June 2020

In this email:
  • County of Ventura Business Assistance Grant Program
  • Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act
  • SBA Reopens EIDL Program
  • Reopening Information for Business in Simi Valley
  • City of Simi Valley Temporary Outdoor Seating for Restaurants
  • Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Available
  • LAF Meeting - June 24
  • IMPACT California Resources
County of Ventura Grant Program Offers $5,000 Grants To Small Businesses To Help with COVID Business Impact
The Ventura County Business Assistance Grant Program includes grants of $5,000 each for small businesses to alleviate impacts from COVID-19 for allowed uses such as payroll support, rent and lease payments, costs for personal protective equipment, purchases related to the operation of their businesses, and extraordinary business expenses for adhering to compliance protocols for reopening.

Business Assistance Grants will be $5,000 awards to 1,000 recipients and will be available to small businesses and non-profit organizations that meet the following criteria:
  • The business or nonprofit organization maintains a business license in Ventura County
  • The business or nonprofit organization was in business on, or before, March 17, 2020
  • In 2019, the business or nonprofit organization had total annual gross revenue between $25,000 and $2 million
  • The business or nonprofit has registered with www.vcreopens.com if eligible
  • The nonprofit organization is exempt from tax under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) per an IRS determination letter

Applications will be available from June 24 to July 8, 2020. For more information and to apply, visit www.vcreopens.com
Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 Signed Into Law
The Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act of 2020 was signed into law earlier this month and makes significant changes to the Paycheck Protection Program that are designed to help small business borrowers.

The key provisions include:

  • Extends the time period in which borrowers must spend their PPP loans from 8 weeks to 24 weeks
  • Lowers the percentage of loan proceeds that must be spent on payroll from 75 to 60 percent
  • Extends the loan coverage period from June 30 to December 31, 2020
  • For the portion of the loan that isn't forgiven, the measure extends the loan term from 2 years to 5 years


In addition, the SBA and Department of the Treasury have released a new revised, borrower-friendly Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application implementing the new provisions. In addition to revising the full forgiveness application, SBA also published a new EZ version of the forgiveness application that applies to borrowers that:

  • Are self-employed or have no employees; OR
  • Did not reduce the salaries or wages of their employees by more than 25% and did not reduce the numbers or hours of their employees; OR
  • Experienced reductions in business activity as a result of health directives related to COVID-19, and did not reduce the salaries or wages of their employees by more than 25%

For the EZ Forgiveness Application, click here .

For the Full Forgiveness Application, click here.
SBA Reopens Economic Injury Disaster Loan for Small Businesses
As of June 15, 2020, the SBA has reopened the application portal for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) to all eligible small businesses (including non-profits). The EIDL loan can be used to provide working capital to businesses so they can make rent payments, pay vendors, pay wages, pay utilities, etc.

If your business has been impacted by COVID-19 and you haven't been able to receive grant or loan funds, take a look at the EIDL loan program. The EIDL has an interest rate of 3.75% (or 2.75% for non-profits), a loan term of up to 30 years, and any repayments are deferred for the first 12 months. (If you have already received the PPP, you wil lnot be able to use the EIDL for expenses covered by PPP).

For more information and to apply, visit the SBA website .
County of Ventura Permits A Number of Industries to Reopen Following State Guidelines
The County of Ventura, following guidance from the State of California, has permitted a number of industries to reopen their doors to the public following strict guidance set forth by the California Public Health.

Prior to reopening, businesses must register their business at www.vcreopens.com and fill out a business attestation form. Businesses DO NOT need to wait to be inspected prior to reopening, but could be visited by compliance officers after they open. The purpose of this is to check that a business is protecting the employees and customers by complying with guidance, not to shut down the business.

Industries permitted to reopen include: restaurants (with dine in service), retail shopping (including shopping malls), fitness studios and gyms, day camps, hair salons and barbershops, office based business, places of worship, and more.

For more information regarding permitted industires, reopening requirements and to view guidance from the state, visit the Simi Valley Chamber website here .
City of Simi Valley Issues Temporary Ordinance Permitting Outdoor and Parking Lot Seating for Restaurants
To assist Simi Valley restaurants and ease their financial burden, the City is allowing restaurants to temporarily place seating in public spaces and other areas to increase dine-in service to pre-COVID-19 levels through the issuance of a Temporary Use Permit. 

To learn more about the Temporary Use Permit process, please visit  www.simivalley.org/covid19  for the COVID-19 Temporary Use Permit Guide for restaurants. Operators of food facilities can also call the Planning Division at (805) 583-6769.

For more information, click here .
Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Must Be Provided by December 31, 2020
California employers must provide sexual harassment prevention training to their employees by the end of 2020. This law requires all employees -- supervisory and nonsupervisory -- to be trained by January 1, 2021. Supervisory employees must be trained each year, and nonsupervisory employees must be trained every other year.

The Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with CalChamber, is making it easy to get ahead of the game and provide training to employees at a discount! To assist with this requirement, the Chamber is offering discounted online sexual harassment prevention training courses to employees. This is an individual, self-paced training (offered in English and Spanish) to complete when it best fits an employee's schedule.
This online training is a convenient and simple way to ensure that your business is in compliance and avoids fines. Train through this Chamber program to save 20%.
Supervisor Retail Rate: $43.99
Simi Valley Chamber Discount Rate: $35.19

Non Supervisor Retail Rate: $25.99
Simi Valley Chamber Discount Rate: $20.79

In order to receive the discount, you must sign up through this link . For more information, visit https://www.simivalleychamber.org/harassment/
Our monthly Legislative Advocacy Forum meetings are a great opportunity for business owners/operators to hear from our elected officials and government agencies who represent Simi Valley. Attendees will be able to hear updates and ask any questions about legislation.

The June LAF meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 24 at 8 AM via Zoom

IMPACT California, a grassroots legislative effort through the California Chamber of Commerce is the best place to visit to stay up to date with bills in the State Legislature.

Read up on current proposed legislation, check its status, and send electronic letters voicing your opinion to your representatives directly from the website.
Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce | 805-526-3900 | samantha@simichamber.org | simichamber.org