Newsletter
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The GOFERR announced that the New Hampshire General Assistance & Preservation Fund (NH GAP Fund) application period is extended until Friday, August 7, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. due to power outages caused by Tropical Storm Isaias.

For more information about the NH GAP Fund and eligibility please visit: www.goferr.nh.gov/GAP
Sullivan County Delegation Meeting
The Sullivan County Delegation will convene on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, at 6PM in Newport, NH - Sullivan County Administration Building, 14 Main Street

This meeting will also be held via Zoom. Limited seating is available and we encourage the general public to join the Zoom webinar.  You may access the conference using:

Zoom Phone: 1 312 626 6799
Webinar ID: 982 7918 8294
Passcode: 277853

Click here to view the agenda and any corresponding documents available. 

Do not hesitate to contact commissioners@sullivancountynh.gov or, call 603-863-2560 if you experience any issues accessing the call-in information.
Virtual Job Fair for Technology & Manufacturing Industries
The NH Tech AllianceNH Department of Employment Security and NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs are partnering to provide virtual job fairs in the Technology and Manufacturing Industries.

Is your NH business hiring for a tech or manufacturing role?
Sign up for our virtual job fair held August 12th 11am to 1pm.
Claremont Kiwanis Club - Brewfest Announcment
As all New Hampshire businesses are now able to reopen, finding employees is one of the major challenges they face. In our ongoing mission to help employers meet those needs, the Department of Business and Economic Affairs has partnered with New Hampshire Employment Security (NHES) to develop an online workforce recruitment portal. Launched last week, it features over 1,000 job openings, with the majority in long-term care facilities and manufacturing. The portal is open to all businesses, across all sectors, seeking employees. I would urge any employer in need of identifying workforce to connect with our partners at NHES at covidrecruit@nhes.nh.gov to get their information posted.

Maintaining the momentum toward economic recovery that we have all worked hard to do requires that we all work together. We must also maintain a recognition that this pandemic is not over and that we must remain vigilant in order to stay on this path.

Here at BEA, we have developed a number of products to help tell that story of supporting our local businesses and remaining vigilant, and I wanted to pass those along for you to use however you see fit.

Our “Stronger Together” video urges people to support their local businesses as they continue to recover.

Early on, we launched a business support website which can also provide a good deal of information for businesses either on the site itself or via our “Business Help” portal.

Our “Discover Your New” tourism marketing campaign is targeting NH residents to consider a “staycation” this year.

Lastly, our “Don’t Go Viral” public service campaign targets our younger generations and the need to remain vigilant, wear a mask in public, and socially distance in order to control the spread of Covid-19 by reminding them of the consequences that may come from discounting them.

As we continue into the unknown here, it remains critical that we “play the full 60 minutes” and find opportunity to use our economy’s strength and resilience to weather the storm. Our team here at BEA is able to help so please do not hesitate to reach out.

Best wishes for prosperity and health in the coming months,

Taylor Caswell
Commissioner
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Employees Donate More than $10,000
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees are donating more than $10,000 collected in Q2 from its employee-driven charitable giving program, Casual for a Cause, to 14 non-profits serving Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The non-profits receiving donations were selected by and voted on by the employees.
 
“The critical services provided by these non-profit organizations are more important than ever as our communities face hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jack Frost, VP Director of Community Giving at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “We are honored to contribute to their efforts and help our friends and neighbors in need.”
 
With the Casual for a Cause program, Bank employees dress casually on Fridays in exchange for a contribution to a pool of funds collected during each quarter. The employees then select and vote on which nonprofits receive their contributions. Since the program began in 2018, employees have donated more than $85,000 to nonprofits across Northern New England.
 
Q2 2020 Recipients
 
Maine
 
  • AIO Food Pantry (Rockland)
  • Bar Harbor Food Pantry (Bar Harbor)
  • China Community Food Pantry (China)
  • Island Food Pantry (Stonington)
  • Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry (Ellsworth)
  • Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (Brunswick)
  • Tree of Life Food Pantry (Blue Hill)
  • Westside Food Pantry (Southwest Harbor)
 
New Hampshire
 
  • Claremont Food Pantry (Claremont)
  • KLS Community Food Pantry (New London)
  • LISTEN Food Pantry (Lebanon)
  • Newport Food Pantry (Newport)
  • Wellspring Food Pantry (West Lebanon)
 
Vermont
 
The Clara Martin Center was the Vermont recipient for the Q2 Casual for a Cause donation. The center, located in Randolph, Vermont, provides mental health and substance use services to improve the health and wellbeing of communities in the Upper Greater Valley.
 
“What a wonderful community to be part of, where our business partners and neighbors are so thoughtful, generous and see the value in the services that we provide,” said Melanie Gidney, Executive Director of The Clara Martin Center. “How wonderful of you and especially your Vermont employees to financially support our mission, particularly during a time when the needs of our community are increasing.”
 
Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating over 50 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine and has more than $3.6 billion in assets. As a leading Northern New England community bank, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust offers a full range of personal and business banking services, as well as wealth management services through its subsidiaries Bar Harbor Trust Services and Charter Trust Company. For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit www.barharbor.bank or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.
Calling All Locally Owned and Independent Retail Stores and Restaurants
Vital Communities is doing an Independent Economic Impact Study to measure the impact of keeping local restaurant and retail business, well, local. A healthy local economy is crucial to surviving this challenging time and much of the available funding centers around building local economic resilience. Data from this study will help all of us - you, consumers, funders - to make informed decisions about where to spend our money.

Help us to build the most complete picture possible - complete the survey!

Survey process takes about 20 minutes and a list of the information required is available, making it a quick effort if you have it in hand when you start. All information shared is completely confidential and is only seen by Civic Economics, the organization completing the analysis. Your business name is included in the final report.

The survey can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VitalCommunities 
Surveys must be completed by 21 August 
Further details and the list of information required are available at https://wp.me/p6Y0OQ-1N7
Questions? Contact Erika Hoffman-Kiess at erika@vitalcommunities.org
SHS Alumni Association Parade Fundraiser
Raffle Ticket Suggested Donation is $5 each.
Prizes include:
(1) $500 Winner
(1) $300 Winner
(1) $200 Winner
(10) $50 Winners
Drawing will be held at the September 16, 2020 SHS Alumni Meeting.
To purchase tickets please call (603) 542-8987 or (603) 504-5702
Determining your FFCRA Eligibility
U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division launched a new online tool that guides workers through a series of questions to help them determine if they are eligible for paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). As America continues to re-open, this tool stands to help employees and employers to determine who is qualified for the FFCRA protections and benefits. 
The Greater Sullivan County Community Relief Fund Continues to Accept Requests
The Funding Steering Committee is still accepting requests for non-profits to access community relief funds. As the current state continues to evolve, the Committee wants to ensure that any non-profit organization in need assistance due to COVID-19 is able to apply for these funds.

We are asking partners to begin to anticipate their needs during the recovery phase of COVID-19. Click here to access the request form if your agencies has unmet needs of any kind, current or anticipated. Please reach out to GSCPHN@hitchcock.org with questions. 

More about the Community Relief Fund 

Click here for a list of agencies who have been funded.  

Our most recent press release can he found here.
   
A huge thank you to Sullivan County government, Region 1 IDN and our new partner Sullivan County United Way for their work on this project! 
Open & Safe Campaign - Upper Valley Strong
Upper Valley Strong has launched an Open & Safe Campaign to spotlight the health practices that keep us safe and help our local businesses to serve their communities. The goal is to celebrate and encourage continued adherence to health and safety guidelines around mask usage, hand washing, staying home when ill, ventilation, and physical distancing. If you know of an Upper Valley business that is working hard to keep its employees and customers safe, let us know by filling out this nomination form. Businesses are welcome to nominate themselves and encouraged to submit photos displaying these safety precautions in action.
 
Upper Valley Strong is a coalition of non-profit organizations supporting emergency needs in their communities during times of crisis and disaster. For a list of resources to help those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, check out their website.
Webinars from the Small Business Development Center
Self-Employed: Tactics for Maximizing COVID Relief Programs
August 10 and August 31|10am
This webinar includes an overview of how to manage your options from COVID relief programs.
Presented by Chuck Gilboy, NH SBDC Business Advisor

Resolving Conflict between Customers & Employees
August 11 | 10am
We will discuss best practices for on-the-spot conflict resolution and how to help your employees keep calm during confrontations with customers. 
Presented by Dave Boynton, NH SBDC Business Advisor

Topic: Finding the Money –
to start or expand your business
August 13 | 1pm
SBDC advisors Rita and Hollis will have a short discussion about where you can look for funding right now. They will offer some tips on how and when to go about it. Submit your question prior to the webinar or ask it during the live Q&A.
Presented by Rita Toth & Hollis McGuire, NH SBDC Business Advisors

August 17 | 10am
What information and documents do you need to apply for the EIDL? What should you expect when you receive your loan documents? How will you manage your loan? Join us to find out more and ask your questions in this informative webinar!

PPP Forgiveness: Changes Under the Flexibility Act
August 24 | 10am
We will share the most up to date PPP forgiveness rules, in preparation for you filling out your PPP forgiveness application. You will want to join this webinar If you have received a PPP loan and want a refresher because there have been so many changes along the way.

The PPP Full Loan Forgiveness Application: How to complete it, calculate any reductions, and qualify for any safe harbors
August 25 | 1pm
We'll review the application instructions, and walk through an Excel sheet to calculate your eligible expenses.

Register for these and view the entire event calendar online here.
Open NH Website Launched
We hope that you are enjoying your summer! With residents and visitors eager to find places to go and things to see and do in the Granite State, our friends at the Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) have created the Open NH website. The website will provide a database of businesses that are open and services that are currently available.

In addition, they encourage all tourism businesses to sign up for a free listing on Open NH to let visitors know that you are open and ready to welcome them back!
News from the U.S. Small Business Administration
PPP Extended - Applications Due August 8th
The Paycheck Protection Program provides small businesses with funds for payroll costs and other eligible non- payroll costs.
More than $100 Billion in PPP funds are still available. The recent passage of the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act allows small businesses to use funds up to 24-weeks and have the option of extending the life of the loan from two years to five. SBA will forgive loans if funds are used as intended.
Small businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations, Veterans organizations, and Tribal businesses described in the Small Business Act, as well as individuals who are self-employed or are independent contractors, are eligible if they also meet program size standards.
For more information, visit here.

Disaster Loan Program Continues to Accept Applications for All Small Businesses and Private Non-Profits
The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance program portal is open to all eligible applicants experiencing economic impacts due to COVID-19. This direct loan program provides long-term, low interest assistance for emergency working capital. Funds can be used to cover monthly operating expenses until normal business operations resume. Additionally, the EIDL Advance will provide up to $10,000 ($1,000 per employee) of emergency economic relief.

Webinar Wednesday @ 9am
Join us each Wednesday at 9am to get an update of our disaster relief and other programs and let you know about partner happenings and upcoming events. It is also a great opportunity to get all of your questions answered. We hope you join us! 
To join the webinar:
+1 202-765-1264 United States, Washington DC (Toll)
Conference ID: 120 391 006#
ServSafe Free COVID-19 Training
For 30 years, ServSafe has been at the forefront of preparing restaurant and foodservice workers to deliver safe dining experiences for their guests, while also keeping themselves safe. Because of the challenges presented by COVID-19, we have developed a number of free resources aimed at keeping our workers and the dining public safe.
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