Our partners at Visit Ventura have built a program to support VENTURA businesses this holiday season that encourages shopping local...because when you Shop Ventura, you Save Ventura!

The County of Ventura is currently in the Red Tier which allows for

Unfortunately, our daily COVID-19 case-rate numbers in Ventura County are rising. This could force the County to revert back to the most restrictive Purple Tier within the next 1-2 weeks. This would impact many business sectors including restaurants, gyms and places of worship, requiring them to cease all indoor business operations.

The County is also encouraging everyone to go frequently for COVID-19 testing, which could also help prevent Ventura from going back to the Purple Tier. It is easy, free, and conveniently located at a variety of sites throughout the County. Testing and tracing are key tools in stopping the spread of COVID-19.

Still don’t have your stimulus check? You have some extra time.

The IRS urges people who don't typically file a tax return – and haven't received an Economic Impact Payment – also known as a Stimulus Check - to register as quickly as possible using the Non-Filers: Enter Info Here tool on IRS.gov. The tool will not be available after November 21. This new date gives you an additional five weeks past the previous October 15, 2020, deadline.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, released a simpler loan forgiveness application for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans of $50,000 or less. The instructions for this new application note that the application requires fewer calculations and less documentation for eligible borrowers.

Temporary Outdoor Business Expansion Program

Businesses interested in expanding their business operations onto sidewalks, private parking spaces/lots and some sections of the public-right-of-way as part of the city's Temporary Outdoor Business Expansion Program are asked to visit the city's website for more information on program requirements and how to apply.

There is no cost to apply for the Temporary Outdoor Business Expansion Program.

The SBDC is providing Monday and Wednesday webinars for the Small Business Community on information as it relates to funding information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics will include Economic Injury Disaster Loan, Payroll Protection Program, Disaster Bridge Loan, 7a Forgiveness Program, and other funding opportunities for your business.

Wednesday, November 17, 10:30 a.m.

Join SCORE for a free webinar titled "Four Digital Marketing Strategies to Improve Your Google Ranking". Learn our top four strategies that impact your Google ranking, including the importance of having your business show up in local search results and how you can leverage online reviews to attract more customers.

Join SCORE for a free webinar titled "Roadmap to Business Ownership & Financing Strategies." Is it a good time to launch a business? COVID-19 has changed the way we live, the way we do business, many of our priorities, and most of us know someone whose job has been impacted. With more job loss expected, is now the right time to start a business? Arm yourself with information and explore whether franchise business ownership is for you.

Join SCORE for a free webinar titled "Financially Closing-Out 2020 A QuickBooks Accounting Series - Part 2: Detect & Correct Mistakes and Errors." Weather learning to find your own mistakes or cleaning up for year end taxes and reporting, this workshop expands on the basics to give you insight into your the financial picture of your company.

Join SCORE for a free webinar titled "How to Use Social Media to Build Your Business Brand and Increase Awareness." Social media is constantly evolving, which can make it difficult for your business to keep up. In this webinar, we will break down social media marketing for businesses with best practices that you can use to improve your digital marketing strategy.

Join SCORE for a free webinar titled "QuickBooks® Online and Best Accounting Practices for Small Businesses." This live, interactive webinar session is designed to help you understand the features, functions and benefits of QuickBooks® Online for small business owners as well as assist you in implementing accounting best practices to manage your business finances.

Join SCORE for a free event titled "Social Media Marketing that Gets Results. Plus a look a Facebook's Recent Changes." Social Media is a powerful tool to use in your marketing mix. It works for both businesses and non-profits. In this webinar we will take a look at how it can work for your organization. We will discuss best practices, give you some tips and show real-world examples. Plus we will also take a look at Facebook's recent changes.

EDC Webinar "Creative Solutions for Commercial Landlords and Tenants During COVID-19". The webinar covered commercial leasing and finding creative solutions to tenant-landlord disputes during COVID-19 with partners and associate attorneys from Myers, Widders, Gibson, Jones, & Feingold. Their excellent panel with extensive experience in lease negotiation, civil litigation, and resolving business disputes reviewed: