** New Member Spotlight **
Never Move Alone
The Chamber and the Delaware County business community welcome new member Never Move Alone!
Never Move Alone, based in Delhi, offers
move management, resizing and de-cluttering and dispersal of household items for senior citizens and their families, people moving into or out of the area and for corporate relocations, among others. Never Move Alone specializes in helping older adults and their families with the daunting process or downsizing or right sizing, as well as moving into a new residence.
Consultants help sort through belongings to make decisions about what to keep, donate, sell or discard. They develop and coordinate a customized moving plan and manage every aspect of a move from packing assistance, oversight of professional movers and clean outs, to getting settled in a new home. Never Move Alone will facilitate estate sales, lawn sales, auctions, arrange for charitable donations and more.
To learn more about Never Move Alone, and owner Terry Field, click here, or find them on Facebook or Instagram.
Please support the small businesses that support our communities!
|
|
Third Thursday: Chamber Connects
Start your day with a productive and potentially profitable virtual learning opportunity! Stay current on what’s happening in Delaware County and the region, and learn how to effectively pivot toward a sustainable and thriving business model.
Our FREE monthly Third Thursday : Chamber Connects interactive, virtual Q & A webinar on January 21 from 8:30 - 9:30 a.m., is a terrific opportunity to participate in a leader-led conversation focused on building a better business and better business climate!
The featured speaker for this event is New York State Senator Mike Martucci, representing New York’s 42nd senate district - which includes the towns of Masonville, Tompkins, Delhi, Walton, Colchester and Hamden in Delaware County.
Senator Martucci is the ranking member of the state’s economic development committee and will talk about his view and vision for small business success and impacts through legislative action.
This event is sponsored by Delhi Telephone Company. DTC is a family of services offering Internet, cable TV, telephone services, home automation and security services. Learn more about DTC and their array of services and competitive pricing at delhitel.com, 607.746.1500 or on Facebook.
|
|
Small Business Update: The Latest Stimulus Details and Changes to PPP Loans
President Trump signed a $900 billion stimulus bill on Dec. 28 to assist individuals and small businesses that continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here are some of the largest takeaways (among many):
Businesses can apply for PPP loans if they didn’t before
The new stimulus bill reopens the PPP program for any business that did not apply before and expands the types of businesses that can apply for forgivable PPP loans, including 501(c)(6) non-profits, local news media organizations or housing cooperatives. The new funding for first-time PPP loans is available through March 31, 2021, or until the new funds are exhausted. Notably, the maximum loan amount for a first-time PPP loan has been reduced from $10 million down to $2 million.
A new ‘second draw’ PPP will offer businesses additional aid
Any business that qualified and received a PPP loan in 2020 will now have the chance to apply for a second PPP loan if they meet certain criteria. The “second draw” program will offer forgivable loans to small businesses, non-profits, sole proprietors and independent contractors if they meet these conditions: 1) the company has less than 300 employees, and (2) the company had a 25% reduction in gross receipts during at least one quarter of 2020 versus the same quarter of 2019. The maximum loan size for a second PPP loan is $2 million. Businesses should be on the lookout for a new application for the second-draw program.
Eligible PPP expenses have changed
To get a PPP loan forgiven, businesses needed to make sure 60% of the loan went toward payroll, and the remaining 40% could go toward expenses such as rent, utilities and interest on mortgages. Bradley notes that under the new loan terms, the 60% amount for payroll remains, but the 40% expenses have been expanded. Eligible non-payroll PPP expenses now include:
- Operations expenses: cloud computing services, business software, human resources and related expenses.
- Supplier costs: payments that go to suppliers who provide essential goods.
- Worker protection expenses: expenses that go toward keeping employees safer during COVID-19, including personal protective equipment (PPE), drive-thru windows, sneeze guards and outside dining enclosures.
- Covered property damage costs: costs related to riots or public disturbances that occurred in 2020 that were not covered by insurance.
Important tax changes related to PPP and business expenses
One of the trickiest parts of the original PPP loan program was the fact the PPP loan could ultimately reduce how much a business owner could write off on their business taxes. This has been updated in the new stimulus bill.
Huge changes to the employee retention tax credit (ERTC)
Another massive change for companies in the new stimulus bill is that companies will be able to take advantage of both PPP loans and the employee retention tax credit (ERTC). It also greatly expands the ERTC in 2021, with the new ERTC credit offering a maximum of $14,000 per employee through June 30, 2021.
Originally, the CARES Act only allowed businesses to choose PPP or ERTC. Bradley notes that businesses should take these major changes into account for year-end tax planning purposes and start using it to help them plan out 2021. If a business used and exhausted a PPP loan early in 2020, for example, they could then use the ERTC to help them with their 2020 taxes.
EIDL grants will reopen
Notably, the new law sets aside $20 billion in order to reopen the $10,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) grant program. This means more small businesses could apply for an EIDL grant to help them through this challenging time.
Additionally, the new law revises the rules around EIDL grants so businesses can receive a full $10,000 EIDL grant and a PPP loan without the PPP loan forgiveness being reduced.
A new grant program for live venues
The new stimulus bill also sets aside $15 billion in grants specifically for live venues that have been impacted by the pandemic. This includes concert venues, movie theaters, museums and more. The $15-billion cap means any company in the live event industry should get started on preparing for this right away in order to get a crack at these funds. Event operators should be ready to apply as soon as the applications open.
This is still an evolving situation and no official rules have been set yet.
DO NOT contact your lender at this time.
As always, we'll try to give you the most current information so you may make the most informed decision for your business.
|
|
FREE Virtual 'Leadership for Supervisors' Training
CDO Workforce in Delhi is offering a free virtual course in thought leadership and application. The 8 hour course will be broken down into four 2-hour segments and gives participants an advanced foundation in management skills.
Participants will analyze ideas and apply them to specific scenarios.
Dates: January 7, 12, 14, and 19, 2021
Time: 8:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Zoom links will be provided to participants in advance of the sessions.
For more information and to register contact Maggie Gilbert at 607.832.5781 maggie.gilbert@co.delaware.ny.us.
|
|
ONC BOCES Wants Your Help!
ONC BOCES continues to provide students with a world-class education and finds itself in need of the business community's help.
Students are faced with limited abilities to receive their real-life work experience, due to COVID-19 restrictions, which is an essential part of the career and technical education experience.
Here are some ways you could help ONC BOCES this year:
- Remote work experiences: Is there anything we can do for you here at our centers? Work that we can complete for you? (Welding project, cars or heavy equipment fixed, website or video project) Let us help you.
- Virtual experiences: Do you have a project our students can participate in virtually? Do you have a job where our students can watch virtually and ask questions? You can provide our students with some real-world education.
- Are you willing to have a student in person this year? We are always looking for new business partners to help us out.
You could be a part of helping the next generation of workers become successful and productive members of our community.
Do you need workers? ONC BOCES has a new job board for students that allows them to see current job openings.
For more information contact Monica Towne at 607.286.7715 ext. 2407 or email mtowne@oncboces.org.
|
|
Google Analytics is a fantastic tool. Best part is, it’s free to use for everyone! No matter if you have a 2-page website or a massive eCommerce website, you can use Google Analytics to understand how your customers are using your website and where you can improve their experience.
In this webinar, expert in business data analytics Mo Hossain will focus on the steps of creating goals for your business that you can track through Google Analytics and review through the built-in reports.
You'll also learn the importance of:
- Analytics
- How to create SMART goals
- Asking the right questions of your data based on the goals you create
|
|
Take Action On Small Business Issues In New York
The Chamber is partnering with NFIB (National Federation of Independent Businesses) and urges you to contact your legislators today. Small businesses were forced to close their doors in March due to statewide shutdown orders, and many had to lay-off employees through no fault of their own. The unprecedented amount of money flowing out of the unemployment insurance system cannot be replenished through higher taxes on New York's small businesses.
The exact UI tax increases are unknown at this time, but without action, small businesses could see tax increases from $200 to $1,000 per employee depending on an employer's experience rating. Small businesses that are already struggling cannot afford these astronomical tax increases.
Click on the take action button to contact your legislators today!
|
|
Chamber Check - In
Chamber staff have been busy this week working for members! Click on the video to see what we've been up to and what we have planned!
|
|
We all know 2020 was not a typical year for small businesses, and the factors that impacted us this year will continue to affect us in 2021.
Join this webinar where you’ll learn about the breakthrough small business ideas and industries that are breaking through and reaching consumers. You’ll find out about America’s changing demographics, attitudes, and consumer behaviors, and how your small business can best adapt and address them, such as:
- The industry that’s soaring right now and how small retailers can take advantage
- How restaurants can transform their operations
- Which consumer behaviors have shifted, and how you can reach those customers
- How COVID-19 has created entrepreneurial opportunities
- How to pivot your small business to address changing consumer demands
Whether you’re a startup entrepreneur or have owned your business for years, you’ll want to learn how you can adjust to and take advantage of today’s changing marketplace.
|
|
Chamber Online Learning Center |
|
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.
|
|
Annual Sexual Harassment Prevention Training |
|
 |
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.
|
|
|
|
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. |
|
|
|
5 1/2 Main Street
Delhi, New York 13753
Give Us A Call: 607.746.2281
DelawareCounty.org
GreatWesternCatskills.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
