After a spring that seemed to last a lifetime, summer has finally arrived. The last few months have been turbulent, uncertain, and, at times, scary.

We hope that you have weathered the storm by finding creative ways to market your business, unique solutions to managing your workforce, and taking advantage of the many resources available to you during this time.

As always, please reach out if there is anything that NGage can do to assist you either now or further along in the recovery stages of this pandemic.
COVID-19 Updates
Small Business funding available!
Last week, we learned about two new state grant programs and two expanded federal programs available to the business community. Check out the resources below for details and to apply for funding!
Small Businesses Stabilization Grants | Get Nebraska Growing

Small businesses and ag are the lifeblood of the Nebraska economy, and their continued survival and growth are paramount. The SBS Grant allocates $330 million in working capital to help cover operating expenses for Nebraska...

Read more
getnebraskagrowing.nebraska...
SBA Accepting New Applications for EIDL

On June 15, SBA began accepting new EIDL and EIDL Advance applications from qualified small businesses and U.S. agricultural businesses. The EIDL Advance provides up to $10,000 to provide economic relief and will not have to be repaid

Read more
www.sba.gov
Gallup Business Leadership Training Grant | Get Nebraska ...

The Gallup Business Leadership Training Grant program is designed to provide Nebraska business leaders with the training to achieve organizational goals and drive organic growth through human development.

Read more
getnebraskagrowing.nebraska...
Paycheck Protection Program Still Available!

An SBA loan that helps businesses keep their workforce employed during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, PPP funding is available through June 30, 2020 and was recently enhanced with the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (PPPFA).

Read more
www.sba.gov
Gage County Watercooler Talk
Gage County communities have responded to the pandemic in many different and constructive ways.

One of the ways NGage has responded is by partnering with the Beatrice Area Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Beatrice to create a weekly Facebook Live "show" called Gage County Watercooler Talk. This series is aimed at providing resource information and sharing tips and tricks to navigate uncertain times in an accessible, live format. The series has been well-received and, more importantly, has been a great way to connect (from a safe social distance, of course!) with each other and with our communities.

The series has transitioned to a bi-weekly basis and can been viewed on the first and third Wednesday of the month. Check out the Gage County Watercooler Talk group on Facebook, where you can watch upcoming sessions, view previous weeks' videos, and find links to resources.
Reopening guidelines
Phase III guidelines have rolled out for all but four counties in Nebraska effective today, June 22, 2020. There are many changes in this round of lifting restrictions, so be sure to read up on Phase III to learn how it may affect your business operations. The Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services is also a great resource available to you, with reopening guidance and more available on their website.

Phase IV has been announced but no date has been set for the implementation of those guidelines. Here's a sneak peek.

For more on the latest updates on the Directed Health Measures (DHMs) in the Gage County region, be sure follow Public Health Solutions on social media.
NGage Community Updates
In case you missed it...
In addition to receiving recertification as an Economic Development Certified Community this March, Beatrice received yet another accolade this spring...the title of Nebraska's Showcase Community of the Year! Read all about it .
What's that building?
Things are always happening in Gage County. Case in point: Landmark Snacks is expanding. In the middle of a global pandemic!

Landmark Snacks, owned by Chad and Courtney Lottman, specializes in production of products for meat snack brands that need products made for them. Over the last year, they began producing snack sticks, an opportunity that has paved the way for their current expansion.

In April, work began on a 27,000 sq ft warehouse addition to the 63,000 sq ft co-manufacturing facility. The addition will include dry storage, a new freezer and cooler, and two new docks to assist with better separation of raw and finished product. The expansion is nearly twice as large as currently needed, but it's a step that will accommodate continued growth of the company without space limitations in the immediate future.

The company has worked with many local contractors on this project, including: Caspers Construction, Lottman Concrete Construction, Plymouth Electric, Beatrice Mechanical, and Wrightsman Plumbing.

Congrats on your expansion, Landmark Snacks!
What we're reading
Virtual Shop Class Looks To Inspire Future Generation of ...

We want to do something ambitious: change the lives of 3 million people through a powerful tradeskill program. Because we couldn't do it alone, industry, nonprofit and government leaders united behind our movement, Generation T, to promote one of ...

Read more
www.wearegenerationt.com
You Can Predict that Your Predictions Will Be Wrong ...

If you're at all like me (read: someone who reads a lot of long-form and opinion journalism), the last couple months have left you with serious pundit fatigue. There are a lot of people out there who are paid to tell us, with utmost confidence,...

Read more
www.strongtowns.org
Nebraska Passport Program

The purpose of the Nebraska Passport is to help travelers discover Nebraska's hidden gems, including one right here in Gage County! We can't think of a better summer to get in the car and hit the road to discover the Great State of Nebraska.

Read more
nebraskapassport.com
Not a Black Swan: Nassim Taleb on What the Coronavirus...

Pandemics are predictable events, in a sense. They are not individually predictable, in the sense that we know what sort of new pathogen will emerge in what location in what year. But they are statistically almost inevitable, given enough time,...

Read more
www.strongtowns.org