Tuesday March 23, 2021
SBA Launches Portal to Begin Accepting Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Applications on April 8
SBA Launches Portal to Begin Accepting Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Applications on April 8
The U.S. Small Business Administration is launching a splash page for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) application portal today in anticipation of opening applications for the much-anticipated critical economic relief program on Thursday, April 8, 2021.
Prior to the official SVOG application opening, the SBA will host a national informational webinar to highlight the application process for potential eligible entities from 2:30 to 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 30, 2021.
REMINDER: That this program has been amended to supplement PPP, meaning if you participated in PPP, you can still apply for SVOG.
The Chamber would like to thank Senators Schumer and Gillibrand for their recent assistance in getting the SVOG Program open to applications.
Please join the North Country Chamber of Commerce for a special webinar conversation between State Attorney General Letitia James and North Country Chamber President Garry Douglas.

Topics will include regional matters such as:
  • The Attorney General's Role in Pandemic Relief and Recovery
  • Business and Economic Issues
  • The work of the Attorney General as it relates to North Country Issues

Details:
  • Date: April 9th, 2021
  • Time: 2:00 - 2:45PM
U.S. Sending Vaccine to Canada in Loan Arrangement
The United States plans to send roughly 4 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine that it is not using to Mexico and Canada in loan deals with the two countries, an administration official told Reuters on Thursday.

Mexico will receive 2.5 million doses of the vaccine and Canada is to receive 1.5 million doses, the official said.

“We’re lending a portion of our releasable doses of AstraZeneca vaccine,” the official said on condition of anonymity. “We only put the virus behind us if we’re helping our global partners.”

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki confirmed the plan, first reported by Reuters, to send doses to Mexico and Canada. “It is not fully finalized yet but it is our aim,” she told a daily briefing.

The Biden administration has come under pressure from allies worldwide to share vaccines, particularly from AstraZeneca, which is authorized for use in other countries but not yet in the United States.
SUNY Plattsburgh Alumnus Leading Statewide COVID-19 Pooled Testing
Colleagues in the scientific community laughed when Dr. Frank Middleton suggested he could measure the coronavirus in saliva.

But the 1991 SUNY Plattsburgh biology grad knew it could be done. He had already developed saliva-based testing to detect Parkinson’s disease and autism based on years of research conducted in his lab at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. His saliva pool testing method, now being used to test for COVID-19 here and at colleges and universities across the state, has become an indispensable tool in fighting the pandemic.

Middleton, a Beekmantown High School grad who transferred to SUNY Plattsburgh after a year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, said he came to the realization that saliva pool testing could be the answer to COVID testing after the Centers for Disease Control testing kits rolled out a year ago failed.

“It didn’t make sense to me that we couldn’t create a better test using saliva,” he said. He said as much to friends and fellow Upstate colleagues at a dinner party he and his wife, Michele, were attending in early March 2020.
The Franklin County Economic Development Corp. (FCEDC) was recently awarded $400,000 from the New York Main Street (NYMS) Program
The Franklin County Economic Development Corp. (FCEDC) was recently awarded $400,000 from the New York Main Street (NYMS) Program to support building renovations in Downtown Malone. The FCEDC, with the support of Village Mayor Andrea Dumas and the Board of Trustees, and its consultant, In Site Architecture, submitted a request for funding in January of 2021. 

Funding will be used to complete historically appropriate interior and exterior building renovations including commercial build-outs, upper floor apartments, and a range of facade improvements. The $400,000 award will result in a total investment of more than $800,000 in building renovations in Downtown Malone over the next two years.

The NYMS award comes on the heels of the successful completion of the New York Technical Assistance (TA) Grant that provided funding for professionally developed design guidelines for Downtown Malone along with facade renderings for eight properties. These guidelines and renderings will be used to help complete projects supported by this new funding award. In addition, FCEDC, working with the Village and In Site Architecture, is finalizing a Downtown Malone Revitalization Strategic Plan that is being funded through a NYS Local Waterfront Revitalization Program grant.
Statement from State Budget Director Robert Mujica, Jr.
"At the Governor's direction, the Department of Tax and Finance will be extending the New York State income tax deadline to May 17 to align with the federal decision to do the same. This 30-day extension provides New Yorkers still coping with the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic ample time to file. This will shift approximately $6 billion of revenue from April to May and the State will make any necessary adjustments to cash-flow."
To help the North Country reopen safely and meet the state and local mandates, The North Country Chamber of Commerce has created a comprehensive list of resources to navigate state and local requirements. Check out the home page for details. There is also a series of webinars available for businesses to help educate and provide answers to common questions.
Today's Dose is Generously Supported By:
QUICK LINKS:
  • NYS Vaccination Updates: Official Site for making an appointment to get the COVID-19 Vaccine.
  • Forward NY: Official State Website for opening procedures and guidelines.
  • NYS Travel Advisory: Stay up to date on the latest NYS Travel Advisory Updates.
  • Looking for Supplies: If your business is looking for hard to find protective products, we have created a list of businesses offering hand sanitizer, gloves, wipes, masks and other items.
  • SCORE: Small business owners are resilient and can power through this challenging time, with SCORE by their side.
Have Questions? We're here to help!

North Country Chamber of Commerce
518.563.1000