Last updated 10:30 AM 8/20/2020
COVID-19 PA STATEWIDE GRANT PROGRAM
RECENT UPDATES
Latest Updates:
Click here to view the official August 10th PA COVID-19 Business Grants Press Release/data release
City of Philadelphia – Department of Commerce
RECENT UPDATES
FINAL DEADLINE FOR PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM
The final deadline to apply to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is Saturday, August 8. Recent changes to PPP aim to better help small businesses access this funding. To apply for the PPP loan fund, you must submit your application to a lender (a list of local lenders can be found here).
SECOND ROUND OF PA STATEWIDE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OPENS
The second window of applications for the PA Small Business Assistance program will be open from 9:00 a.m. on August 10 through 11:59 p.m. on August 28. If you applied during the first application window you should receive notification of your application status by August 10; you do not need to reapply in the second round. Learn more, including how to apply.
NOTE: In order to make these loans accessible for more business owners, changes have been made regarding the program’s eligibility related to criminal history of business owners.
MAIN STREET LENDING PROGRAM
The Federal Reserve established the Main Street Lending Program to support lending to small and medium-sized businesses that were in sound financial condition before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Main Street loans are not grants and cannot be forgiven. Interested businesses will work with an eligible lender to determine if they meet the program requirements, which are available online, as well as the lender’s own underwriting standards.
City of Philadelphia – Department of Commerce
RECENT UPDATES
NEW GRANT PROGRAM: COVID-19 PA HAZARD PAY GRANT
The COVID-19 PA Hazard Pay Grant Program was established to help employers provide hazard pay to employees in life-sustaining occupations during the pandemic. Learn more including how to apply here.
Workers making less than $20 an hour are eligible for up to $1,200 in hazard pay over a 10-week period between August 16 and October 24.
City of Philadelphia – Department of Commerce
RECENT UPDATES
REOPENING PHILADELPHIA WITH CARE
As Philadelphia has entered a modified Green Phase, businesses should reopen with care by following the City’s Safety Checklist to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The virus is still present in our communities and poses a real threat if we don’t take things seriously as the city reopens. Learn more about the City’s plan for the Green Phase: Reopening with Care.
APPLY NOW: NEW $225 MILLION SMALL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM
DEADLINE EXTENDED: PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM
The deadline to apply to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been extended until August 8, 2020. Recent changes to PPP aim to better help small businesses access this funding. To apply for the PPP loan fund, you must submit your application to a lender (a list of local lenders can be found here).
COVID-19 Relief Pennsylvania Statewide Small Business Assistance – Opens 6/30/2020
The new COVID-19 PA Statewide Small Business Assistance program is open 6/30/2020 and the application window will stay open for 10 business days.
The COVID-19 Relief Pennsylvania Statewide Small Business Assistance program will provide grants, ranging from $5,000 to $50,000, to small businesses that have been economically impacted by COVID-19. PIDC is a member of The Pennsylvania CDFI Network, 17 Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that will support small businesses throughout the Commonwealth to access the grant funds.
Applications will continue to be accepted after 10 business days but will be considered for future rounds of funding. Additional rounds will be announced soon.
New information about the COVID-19 PA Statewide Small Business Assistance program has been posted to the website pabusinessgrants.com
This Project is financed by a grant from the federal Department of U.S. Treasury, under the administration of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania CDFI Network.
City of Philadelphia – Department of Commerce
RECENT UPDATES
REOPENING PHILADELPHIA WITH CARE
As Philadelphia plans to move toward the Green Phase of restarting, businesses should reopen with care by following the City’s Safety Checklist, called “ Safe Mode,” to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Last week, the City released Reopening with Care, Philadelphia’s strategy for moving to the Green Phase of reopening post COVID-19. The Department of Public Health has provided industry-specific reopening guidance for the activities that are newly allowed in the Green Phase beginning July 3 in Philadelphia if targets are met.
FINAL CALL FOR PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM APPLICATIONS
Recent changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) aim to better help small businesses access this funding. To apply for the PPP loan fund, you must submit your application to a lender (a list of local lenders can be found here).
Harrisburg, PA – Gov. Wolf Announces $225 Million Grant Program for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
Governor Tom Wolf today announced a $225 million statewide grant program to support small businesses that were impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis and subsequent business closure order.
“As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and shift our focus toward reopening our commonwealth, we need to help all Pennsylvanians recover. We need to provide assistance for those who were hurt by the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn,” Gov. Wolf said. “This new program will provide direct support to impacted businesses to cover operating expenses during the shutdown and the transition to reopening.”
For full article go to https://dced.pa.gov/newsroom/gov-wolf-announces-225-million-grant-program-for-small-businesses-impacted-by-covid-19/
City of Philadelphia – Department of Commerce
RECENT UPDATES
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PLAN FOR SAFELY REOPENING BUSINESSES
The City’s Safer at Home plan and executive order outline how Philadelphia will begin to reopen for business when the current Stay-at-Home Order is lifted, which may occur as soon as Friday, June 5, 2020.
Lower-risk activities permitted to operate within certain parameters during the Safer-at-Home Order (Yellow Phase) include:
- Restaurants (including food trucks and walk-up ordering, no dine-in service)
- Retail businesses (curbside and delivery are strongly encouraged)
- Child care centers
- Outdoor youth day camps and recreation
- Outdoor parks-related amenities
- Office-based businesses (telework still required whenever feasible)
- Consumer banking
- Automobile sales
- Real estate activities
- Manufacturing
- Warehouse operations
Continued Precautions:
Businesses will be required by the Safer-at-Home Order to follow a safety checklist of operations called “ Safe Mode” to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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City of Philadelphia – Department of Commerce
UPDATED RESOURCES AND ASSISTANCE FOR BUSINESSES
Follow the Commerce Department’s Twitter for updates and visit the City of Philadelphia’s resources page for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
SOME LENDERS STILL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR PPP
The following lenders are still known to be accepting applications for PPP from Philadelphia businesses, with some limitations:
APPLY FOR LOANS FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA 30 DAY FUND
SBA ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOANS NOW OPEN ONLY TO AGRICULTURAL BUSINESSES
The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) is now accepting applications on a limited basis from U.S. agricultural businesses only.
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PennDOT Certification and Qualification Temporary COVID-19 Update
The most current PennDOT Certification and Qualification COVID-19 update has been made available. These guidelines will be followed until May 31, 2020. As necessary the time period may be extended.
PennDOT Certification and Qualification COVID-19 Guidance
Wolf Administration Announces Second Round of State Funding for Pennsylvania Businesses
$13.5 Million in New COVID-19 Working Capital Access Program Funds Awarded
Harrisburg, PA – Today, on behalf of Governor Tom Wolf, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin announced that 160 companies in 43 counties have received $13.5 million in funding during the second round of the COVID-19 Working Capital Access Program (CWCA). Funds awarded under the program to date total more than $23 million awarded to a number of diverse businesses like restaurants, wellness centers, wineries and breweries, consulting firms, and salons and spas.
“These loans will help businesses in the commonwealth quickly access capital to address their critical needs while we continue to follow the governor and health secretary’s orders,” said Sec. Davin. “Small businesses are the fabric of our commonwealth, and the Wolf Administration is committed to supporting them to the fullest extent during this unprecedented time.”
A list of approved projects can be found here. New disbursements are highlighted in yellow.
On March 25, 2020, Governor Wolf announced that the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) authorized the transfer of $40 million to the Small Business First Fund for CWCA. PIDA authorized making $61 million available to provide loans of $100,000 or less to for-profit businesses with 100 or fewer full-time employees.
PIDA staff continue to review submitted applications for approval and are actively working with DCED’s Certified Economic Development Organizations (CEDOs) to disburse CWCA loan funds at the time of approval. Information on future awardees will be released as it becomes available. DCED continues to update its website with financial and other resources.
Businesses seeking further guidance and clarification from DCED can also contact its customer service resource account at ra-dcedcs@pa.gov. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, Pennsylvanians should follow www.governor.pa.gov and www.doh.pa.gov.
Wolf Administration Issues Guidance as Construction Industry Prepares to Resume Work May 1
As the construction industry prepares to resume work, the Wolf Administration today issued guidance for all construction businesses and employees to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
All businesses in the construction industry in the commonwealth are permitted to resume in-person operations starting Friday, May 1 – one week earlier than previously announced.
Previously, Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine ordered most construction projects to cease unless they were supporting life-sustaining businesses or activities or were granted an exemption to perform or support life-sustaining activities.
“My administration has taken measured, aggressive steps to protect public health and safety, including strictly limiting the types of businesses and projects that may continue to operate during this unprecedented time,” Wolf said. “Thankfully, these actions are working, and we are flattening the curve. As we start to take steps to reopen the state, we recognize that the construction industry is vital to Pennsylvania’s economy and may operate safely with stringent guidance in place that will protect employees and the public.”
The guidance, developed from guidance created by the General Contractors Association of Pennsylvania, provides universal protocols for all construction activity, as well as specific additional guidance for residential, commercial and public construction projects.
All business and employees in the construction industry must adhere to the Secretary of Health’s order providing for business safety measures, which requires that every person present at a work site wear masks/face coverings unless they are unable for medical or safety reasons and requires that businesses establish protocols upon discovery that the business has been exposed to a person who is a probable or confirmed case of COVID-19.
All construction projects must maintain proper social distancing and provide hand washing and sanitizing stations for workers, as well as cleaning and sanitizing protocols for high risk transmission areas. Businesses must identify a “pandemic safety officer” for each project or work site, or, for large scale construction projects, for each contractor at the site.
Residential construction projects may not permit more than four individuals on the job site at any time, not including individuals who require temporary access to the site and are not directly engaged in the construction activity.
For non-residential or commercial projects, the number of individuals permitted on enclosed portions of a project varies depending on the size of the enclosed site. Commercial construction firms should also strongly consider establishing a written safety plan for each work location containing site specific details for the implementation of this guidance to be shared with all employees and implemented and enforced by the pandemic safety officer.
Contractors performing work at the direction of the commonwealth, municipalities or school districts should defer to those public entities to determine what projects may continue.
Local governments may elect to impose more stringent requirements than those contained in the guidance and in such instances, businesses must adhere to those more stringent requirements.
Local officials have been tasked with ensuring that construction businesses are aware that this guidance exists and notifying businesses that a complaint of noncompliance was received.
Businesses that have questions about whether this guidance applies to them may email the Department of Labor and Industry at RA-LIBOIS-BUILDINGS@pa.gov.
View this information in Spanish.
New Funding Available for Federal Relief Programs
APPLY FOR FEDERAL PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM
New funding has been made available by Congress for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which provides relief to small businesses, independent contractors, eligible self-employed individuals, and nonprofits. Go here for a list of approved lenders to apply for PPP.
APPLY FOR SBA ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOANS
New funding has also been made available for the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). The program offers up to $2 million of financial assistance to small businesses or private, non-profit organizations that suffer substantial economic injury.
Small business owners can apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance of up to $10,000 that does not have to be repaid. Apply here
NEW PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is now available for self-employed workers, independent contractors, and gig workers. Apply here.
Learn more about information about financial relief available to workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
SBA Disaster Assistance in Response to the Coronavirus
Notice: Lapse in Appropriations
SBA is unable to accept new applications at this time for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)-COVID-19 related assistance program (including EIDL Advances) based on available appropriations funding.
Applicants who have already submitted their applications will continue to be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering designated states and territories low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Upon a request received from a state’s or territory’s Governor, the SBA will issue under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by the President, an Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration.
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- Any such Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance declaration issued by the SBA makes loans available statewide to small businesses and private, nonprofit organizations to help alleviate economic injury caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). This will apply to current and future disaster assistance declarations related to Coronavirus.
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- The SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance will coordinate with the state’s or territory’s Governor to submit the request for Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance.
- Once a declaration is made, the information on the application process for Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance will be made available to affected small businesses within the state.
- The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance and can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.
- These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses. The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%.
- The SBA offers loans with long-term repayments in order to keep payments affordable, up to a maximum of 30 years. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower’s ability to repay.
- The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans are just one piece of the expanded focus of the federal government’s coordinated response, and the SBA is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible.
- For questions, please contact the SBA disaster assistance customer service center at 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or e-mail disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
PennDOT COVID-19 Response
In response to COVID-19, PennDOT has implemented a variety of operational changes. Details about those changes can be found here, along with frequently asked questions on each change.
Download a summary of PennDOT’s COVID-19 response (PDF).
For full information on Pennsylvania’s response to COVID-19, visit the Department of Health’s coronavirus resource page.
Resources and Loans
