Reminders: All previous bulletins and other resources listed at www.gpcovid.com . Resource requests from our community institutions listed at the end of this bulletin. Send any questions to bizinfo@greaterpeoriaedc.org .

REMINDER: Illinois Hospitality Emergency Grant Application Due April 1
The State of Illinois is offering grants of up to $50,000 for hotels and up to $25,000 for bars and restaurants. Applicants will be chosen via a lottery, not based on merit. The application is very simple, but only those who have completed an application by April 1 will be entered. Decisions announced on April 4. An FAQ on the program, including a description of the information you will need, can be found here . More information and the application portal can be found here .

Paycheck Protection Plan Update
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is the cornerstone of the federal relief package for small businesses. While it is important to start the conversation with your local financial institution, the SBA has not yet finalized the application process. The hope is for that to be completed by the end of this week or early next week. In the meantime, small businesses in need of immediate relief should consider financing under SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). This program is available now directly through SBA. Any borrowing done under EIDL can then be refinanced under PPP. For more information on EIDL, contact Bradley University's Small Business Development Center here.

From a recent SBA message: “ Additional information will be coming soon on the CARES Act. The federal agencies involved are working diligently to get program rules and processes in place so help can get out to small businesses as soon as possible. However, it is premature to discuss program implementation specifics of the CARES Act because that work is still being done and program details may change. Our focus is providing our small businesses, lenders, and other small business stakeholders with information that reflects the actual program implementation of the legislation with associated rules and requirements.”

Greater Peoria EDC Live-Streamed Events
GPEDC’s Startup Greater Peoria has put together a lineup of free, live-streamed events this week:
·   3/31, 12pm CT, Business Continuity Planning
·   4/1, 8am CT, Remmert Method: Startup Stories & 2 Minute Crisis Workshop 
·   4/2, 8am CT, How to Live Safely Together in This Pandemic.
These webinars and archives of past webinars and workshops can be found at https://www.facebook.com/StartupGreaterPeoria/events/ . Additionally, for businesses that are interested in exploring new opportunities or problem-solving during the pandemic, please reach out to Andrew Ngui, GPEDC's Director of Innovation and Startups at angui@greaterpeoriaedc.org .

What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do
The Chambers of Commerce in the region are jointly hosting a webinar to give businesses some tools to deal with these uncertain times. Join the free webinar on Thursday, April 2 at 1pm to learn from Dean Heffta: “In times of great uncertainty, we can feel unsure of our priorities and what action needs to be taken. What we really want is clarity on how to best think through our new situation so we can lead with confidence.” Register here .

RESOURCE REQUESTS
Community Foundation of Central Illinois: Requesting monetary donations for the Central Illinois Disaster Recovery Fund. Information https://communityfoundationci.org/.
 
UnityPoint Health: UnityPoint is seeking personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies. They are als in search of medical personnel to help them prepare in the event that there is an influx of sick patients. Information here.  
 
OSF Healthcare: OSF seeking personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators and other supplies. Information here.
 
Peoria Innovation Alliance: PIA is gathering the maker community to discuss ways individuals and small companies can make supplies like masks. Information here.


Chris Setti
Chief Executive Officer
Greater Peoria Economic Development Council