Special Edition - COVID-19 Updates

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

July 15, 2020

$10 Million Grant Opens THURSDAY!

New restrictions on restaurants, bars and gatherings following recent resurgence of COVID-19 in parts of the state

PA 30 Day Fund

$10 Million COVID-19 Montgomery County Small Business Grant Round 3

The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners is making available $10,000,000 in economic development funds to provide grants to eligible small businesses for Round 3 of the MontcoStrong Small Business Grant Program. To prepare for Round 3, please read the updated program guidelines, Please read the guidelines and Round 3 FAQ's.

Applications will be accepted beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2020 and the application window will close at approximately Noon p.m. on Friday, July 17, 2020.

Businesses that received a Round 1 or Round 2 MontcoStrong Small Business Grant may not apply in Round 3.

Applicants from Round 1 and/or Round 2 that did not receive funding must apply again for consideration in Round 3; applications from prior rounds do not automatically carry over.

Subcontractors and/or 1099 employees should not be included in the employee count.

Eligible applicants may not be a publicly traded company.

Non-profit organizations may not apply. 501(c)(3) organizations are not eligible for this program due to the scope of the federal CARES Act as it relates to providing small business assistance. Also, per the CARES Act, as other 501(c) organizations are involved in lobbying activities and/or are supported primarily by member dues, rather than by sales of products or services, they are not eligible for funding through this program because the funding is sourced from the federal government.

To apply when the application window is open, complete the application form. The online application is not available prior to 10am on Thursday, July 16th, 2020 . The required application information and documentation details can be found in the program guidelines.

For information on eligibility and criteria, please use the link below.

MONTCO STRONG ROUND 3 GRANT APPLICATION

Governor Wolf Announces New Restrictions on Restaurants and Gatherings in PA

On Wednesday, July 15, 2020 Governor Wolf announced new statewide restrictions on dining, bars and large indoor gatherings as the state aims to regain control of the coronavirus. He will sign an executive order today and it will go into effect on Thursday, July 16, 2020. Under the new guidelines:

Indoor restaurant dining seating capacity will be limited 25 percent. All service must be at a table or booth; bar service is prohibited. The rules for outdoor dining remain the same.
Alcohol sales at restaurants and bars will be limited to consumption with a meal. All nightclubs are prohibited from opening
Indoor gatherings will be limited to 25 people and outdoor gatherings to 250.
Unless not possible, all businesses are required to conduct their operations in whole or in part remotely through teleworking.

For more information, visit governor.pa.gov or health.pa.gov

State Expands Mask-Wearing Requirements

It is now mandatory that all Pennsylvanians wear a mask anytime they leave home. The order, signed on July 1st, expands the business safety order signed by Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine in April. The order takes effect immediately. The order outlines the situations when a mask must be worn and includes limited exceptions to the face-covering requirement.

PA 30 Day Fund

Quick. Easy. Free of Red Tape.

The non-profit Pennsylvania 30 Day Fund provides forgivable loans for Pennsylvania-based small businesses. The forgivable loan is intended to provide immediate financial assistance (within maximum three days) to meet payroll, preserve healthcare coverage for employees and save jobs while they await recently approved federal funding.