Covid-19 Info

Scroll down to view info on COVID-19 issues and resources…

The ODA customer service info is: 1-800-659-2955 or, for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 1-800-877-8339, and disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. 

Please note – information on this page subject to change.

Also, scroll down for info on the Micro-Enterprise Loan Program and the Women’s Business Enterprise Loan Program.

Info for COVID-related webinars may also be listed on the Community Partners and the SBDC Network pages, listed on the Resources tab.

 

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Please contact the SBA with any questions about any SBA grants/loans.

 

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Ohio Emergency PPE Makers’ Exchange Helps Businesses Find PPE

The Ohio Emergency PPE Makers’ Exchange is an online marketplace where organizations that need personal protective equipment (PPE) and related equipment can find a wide selection offered by Ohio manufacturers. This online service is especially well-suited for organizations that may have lower-volume needs.

For more information and to participate in the Exchange, click here.

A list of Ohio Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Encouraging Diversity, Growth and Equity (EDGE) certified companies selling PPE and related products and services is available here (PDF).

In addition to the resources available via the Ohio Manufacturing Alliance Makers’ Exchange, another list of vendors providing various PPE is available here (PDF).

DISCLAIMER: Third-party websites not controlled or monitored by Ohio Development Services Agency. Development is not responsible for any materials, information, or content posted on any linked third-party website. The inclusion of any links or contact information in this communication does not imply any relationship or association between Ohio Development Services Agency, the State of Ohio, and the listed business, nor is it an advertisement or endorsement. Information is provided for user convenience and information purposes only. You are responsible for your access to linked websites or contact of any individual or business

 

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DUN’s numbers are issued by Dun and Bradstreet.  Here’s the link to start the application:

https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/

 

This is also a good educational link that explains it:

www.grants.gov/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html

 

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The link  (www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html) explains how to apply for a SAMs (System for Award Management) number.

 

Below is a link to SAM Registration training that is on the SBA website under the SVOG.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2t5queourQ

 

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And here are two very good PowerPoints to review… 

 SAM SBDC Presentation 

SAM Registration for Grants and Assistance

 

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The State of Ohio recently announced two new loan programs for Women’s Business Enterprises and Minority Owned Businesses.  Applicants to the Ohio Micro-Enterprise Loan must be certified by the Ohio Department of Development’s Minority Business Development Division (MBDD) as either a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) or a Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE). The business must be current on federal, state, and local taxes and current on private or publicly financed loans.

Applicants to the Women’s Business Enterprise Loan Program must have 51% ownership and control by women or be certified by the Minority Business Development Division as a Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE). The Ohio Department of Development (Development) recommends WBE certification, but it is not required to apply for a loan. Businesses must be current on federal, state, and local taxes a  and current on private or publicly financed loans.

 

Ohio_Micro-Enterprise_Loan_Program_09302021

Womens_Business_Enterprise_Loan_Program_09302021

 

 

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RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION FUND

Applications have closed.

Fund recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023.  

 

Please contact the SBA with any questions.

 

 

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MAY 4, 2021

 

After more than a year of operation and serving more than eight million small businesses, funding for the bi-partisan Paycheck Protection Program has been exhausted. The SBA will continue funding outstanding approved PPP applications, but new qualifying applications will only be funded through Community Financial Institutions, financial lenders who serve underserved communities. The SBA is committed to delivering economic aid through the many COVID relief programs it is currently administering and beyond.

For more information and updates, please visit SBA.gov/PaycheckProtection or Treasury.gov/CARES 

 

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What is a CFI/CDFI/CFDI/MDI?

Per the Economic Aid Act, a community financial Institution is one of four types of lenders:

1. Community Financial Development Institution

2. Minority Depository Institution

3. Community Development Corporation

4. Microlender Intermediary

 

Links to and info about CDFIs:

https://www.ohiocdfis.org/ 

CDFI Cert List 12-16-2020 Final

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5dd2e6da9daf0600a3f8214b/t/5e96f98d43590d38022c2d49/1586952590851/OhioCDFI_Table_200415.pdf

 

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SBA Disaster Loan Phishing Scam Alert!!!!

Multiple sources identified an SBA-themed phishing email that is addressed to, “Valued SBA Applicant” and signed by SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance (ODA). The body of the email requests user to verify the account, “due to high fraudulent claims and identity theft cases used by hijackers recently in regard to loan applications.” The statement is false, and the links could lead to financial or personally identifiable information (PII) loss.

Any email communication from the SBA will come from email accounts ending in sba[.]gov. Loan applicants should:

• Confirm the application number referenced in the email is consistent with their actual application number.

• Do not click on any links or open any attachments unless you are sure of the recipient.

 

Applicants who receive email correspondence asking for PII are often targets of email phishing scams. For more information on email phishing scams where bad actors are taking advantage through “SBA Loan Applications” please visit this site:

https://www.sba.gov/blog/be-alert-about-email-phishing-scams-bad-actors-seeking-take-advantage-through-sba-loan-application

If you see this or similar activity, immediately report the activity to SPAM@sba.gov. NOTE: Contacting individual staff members for service/support may result in a delayed response.

Alert #: 20201161305

 

Report fraud, including mailed letters that may look suspicious!

Report any suspected fraud to OIG’s Hotline at 800-767-0385 or online at, https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/oversight-advocacy/office-inspector-general/office-inspector-general-hotline.

 

 

 

Home Page | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | Email Alerts

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October 14, 2020 

The city of Akron and the Western Reserve Community Fund (WRCF) are launching a program that aims to provide low-cost loans to small businesses in Akron.

The city and WRCF announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, that they are immediately accepting applications for loans of between $10,000 and $70,000. WRCF is a nonprofit managed by the Development Finance Authority of Summit County (DFA).

The city and WRCF said they will work in partnership with existing support programs, such as Akron’s Great Streets and Rubber City Match programs, as well as with the Akron Urban League and the Bounce Innovation Hub, to “provide low-cost small business loans to help stabilize Akron’s small businesses.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has put a huge strain on individuals and businesses alike,” said Akron mayor Dan Horrigan in a news release. “To meet the evolving challenges and pivot to deliver goods and services as safely as possible in this current climate, small businesses need flexible capital. We are confident that this new loan fund will be able to provide just that.”

Beyond the current pandemic, the fund is intended to operate indefinitely, the city and WRCF said.

No dollar amount was specified for the size of the fund, dubbed the Akron Resiliency Fund, but funding will come from the city and hopefully additional sources, organizers said.

“The fund will be seeded with capital from the city’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocation from U.S. Housing and Urban Development and will ideally leverage capital from local philanthropic sources, accredited individual investors, regional banks and national investment partners,” the release stated.

Businesses with gross annual revenue of less than $3 million and fewer than 50 employees will be eligible to receive the loans, providing at least 25% of their employees are Akron residents.  Businesses in low- to-moderate income areas which includes all of Akron with the exception of Ellet and most of Northwest Akron, are eligible.  Nonprofits and certain businesses are not eligible.  

The city said applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis, but that consideration will be given to businesses located in low- to moderate-income Census tracts.

Businesses can use the loans for things such as payroll, working capital, equipment and refinancing debt, the city said.

To learn more about the details of the loan and to apply, please visit http://www.developmentfinanceauthority.org/services/akron-resiliency-fund/ or call the Development Finance Authority at (330) 762-4776. 

Applications are also available online.

 

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Release date 10/30/2020

NEW PPP FORGIVENESS FACTSHEET FOR BORROWER AUDIENCE

 

A PPP factsheet for borrowers that provides a high-level overview of what they have to do as part of the PPP Forgiveness process has been developed for SBA field offices and SBA Resource Partners.

The basic premise is that the borrowers in all cases should work with their PPP lenders on forgiveness.

Here is the link to the document.

 https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2020-10/PPP%20Forgiveness%20Factsheet-508_r1.pdf

The link is also on www.sba.gov/ppp

 

In Case You Missed It: Did you know that PPP Forgiveness information is available in 17 languages? You can find all 17 languages by visiting https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-recovery-information-other-languages#section-header-0

 

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Release Date: June 17, 2020                           Contact: Press_Office@sba.gov, (202) 205-7036

Release Number: 20-48                       Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Blogs & Instagram

SBA and Treasury Announce New EZ and Revised Full Forgiveness Applications for the Paycheck Protection Program

WASHINGTON—Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, posted a revised, borrower-friendly Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application implementing the PPP Flexibility Act of 2020, signed into law by President Trump on June 5, 2020.  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 and have no employees; OR
• Did not reduce the salaries or wages of their employees by more than 25%, and did not reduce the number 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%.

The EZ application requires fewer calculations and less documentation for eligible borrowers.  Details regarding the applicability of these provisions are available in the instructions to the new EZ application form.

Both applications give borrowers the option of using the original 8-week covered period (if their loan was made before June 5, 2020) or an extended 24-week covered period.  These changes will result in a more efficient process and make it easier for businesses to realize full forgiveness of their PPP loan.

Click here to view the EZ Forgiveness Application.

Click here to view the Full Forgiveness Application.

 

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posted 10/9/2020

SBA & Treasury announce simpler PPP forgiveness applications

for loans less than $50,000

The goal of the new application is to streamline the PPP process and allow lenders to process forgiveness more quickly.  Click the corresponding links for details:

Application

Instructions

Forgiveness IFR

 

PPP FAQ Document Updated

The online FAQ has been updated to include the following:

Q52 – The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (Flexibility Act) extended the deferral period for borrower payments of principal interest and fees on all PPP loans to the date that SBA remits the borrower’s loan forgiveness amount to the lender (or, if the borrower does not apply for loan forgiveness, 10 months after the end of the borrower’s loan forgiveness covered period). Previously, the deferral period could end after 6 months.  Are lenders and borrowers required to modify promissory notes used for PPP loans to reflect the extended deferral period?

A – The extension of the deferral period under the Flexibility Act automatically applies to all PPP loans.  Lenders are required to give immediate effect to the statutory extension and should notify borrowers of the change to the deferral period.  SBA does not require a formal modification to the promissory note.  A modification of a promissory note to reflect the required statutory deferral period under the Flexibility Act will have no effect on the SBA’s guarantee of a PPP loan.

Click below for the full FAQ for Lenders & Borrowers……

PPP FAQ

Forgiveness FAQ

For more information and updates, visit SBA.gov/PaycheckProtection or Treasury.gov/CARES

 

Forgiveness Platform Reminders

The SBA Office of Capital Access sent a letter via the PPP Forgiveness Platform Oct. 6 reminding lenders that to ensure successful payment processing they will need to:

• Recheck institution settings within the PPP Forgiveness Platform (e.g. Distribution List for Email Notifications, Routing and Account Number and Interest Accrual Method Selection).
• Perform a final check of submitted forgiveness decisions to ensure the Forgiveness Amount in the Platform matches records. As a reminder, the Platform does not accept or support corrections after payment remittance by SBA.
• Confirm institution’s interest accrual method. Unless SBA is notified otherwise, the interest rate for Loan Forgiveness payments is simple interest at 1% using the “Bank Method” – 360/365. If your institution used the “Stated Method” (365/365) or compound interest, please make this selection within the platform under Institution settings. All questions can be directed to help@ussbaforgiveness.com

Additional information on the forgiveness process, including relevant Procedural Notices, IFRs, and other CARES Act and PPP resources, as well as instructions for authorizing accounts and submitting forgiveness decisions in the Platform can be found in the Lender User Guide and platform videos below.  

forgiveness.sba.gov

 

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PPP Loans and Changes of Ownership

Issued on Oct. 2, Procedural Notice 5000-20057 covers the required procedures for changes of ownership of an entity that has received Paycheck Protection Program funds (a “PPP borrower”).

E-signatures extended Procedural Notice 5000-20050

extends guidance on use of electronic signatures (previously covered in Procedural Notice 5000-20009 that expired Sept. 30) for the 7(a) and 504 programs through Nov. 30, 2020, due to the continued uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. This Notice should be posted to the SBA documents site soon.

IRS: Forgiven PPP Loan Reporting Requirements

The IRS shared forgiven PPP loan reporting requirements in a recent announcement, indicating: When all or a portion of the stated principal amount of a covered loan is forgiven because the eligible recipient satisfies the forgiveness requirements under section 1106 of the CARES Act, an applicable entity is not required to, for federal income tax purposes only, and should not, file a Form 1099-C information return with the IRS or provide a payee statement to the eligible recipient under section 6050P of the Code as a result of the qualifying forgiveness. The filing of such information returns with the IRS could result in the issuance of underreported notices (IRS Letter CP2000) to eligible recipients, and the furnishing of such payee statements to eligible recipients could cause confusion. This announcement is intended to prevent any such confusion. 

 

 

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Progress, Not Panic Video Series:  sbdccolumbus.com/events/progress

Please click on the above link for various topics offered.

TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS – Video Release Day

 

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USPTO announces COVID-19 provisional patent application pilot program

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently announced a collaborative deferred-fee provisional patent application pilot program for inventions that combat COVID-19.

 

Read full news brief 

 

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New information on an ECDI Recovery Loan

https://www.ecdi.org/invest/ecdi-recovery-loan

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Business Resiliency Guide: Keeping the Lights on

America’s SBDC, Grow with Google and the Washington SBDC Network teamed together to bring small businesses across the country a Small Business Resiliency Guide.

The materials cover;

• Identify your critical resources

• Plan to use alternative resources

• Respond with your plan

• Bring your business back to normal

PLUS

• Discover Google tools that can help you work and manage your business during this time of uncertainty

• Get insights on more online and timely resources for small businesses

Get the Resiliency Guide & Materials

Learn more about Grow with Google

 

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COVID-19 SCAMS!

If you receive calls, emails, or other communications claiming to be from the Treasury Department and offering COVID-19 related grants or stimulus payments in exchange for personal financial information, or an advance fee, tax, or charge of any kind, including the purchase of gift cards, please do not respond.  These are scams.  Please contact the FBI at www.ic3.gov so that the scammers can be tracked and stopped.

Also, please remember to check with the Better Business Bureau regarding businesses about whom you may have questions or other information you may need.  https://www.bbb.org/council/coronavirus

Businesses with less than 500 employees can get funds to provide employees with paid leave, either for the employee’s own health needs or to care for family members. More on this and other IRS info related to COVID-19 outbreak at: www.irs.gov/coronavirus

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.  Please click on the following hyplerlink for the printable workplace poster.

DOL – FFCRA Poster Non-Federal 3-25-2020  

 

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The SBA’s mission is to empower small businesses with the resources and support that they need to start and grow their businesses, no matter what stage of the business they are at. This mission is no different during times of natural or economic hardship.
We stand behind Ohio’s 950,000 small businesses. Our top priority is to ensure that the state’s small businesses can continue providing needed products and services, driving the economic prosperity of our local communities. 
Our staff will continue to support small businesses with accessing federal resources and navigating their preparedness plans. I urge you to visit the resources listed below for more information and to follow us on Twitter for updates.

SBA Guidance & Assistance for Small Businesses
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has posted information regarding loan programs and guidance for businesses:
Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

CDC Guidance & Prevention Protocols for Businesses
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has issued COVID-19 guidance for businesses and is updating them as new developments occur.
Please refer to the following links for the most up-to-date information about COVID-19:

  ·  Resources for Business & Employers

·     General Info & FAQs

·     Steps to Preventing Illness

·     Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities

 

COVID-19 Resources in Ohio

Inbox for legislative inquiries: questions@governor.ohio.govOhio

Department of Health Hotline: 1833-4-ASK-ODH

Ohio Department of Health Website: coronavirus.ohio.gov

• The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) has updated its website with links to a form that employers can provide to employees who have been laid off because of the COVID-19 pandemic to expedite their claim process. Also, this ODJFS web page is specifically for employers seeking answers to coronavirus-related Unemployment Insurance questions.

Assistance for Businesses

• JobsOhio will offer a six-month deferral of payment of loans for the nearly 50 companies that have executed loan agreements with JobsOhio.

 

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The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.  Please click on the following hyplerlink for the printable workplace poster.

DOL – FFCRA Poster Non-Federal 3-25-2020  

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