PPP Loans Still Available, Masks Are Mandated & More!

PPP Loans Still Available to Help Small Businesses,

Non-Profits & Ag Businesses

The U.S. Small Business Administration is encouraging small businesses, self-employed persons, independent contractors, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses economically impacted by COVID-19 to apply for a PPP loan to cover up to 24 weeks of payroll costs and certain overhead expenses.

The deadline for SBA to approve PPP applications is Saturday, August 8.

Participating PPP Lenders can be found using the SBA Lender Locator .

Loan forgiveness is based on the borrower maintaining or quickly rehiring employees while maintaining salaries and hours. New PPP loans have a maturity of 5 years and an interest rate of 1%. Additional information on the PPP program and other SBA emergency capital programs is available at www.sba.gov/coronavirus

Business Grant Deadline Approaching Quickly

The application deadline for the COVID-19 PA Statewide Small Business Assistance Program Grant is 11:59pm on July 14 ^th .

Grant awards will be between $5,000 and $50,000, Program

Priorities include:

Historically disadvantaged businesses
Low-and-moderate income business owners
Rural businesses
Retail, food and hospitality, health and wellness, personal care, child and adult day care centers industry sectors
Businesses impacted the most based on gross revenue losses
Women-owned businesses
Designated revitalization programs, i.e. Main Street, Trail Town Program™, Pittsburgh Neighborhood Districts. PA Wilds™

Since most of the businesses in the Alleghenies region would be considered rural we encourage you to apply.

Click Here to submit an application.

Wolf Administration Mandates Mask Wearing

as COVID-19 Cases Rise in PA

As of last Friday, every county in the Commonwealth is now in the “green” phase of the Wolf Administration’s re-opening plan – the least restrictive phase under which businesses are generally allowed to open but should also have state-issued health guidance in place. One key guideline is that individuals wear face coverings in public places to help slow the spread of the airborne COVID-19 virus.

Free Re-opening Signage

As Pennsylvania businesses begin to reopen, each business owner will need to examine their operations and make changes to meet public safety guidelines. PASBDC has created signage to address common health concerns. All images are completely free to use, so please share, download , print and distribute as you wish!

SBDC in the news : Business Resiliency program launches inaugural cohort

While many local businesses have successfully pivoted to meet changing needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, all small businesses face an ongoing need to adapt to rapidly changing business environments.

To prepare small businesses for increased resiliency, the Penn State SBDC developed “R3: Designing a Resiliency Roadmap for the Next 30/60/90 Days,” a guided, three-month program to help small business owners develop and execute a path to better business operations. The inaugural cohort of the program kicked off on June 29, and while applications for this round are no longer being accepted, a second cohort will launch in Fall 2020. If you are interested in participating, please contact [email protected] .

Guide to Building A Resilient Workforce

As COVID-19 accelerates disruptions impacting the American workforce, the National Governors Association issued the findings of a comprehensive two-year project examining ways that governors and other state policymakers can nurture a technologically resilient workforce ready to thrive in an evolving economy. The guide is available online, along with a new interactive website where users can explore 150 policy and program examples from more than 40 states.

Toomey, Perry Skeptical Of Renewal As End Of Pandemic Unemployment Benefits Nears

Zack Hoopes, The Sentinel

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey on Tuesday predicted a deal on another round of COVID-19 relief legislation by the end of the month, but with little indication of what might be in it. Toomey, Pennsylvania’s Republican senator, appeared at a forum organized by the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, alongside GOP Rep. Scott Perry. Both predicted another “grand bargain,” as Perry put it, between Republicans and Democrats on economic relief amid the ongoing pandemic, but also spent a significant portion of Tuesday’s discussion sympathizing with business owners who said the extra $600 per week in unemployment insurance, currently in place under the March stimulus bill, was hurting the labor market by discouraging a return to work. “There’s probably going to be another bill before August, probably late in July, but I think that we want to be very, very careful that what we do does not impede the reopening that’s underway,” Toomey said. The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, created under the CARES Act stimulus, adds $600 per week on top of workers’ normal unemployment insurance, which typically pays out about half of a laid-off worker’s wages, depending on the state. Proponents of the FPUC have argued that it allows workers to stay home during the pandemic without losing money, and the extra cash creates an economic stimulus.

The flip side, according to critics, is that laid-off workers are reluctant to find jobs if they can make more on unemployment, slowing the re-opening of the economy.

Quick Connect Coaching Sessions

Weekly, Tuesdays at 8:30 am

Looking for a quick answer to a question related to disaster recovery, reopening, stabilizing, or projecting for growth? Then attend a "Quick Connect" session to get your questions answered. Each week a consultant will address answers related to a specific topic.

Learn more

Starting a Home-Based Business Webinar

Are you ready to jumpstart your entrepreneurial dream? Most entrepreneurs start with a home-based business that creates, delivers, or improves on a product or service. Plus, shifts in economic and societal trends resulting from COVID-19 may translate into new opportunities.

In this one-hour, no cost, interactive course, join the U.S. Small Business Administration to discuss:

Generating the idea
Applying the rules
Creating the plan
Evaluating the financing
Accessing mentoring and training resources

Date: Wednesday, July 29

Time: Noon (12 p.m. ET)

Method: Zoom Meeting

Click Here to Register for the Zoom Link

The Pennsylvania 30 Day Fund is a non-profit recently launched to provide forgivable loans of $3,000 to Pennsylvania small businesses struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eligibility criteria is simple:

Employs between 3 and 30 people
Based in Pennsylvania and operating for at least a year
Owned and operated by a Pennsylvania resident
Operate as a for profit business.

Eligible employers must complete a short application and submit a video detailing how they could benefit from the funding. The funds do not need to be repaid. However, business owners who are able may choose to "pay it forward" by paying the proceeds back to the Fund to be used by other small businesses.

Additional questions about the PA 30 Day Fund can be directed by Maia Comeau at [email protected] .

The Chamber has been informed that the application process is simple and that preference is being given to those that are involved in their community.

Office Hours by Appointment

Staff is returning to the office to work on a part-time basis. Please contact us if you need to make an appointment to meet and we will adjust our office hours accordingly. Masks are required for anyone entering the Chamber office.

News from Bedford!

Silver Screen Becomes Silver Lining Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Bedford County Chamber of Commerce to Partner with Bedford County Fair for

Saturday Night Drive-In Movie Series Beginning July 4th

The events (Saturdays thru Sept. 5th) will take place in accordance with CDC guidelines for safety during the Coronavirus pandemic, including two Thursday evening movie nights with a live music lead-in! ($20pp - tickets sales starting soon.) Please wear masks to visit concession stand and rest rooms.

July 30 - Celtic Night - 6PM

featuring Live Music by Full Kilt

& Film: Making of Byrne & Kelly's Echoes

August 6 - Summer Sounds

with the Jackson Monsour Band

& Film: Six Days, Seven Nights

Flowchart Helps Employers Understand New Tax Credits

The IRS recently issued Publication 5419, New Employer Tax Credits (PDF) to help employers understand the tax credits available to them due to the coronavirus pandemic. The one-page document breaks down the details of the Employer Retention Credit and the credits for paid sick and family leave in easy-to-follow charts. Using the document, employers can quickly determine whether they are eligible for the credits, the amount of the credits and which wages apply to the credits.

Business Resources

Prepare your Small Business and Employees for the Effects of COVID-19

Guidance for Businesses Permitted to Operate During the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency to Ensure the SAfety and Health or Compoyees and the Public

Business and Building Safety Requirements

All businesses must follow CDC and DOH guidance for social distancing and cleaning

Monitor public health indicators, adjust orders and restrictions as necessary

Food Service Requirements

Order of the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health Directing Public Health Safety Measures for Businesses Permitted to Maintain In-person Operations

Order of the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health Directing Public Health Safety Measures for Businesses Permitted to Maintain In-Person Operation FAQs

U.S. Chamber Reopening Guide

Reopening-Guidance-for-General-Office-Settings

Click here for access to timely resources.

Food Service Guidance

All retail food service businesses, including restaurants, private event spaces and wedding venues with food service, licensed clubs, and bars located in counties designated as being in the Green phase are permitted to provide take-out and delivery sales, as well as dine-in service in both indoor and outdoor seating areas, so long as they strictly adhere to the requirements of this guidance including maximum occupancy limits.

Bar seating may be utilized provided that customers are seated and comply with physical distancing guideline of at least 6 feet or physical barriers between customers. Standing in a bar area will not be permitted.
A maximum of four customers that have a common relationship may sit together at the bar, while adhering to the physical distancing guidelines or barriers between other customers.

This guidance applies to all restaurants, private event spaces and wedding venues with food service, licensed clubs, and bars, regardless of whether the business operates within a larger facility such as a hotel, casino, convention center, conference center or similar large venue.

Private event spaces and wedding venues which do not offer food service are not subject to this guidance, but must follow all applicable provisions of the commonwealth’s Guidance for Businesses Permitted to Operate During the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency to Ensure the Safety and Health of Employees and the Public .

No business is required to conduct in-person operations, and should not do so if the business is unable to do so in accordance with all applicable guidance .

Resources from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The U.S. Chamber continues to create, update, and evolve its various guides and resources to continue bringing you the information you need during this difficult time.

STANDARDIZED EMPLOYEE SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE

Download this questionnaire for sample screening questions to ask employees upon return to work and on a regular basis moving forward. This template is based on questions required or recommended by various states as well as input from U.S. Chamber member companies of all sizes and sectors.