PPP 2.0 EXCLUSIVE LOAN APPLICATION PERIOD FOR BUSINESSES WITH FEWER THAN 20 EMPLOYEES OPENS

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BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TAKES STEPS TO 

PROMOTE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SBA RELIEF

On Monday, February 22, President Biden announced the following changes to SBA's coronavirus relief programs to ensure equity:

Specifically, on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at 9 am ET, SBA will establish a 14-day, exclusive PPP loan application period for businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 20 employees. This will give lenders and community partners more time to work with the smallest businesses to submit their applications, while also ensuring that larger PPP-eligible businesses will still have plenty of time to apply for and receive support before the program expires on March 31, 2021.

SBA also announced FOUR additional changes to open the PPP to more underserved small businesses than ever before. While these changes are being implemented, SBA will work with community partners to improve the emergency relief "digital front door" and conduct extensive stakeholder outreach. And, SBA will strengthen its relationships with lender partners to advance equity goals, deliver funding efficiently, and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. SBA will:

• Allow sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals to receive more financial support by revising the PPP's funding formula for these categories of applicants;
• Eliminate an exclusionary restriction on PPP access for small business owners with prior non-fraud felony convictions, consistent with a bipartisan congressional proposal; 
• Eliminate PPP access restrictions on small business owners who have struggled to make student loan payments by eliminating student loan debt delinquency as a disqualifier to participating in the PPP; and
• Ensure access for non-citizen small business owners who are lawful U.S. residents by clarifying that they may use Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to apply for the PPP.

 

The SBA reported Monday that it approved more than 1.9 million PPP loans for a total of $40 billion from Jan. 11 through Feb. 21. The application window for the current, $284 billion iteration of PPP is scheduled to close March 31.

Source: www.sba.gov

Article: Biden Administration takes steps to promote equitable access to SBA relief

 

DUF6 Conversion Project 

Completes Major Safety Upgrades

EM's Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride (DUF6) Conversion Project completed several plant modifications at its Portsmouth, Ohio and Paducah, Kentucky facilities to improve their safety and reliability.

"These plant upgrades will increase worker safety while improving productivity at our conversion plants," said Robert Edwards, manager of EM's Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO). "It represents time and effort well spent in preparation for the safe and deliberate restart of facilities."

The DUF6 Project addresses the nation's legacy of six decades of uranium enrichment operations at DOE gaseous diffusion plants at Portsmouth, Paducah, and Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The project converts the DUF6 byproduct, currently stored in cylinders at Portsmouth and Paducah, to a more stable oxide form for reuse or disposal.

Pictured is the bulk-hydrogen project installation at the Portsmouth Site. This backup system for producing hydrogen was among several plant modifications EM's Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Project completed during the past year.

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Adena Cancer Center

Receives Three-year Accreditation

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Commission on Cancer (CoC) has granted the Adena Cancer Center another three-year, full accreditation. The status recognizes the Adena Cancer Center - designated as a comprehensive community cancer program that is the only one of its kind in southern Ohio - among the nation's best facilities for improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients, using cancer prevention, research, education, and comprehensive, quality care.

Adena has received the accreditation every three years going back about three decades. During the last three-year review period, Adena was able to create a medical oncology clinic in Fayette County, add a thoracic surgeon and achieve radiation oncology accreditation from the American College of Radiology for the first time. Roughly 70 percent of all cancer programs nationwide choose to go through the voluntary Commission on Cancer national accreditation process, and Adena Radiation Oncologist Dr. Gregory Thompson said the process utilizes strong benchmarks to help ensure the Health System is providing the highest standards in cancer care delivery.

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Shawnee State University

Upcoming Career Fairs

All spring fairs will be hosted virtually through the Handshake career platform. If employers are not already on Handshake, I invite them to create a free account at shawnee.joinhandshake.com.

Our upcoming fairs include:

• Business & Professional: Tuesday, Mar. 16, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Find out more and how to register at: https://bit.ly/SSUCSEvents.

Please email Angie Duduit (Director, Career Services & Workforce Development) 

at aduduit@shawnee.edu or call (740) 351-3322 with questions.

TREASURER SPRAGUE OPENS AG-LINK PROGRAM FOR 2021 GROWING SEASON

To help Ohio farmers and agribusinesses finance the up-front costs of this year's growing season, Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague today opened the 2021 Ag-LINK application period. The application period will remain open through March 19. 

"A thriving agriculture sector is a critical component of our state's overall prosperity, and I'm committed to supporting Ohio's farmers and agribusinesses," said Treasurer Sprague. "By making capital more affordable through interest rate reductions, Ag-LINK helps to alleviate some of the financial pressure faced at the beginning of each year's growing season."

Through this application period, farm operators and agribusiness owners based in Ohio can receive an interest rate reduction on loans up to $150,000. Although the exact amount of the discount will be provided to lenders in late March, a minimum one percent discount is in place.

The Ohio Treasurer's office administers the Ag-LINK program to help Ohio farm operators and other agricultural businesses finance the up-front operating costs for feed, seed, fertilizer, fuel, and other costs. Ag-LINK provides an interest rate reduction on agriculture business operation loans at eligible banks, credit unions, and farm credit lenders.

Eligible farm operators and agribusinesses:

• Must be organized for profit;
• Must have headquarters and 51% of operations maintained in Ohio;
• Must use the loan exclusively for agricultural purposes; and
• Must agree to comply with all program and financial institution regulations.

Ag-LINK has been supporting Ohio's farm community since 1986. In fiscal year 2020, the Treasurer's office helped 822 farmers and agribusinesses lower their interest rates for new loans totaling $91 million.

Those interested in Ag-LINK should contact their ag-lender to begin the online loan application process. More information on the Ag-LINK program can be found online here.