Creating opportunities for people to live, work, & thrive on the Lower Cape
Tools to Help Small Business
MA Small Biz! We need your voice as part of the
MassInc Small Business Reopening Survey
Tell us how COVID19 has impacted your business and what you need for reopening & recovery. Your input will inform policy and economic recovery programs. 

The Lawrence Partnership and Community Development Corporations across Massachusetts have partnered with MassINC Polling Group to conduct a statewide survey about how the coronavirus has impacted small businesses in Massachusetts. We’re asking for your input to ensure that economic recovery programs and policies are informed by your current needs.

This survey is for small businesses with 500 employees or less. It’s available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole and Mandarin. It should take less than 10 minutes of your time. Your answers will be analyzed together with other responses and will never be used to identify you personally. This survey will be open for a short period of time. Please respond as soon as possible.

Thank you very much for participating in this important initiative. Please share this survey with other Massachusetts business owners to ensure wide representation.

The CDP will share the results in a future Inside Scoop edition.
Small Business Strong is a private and public sector partnership set up to help women and minority owned small businesses navigate the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have some great resources for a variety of industries including: Hotels & Hospitality, Food Supply & Agriculture, Arts, Retail, Food Services.
SBA Programs

PPP Loans - Senate Approved Deadline Extension

Although the PPP Loan application deadline passed on June 30th, there were still $130 billion available for this program! On June 30th the Senate voted to extend the application deadline to August 8, 2020. On July 1st the House passed the bill to extend, it is now on the president's desk.


EIDL Loans

The EIDL Portal has reopened. If you are still interested in applying for an Economic Disaster Loan follow, the link to the SBA website to apply.

Did you apply for a SBA EIDL Loan and have not yet heard anything? Keep watching your email for a notification and check your SPAM filter. I talked to a small business the other day who thought they had not received an email, but it was sent to the SPAM filter.
Cape Cod Chamber Business Survey Results

Cape Cod Chamber and the Cape Cod Commission did a survey of 350+ businesses to find out what the current impacts of COVID 19 have been on Cape Cod Busiensses. Here is the link to the press release of a draft of the data

Reopening Resources


Governor Baker modifies 14 day self-quarantine for those entering the state, effective July 1, 2020.

Taking effect on Wednesday, July 1, 2020, all travelers arriving to Massachusetts – including Massachusetts residents returning home – are instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days. The exceptions are that, also beginning July 1, travelers from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, and New Jersey arriving in Massachusetts are exempt from this directive and need not self-quarantine for 14 days. Press Release



Reopening Massachusetts provides a plan for reopening, including industry specific reopening guidance.

Mandatory Self Certification Requirements - These requirements include a control plan for reopening and post the Compliance and Employer Posters.


Some Phase 1 industry specific guidance:

Phase 2 - Part 1


Phase 2 - Step 2
Effective 6/22/20



Phase 3 Re-Opening
Effective 7/6/20

Fitness & health clubs, gyms, and facilities for yoga, weights, spinning and other classes may reopen with under 40% occupancy, sanitizing after every use, and other standards and guidelines.

Museums & cultural facilities may reopen with recommended timed ticketed entry and small guided tours can resume. Larger tours (e.g. duck boats, whale watches) may reopen with limited capacity of 50%. 

Indoor gatherings limited to 8 persons per 1000 sq. ft. but no more than 25 in
a single enclosed space.

Outdoor gatherings limited to 25% of facility-permitted occupancy with maximum of 100 people in a single enclosed outdoor space. Event bars and dance floors must remain closed  Does not apply to unenclosed gatherings (e.g. parks or backyards.) Does not supersede specific guidance in the reopening plan.

Phase 3 may have additional phases within it and is expected to last much longer than prior phases, continuing to be dependent upon the health data that drives the phases. Details are updated at



Cape Cod Reopening task Force has created ready to print signage for businsses. https://www.reopeningcapecod.org/print-ready-posters  

In addition to the guidance from the state, there are many other national resources to help businesses find new and creative ways to meet their state requirements.



Reopening will continue to be driven by public health data – which is subject to change. As research and data on this novel Coronavirus continue to develop, this plan can and will be updated to reflect the latest science and data.

If you need help with putting together a re-opening plan for your individual business, the following organizations can help you work through that process:


Community Development Partnership | www.capecdp.org | Eastham, MA 02642
This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.