational Guest Speaker (20 min)
Key Challenges & Solutions
Collaborations

Task Force will generate industry-led recommendations to support business recovery from COVID-19:

A n industry-led task force is under development with a mandate to deliver initial recommendations by June 4 on actions to support the recovery of local businesses post-COVID-19.

The Northumberland Economic Recovery Task Force is being convened by Northumberland County and chambers of commerce – in close collaboration with representatives of higher education, manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, construction, small business and the professional community from across the county – to inform local focus in responding to the evolving economic impacts of the pandemic. Recommendations will be actioned by industry as well as shared with local municipal councils and submitted to the Ontario Jobs and Recovery Committee consultations.

Members of the Task Force will include local business owners and leaders along with municipalities, chambers of commerce, industry associations and agencies, health authorities and the education sector. Informing the Task Force will be six working groups that focus on targeted sectors including micro and small business, manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, professional, and development/construction.

Engaging industry stakeholders from across Northumberland, the Task Force will collect data about business owner needs, identify and implement synchronized response actions, programs and services, and advocate with all levels of government for effective recovery measures. Inaugural meetings will begin this week and will take place weekly as participants contribute knowledge and expertise to the formation of recommendations.

To provide comments to the Recovery Task Force including the 6 working groups please contact: bizhelp@northumberlandcounty.ca
Consumer Survey:

Let’s help determine what’s important to consumers as they consider returning to shop at our local curbside retail stores during COVID 19.

Take this short 7 question survey to provide feedback regarding the level of comfort you, as a consumer, would have returning to shopping in curbside retail stores.

Survey closes Friday, June 5.
Regional Relief and Recovery Fund

The Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) provides financial contributions (interest-free loans) to help support fixed operating costs of SMEs, where business revenues have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contact the Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation for more information and eligibility.

Option 1:  Up to a $40,000 Conditionally Repayable Contribution
(Interest-Free Loan)
  • An interest-free loan with partial forgiveness of loan amount
  • No payments required until December 31, 2022
  • Up to 25 percent (or $10,000) contribution forgiveness, provided 75 percent, or up to $30,000 is paid back by December 31, 2022
  • If 75 percent of the contribution amount is not repaid by December 31, 2022, the balance owing will be converted to a term loan with no forgivable portion
 
Option 2:  Up to a $500,000 Unconditionally Repayable Contribution
(Interest-Free Loan)
  • An interest-free fully repayable contribution (loan)
  • 100% repayable
  • No payments required until December 31, 2022
  • Fixed payment schedule beginning January 2023
How To Sell in Uncertain Times Webinar:
Wednesday May 27 @ 2pm - 3:30pm
Selling to new and current customers remains the only way a business survives and since COVID-19 began the selling arena has changed. Within a matter of a few days, face to face interaction were gone and working and selling remotely became the new norm.
Join us for our workshop to prepare you and your team for virtual business growth as we reveal a virtual selling process where you can control the outcome.
• How to create a successful mindset in uncertain times
• How to avoid or disband common remote selling pains
• Best practices for pre-call planning, in-session etiquette, post-call follow-up, and managing stress


Ask a Professional Webinar Series (HR Specialist)
June 2 nd , 2020 at 2pm
 Wendy from HR Annex Consulting will walk participants through four key areas for business readiness, thereby helping participants to build their own re-opening “checklist”, in order to be ready to ramp-up business as a result of post-Covid-19 mandatory non-essential business closures.
 
Ask a Professional Webinar Series (Accountant)
June 4 th , 2020 at 2pm
 Adam and Greg will speak to business owners about:
1) Government incentive plans for businesses
2) Tax deferrals and other tax planning opportunities
3) Preparing your business to succeed in the recovery process

Industry Reopening Guides:
Click for industry specific information and guidelines on reopening businesses safely.

"Like" us on FACEBOOK for the most up to date business information and resources.
600 William Street, Cobourg. 
Suite 700
905-372-9279