Meet State Senate Candidates
The Chamber is hosting two virtual and nonpartisan forums for New York State Senate candidates.
New York State Senate District 51 event, featuring candidates Jim Barber (D) and Peter Oberacker (R), will be held on Wednesday, October 21, starting at 12 noon. The 51st Senate District is comprised of all or part of nine counties. In Delaware County, the district includes the towns of Andes, Bovina, Davenport, Franklin, Harpersfield, Kortright, Meredith, Middletown, Roxbury, Sidney, and Stamford.
New York State Senate District 42 forum, featuring candidates Jen Metzger (D) and Mike Martucci (R), will be held on Thursday, October 22, starting at 10:00 am. The 42nd Senate District includes parts of Delaware, Sullivan, Ulster, and Orange counties. In Delaware County, the district includes the towns of Colchester, Delhi, Hamden, Masonville, Tompkins, and Walton.
Both events are free and open to the public via Zoom. Connection information will be emailed prior to the event to all those who register. We will record the programs and make them available for viewing later.
Registrants are encouraged to submit written questions to info@delawarecounty.org in advance of the event.
To register, click below:
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FREE Business Assistance & Recovery Webinar |
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The Delaware County Chamber, along with the Commerce Chenango, will sponsor a FREE online workshop hosted by the United States Small Business Administration on October 15 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. where business owners can learn about COVID-19 relief and recovery programs.
Traditional lending and small business assistance programs, as well as small business recovery programs, will be discussed. Participants will learn about SBA products and resources including access to capital and government contracting. SBA staff will speak about the current status of COVID-19 disaster relief resources. Topics will include: funding options, guidance for businesses and employers, and local assistance. Updates on disaster relief programs will also be discussed.
Questions will be answered by SBA staff following the session.
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Empire State Development Expands New York Forward Loan Fund to Include PPP Recipients |
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Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) recipients are now eligible to receive low-interest loans from the New York Forward Loan Fund (NYFLF). This conditional change will provide the Fund's network of lenders and financial institutions with greater flexibility and enable them to provide more small businesses with working capital to cover expenses associated with reopening.
When the NYFLF launched in May, the federal Small Business Administration had just issued rules regarding companies’ eligibility for federal assistance. The goal of the NYFLF was to help New York-based small businesses that did not receive PPP funding with flexible working capital to reopen and adapt to post-COVID needs. Companies with 20 employees or less make up 90% of New York’s business community, and it was critical to provide a funding lifeline to those businesses shut out of federal assistance.
However, some NYFLF applicants who needed assistance were deemed ineligible because they had already received PPP funds. Through discussions with lenders and applicants, it became apparent that PPP loans did not go far enough to support New York-based small businesses. Legislative criteria restricted how the government assistance could be spent, and oftentimes PPP amounts were a fraction of what was needed and requested.
Eligible small businesses and small residential landlords can apply for a 60-month, no-fee loan with a 3% fixed interest rate; while eligible non-profits can apply for a 60-month, no-fee loan at 2% fixed interest. The maximum loan amount is $100,000. Loan funds can be used for working capital including payroll, operating and emergency maintenance, property taxes, utilities and costs associated with refitting physical space to follow social distancing guidelines. More information is available online at nyloanfund.com.
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Local High School Students Awarded DTC Scholarships
Carly Bower of Delaware Academy and Faith Dianich of South Kortright Central school districts were presented with scholarships from Delhi Telephone Company for the upcoming school year. Both Carly and Faith plan to continue their education this fall; Carly will attend SUNY Delhi and Faith will be attend Flagler College in Saint Augustine, Florida. The applicants underwent a selection process by submitting a short essay or creating a video that describes how technology has helped during the COVID-19 pandemic. This scholarship was established to recognize a graduating senior who is continuing his/her education and who demonstrates pride in their community.
DTC awards scholarships each year. The funds are raised at their annual Open House event which is held in August. The event features a basket raffle to raise the majority of the funds, with items donated by local businesses as well as DTC’s vendors and network affiliates. Although 2020 has had its challenges, DTC was still able to award scholarships to these deserving students.
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The Daily Star Releases New Home Publication |
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The Daily Star recently released it seasonal real estate and home services guide.
Click on the image to view the publication.
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Minority-Owned Small Business Federal & NY State Certification Webinar
Learn to grow your business through federal and New York minority-owned business certifications.
About the Webinar
SCORE presents a webinar on SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program and New York State's Minority & Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) certification.
Presenters will give you insight into steps to be taken to qualify for the various programs and how they can assist you to reach these valuable contracts in your area.
Wednesday September 30, 2020 10 AM to Noon
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Summit for Success
Registration is now open for the ninth annual Business Class LIVE: Summit for Success, a unique, complimentary virtual event designed to help empower small business owners for what comes next – and to inspire them to continue to invest in their businesses, their communities, and themselves.
Here’s when it all goes down
Business Class LIVE: Summit for Success is an entirely virtual experience that takes place from 9 am to 5 pm ET on October 20, 2020. Learn more at ShopSmall.com and encourage small business owners in your community to register now.
Here’s what small business owners can expect
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Network with a diverse group of fellow business owners, industry experts, and entrepreneurs.
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Engage in workshops and panel discussions that address their business and personal development.
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Get inspired by speakers and motivating round-table talks that can spark their next move.
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Chamber Online Learning Center |
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As part of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce ongoing initiative to respond to member needs, an online learning center has been opened to help businesses meet their training needs in three key areas:
- Leadership, Management, and Supervisory Skills
- Sales and Customer Service Skills
- Human Resource Compliance Skills
In a self-paced, online learning environment, your staff can learn and enhance various skills including how to create a productive working environment, effective delegation, conflict management, working in a remote environment, working post-COVID and much more.
Sales and customer service modules focus on handling client or customer attitudes and objections, negotiating styles and effective sales negotiation and the dos and don'ts of effective customer services.
Human resources modules include diversity and inclusion training, micro-inequities, process of stereotyping and methods of exclusion, among other topics.
Each module is priced at a reduced rate of $45 per person.
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Annual Sexual Harassment Prevention Training |
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The Chamber has partnered with New Haven Consulting Group, Inc. to provide our members with an online “Preventing Sexual Harassment" workshop that meets the requirements of the new law.
This program is available at a Chamber-member reduced price of $20 per participant.
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FREE (Virtual) One-on-One Business Counseling Sessions |
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is offering FREE comprehensive programming to provide management and technical assistance to small businesses in Delaware County!
Specializing in direct one-to-one counseling, the SBDC offers assistance in the following business areas:
- Start-up assistance
- Business Plan Development
- Accounting and Financial Projections
- Sources of Financing
- Marketing
- Business Expansion
- Relocation and Agribusiness
There is no cost for the counseling services of the SBDC.
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The Delaware County Chamber is a private, non-governmental, not-for-profit membership organization. We believe that healthy communities begin with healthy businesses. By focusing on key areas–community and economic development, advocacy, tourism promotion, and business engagement–we partner with municipal leaders, community organizations, and local companies to present a unified voice of business for the improvement of our communities. |
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5 1/2 Main Street
Delhi, New York 13753
Give Us A Call: 607.746.2281
DelawareCounty.org
GreatWesternCatskills.com
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