NEW Resource: SBA COVID-19 Recovery Information in Other Languages

11/23/21: Small Business Flex Fund Info Webinar

09/24/21: New Updates to PPP Loan Forgiveness Instructions, presented by SBA

08/16/21: Updates to PPP Loan Forgiveness Instructions Webinar, presented by SBA

07/21/21: Updates to PPP Loan Forgiveness Instructions Webinar, presented by SBA

03/10/21: Washington State Small Business & Recovery Assistance and Other Small Business Resources - Update

03/04/21: Updated Webinar Series: PPP for Small Business - New Sessions Added!

03/02/21: Webinar Series: PPP Updates for Self-Employed and Small Business with 20 employees or less

02/21/21: Child Care Providers: How to Apply for the Paycheck Protection Program on 02/25/21

01/08/21: SBA and Treasury announce Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will re-open the week of January 11 for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers. Read more!

01/07/21: Rural LISC-Lowes Rural Relief Small Business Grants open Jan 26

‍

Unites States Small Business Association Links

• Covid-19: SBA Disaster Assistance Response Page
• Apply for a Disaster Loan
• SBA Guide for Businesses and Employers‍
• *Main SBA page will roll out all info- not at the state level. Go to SBA.gov for latest info.

SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan

The EIDL is available to those who qualify both nonprofits and for profit businesses. They have a low interest rate with a max rate of 4%. BUT this will CLOSE at the end of the year (12/31/21) or until funding runs out, so apply SOON!

Check out the Fact Sheets (English | En Español), Three-Step Process, and Loan Application.

In addition to the SBA EIDL program, other SBA loans that may be able to support you now. SBA loan providers can be found at many local banks. If you need assistance connecting to a SBA loan officer check out Lender Match is an SBA site to introduce applicants with SBA lending partners utilizing our regular loan products.

Do you currently have an SBA loan?

Did you know you can apply for a 90-day payment deferral? Reach out to your lender who helped you secure the SBA loan to obtain the correct forms. Through SBA’s regular policies, SBA participating lenders have some servicing flexibilities where they may be able to work with you on payment deferments, loan modifications, etc.

In addition to traditional commercial lenders, the SBA has micro-lending partners where loans offered range from $500 to $50,000. SBA provides funding to these organizations who then re-lend this money to qualified small businesses.

The microloan program may be a fit for relatively small financing needs or in instances where a loan applicant is having difficulty obtaining financing from a traditional lender. The active SBA micro-lenders in the area include Business Impact Northwest, Ventures and MercyCorps Northwest.

SBA-Related Links To Explore

• https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/coronavirus-covid-19?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
• https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance
• https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/coronavirus-covid-19?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
• https://www.sba.gov/page/guidance-businesses-employers-plan-respond-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#section-header-2

Updated SBA Disaster Relief Information, as of 10-14-21

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL): READ MORE HERE for the latest EIDL News

1)   Application number should begin with “3”, if not, reapply under online application launched March 30th.   https://covid19relief.sba.gov/#/

2)   800-659-2955(TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or email  disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.  (They are now staffed 24/7, call late in evening so east coast done for night.)

3)   Advances of $1,000 per employee are forgiven, up to $10K.  Advances are starting to be funded.

4)   Loans are being offered, most are for less than the firms are expecting, however there isn’t a $15k cap as being reported in the news.  Several WA firms getting loans $90k, $145k, etc.  

5)   Non-profits are eligible, with some limitations for lobbying orgs, gaming >30% of revs, etc.

‍

Small Business Flex Fund - The Small Business Flex Fund is a new resource to help you grow your business.

Supported by the Washington State Department of Commerce, the Fund helps small businesses and nonprofits access the financial support they need to thrive. You can read more HERE.

‍

Paycheck Protection Program(PPP) - NOW CLOSED. PPP focus now is on Loan Forgiveness and you can read more HERE

Washington state’s 2021 PPP performance was very strong, and we are still awaiting final data: $5,887,464,009 – nearly $5.9B – and 91,086 forgivable loans approved.

‍

CARES Act Debt Relief

SBA pays payment (principal and interest) for six months for existing 7a, 504, and microloans.  

SBA Microlenders

1)   Business Impact NW

2)   Mercy Corps NW

3)   SNAP Financial Access

4)   Ventures

5)   Rural Community Development Resources

Technical Assistance Providers

·     All regular SBA partners (SCORE, WBC, SBDC,VBOC)

·     Minority Business Development Centers (MBDA)

·     Community Non-profit Mission Partners  

Key sites for Updated Information

·     For information about SBA resources for small businesses impacted by COVID-19:  https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan resources

·     www.SBA.gov/WA

·     SubscribeSBA.gov/updates

·     Subscribe@SBAPacificNW and @SBASeattle

·     Washington state has a good site for local as well as federal resources at www.business.wa.gov

·     Washington Employment Security https://esd.wa.gov/newsroom/covid-19

‍

Information from the Washington State Governor

• Governor's List of Resources
• ‍Washington Small Business Guidance: Comprehensive Resources for WA State Business & Workers and links to all other state agencies‍
• Start Up Washington Resources (Department of Commerce)
• Employment Security Department: a cool Q&A guide for businesses and employees

• Washington Small Business Development Center: SBDC has 32 locations across the state with business advisors that can meet with businesses over the computer or on the phone. These advisors are trained to help businesses plan, make changes and support growth. They receive disaster preparedness training and are ready to help. https://wsbdc.org/about/our-leadership-staff/#tab-id-2
• SCORE: SCORE has thousands of mentors across the United States able to meet with folks online or over the phone. Most of these folks are retired business professionals. Score is also hosting several services and workshops at no cost to businesses.
• Grants: We know that the impact right now on businesses and sales is real and significant. The truth is that grant money at the moment for businesses is minimal and often available for small geographic areas. We will continue to update this page as new grants are made available.

• Loans: We recommend you talk to your local lender from your current bank about options for lending. Banks are eager to support their clients right now and it is likely the quickest way to access capital. Even if you do not need the capital now it is not a bad idea to secure a line of credit in the event that you may need it. We recommend you talk with an advisor about planning for your cash flow needs and be sure that you’ll be able to afford a loan payment. If you currently have a loan and are concerned about meeting the payment terms and dates, please reach out to them to see about options during this time.
  

• Track expenses related to COVID-19. This includes protection for employees, cleaning expenses etc.
• Fill out and submit your County's Injury Form so we can seek additional state and federal funds.
• If you are leasing your space contact your landlord and ask them to negotiate lease terms that would allow you to forgo payment on your lease for a few months. Work those missed payments into future slightly increased payments, so the landlord can recoup the missed payments over time.
• Contact your vendors to see if you can negotiate return or partial return of non-perishable good condition inventory that are currently accounts payable. Explain that you do not want to default on payment but are unable to pay.  Explain that you want to maintain a relationship with them so you can order inventory from them in the future.
• Explore alternative methods to deliver goods to customers. Take steps to ensure customers understand safety precautions you are taking with these alternative delivery methods and are comfortable with those precautions.
• Use available lines of credit when necessary. Contact your bank for information on opening lines of credit.  If you have a loan you cannot pay contact your lender immediately to explain the situation.  Contact the Small Business Administration regarding their loan available to small businesses affected by the Coronavirus https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources.
• Brainstorm with your employees to find alternative sources of revenue and activities they could be doing to produce revenue. If necessary reduce employee hours.  In worst case scenarios provide employees with information for options for unemployment benefits.  Constantly update employees on the businesses status and keep communication open.  Contact Employment Security Department regarding their shared work program that can help you retain employee through partial salary payments https://www.esd.wa.gov/SharedWork.
• Keep your customers up to date with daily social media posts. Use social media posts to show precautions that you are taking as a business to make customers more comfortable with using delivery or online services to make purchases.
• Trim as many expenses as possible. Reorder only essential products to keep the organization running.
• Reduce service or good offering temporarily. Keep your best sellers.  Reduce service or good items with higher costs, more risks, and lower profit margins.
• Sell non-essential assets to generate cash.
• Contact other businesses to see if you can trade goods and services.
• Move services online if possible. If you own a yoga studio, for example, hold live classes online and ask your current customers to join those classes. Keep relationships with customers through altered services.
• Contact your insurance company to see if there are any policy benefits you may have missed that can help you immediately.
• Contact your state government regarding delaying quarterly tax payments.