North Coast Pandemic Update 4/1
Financial Help Alerts

Do you have an existing 7(a), 504, or other SBA loan?
  • Please contact your lender today. the Small Business Administration is probably covering your principal, interest, and fee payments for the next six months. This applies to 7(a) loans, Community Advantage Pilot Program, Microloan Program, and 504 loans. These payments do not apply to PPP loans.

Del Norte Small Business Stabilization Loan Program Opens Today

CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
  • This program will open for applications through your local lender on Friday, April 3rd.
  • Download a pdf overview of the program here (from U.S. Treasury).
  • This federal program created as part of the CARES Act will provide loans to businesses--including sole proprietors and self-employed people--to cover payroll and some operating expenses. The loan is forgiveable if you can keep employees on payroll. You will apply for this through a bank, not directly to the SBA.
  • Bookmark northcoastsbdc.org/covid19financialhelp for updates.
 
City of Arcata Business Resiliency Emergency Loan Program
  • Loans of up to $10,000 are available to Arcata businesses impacted by COVID-19. Learn more here.

Federal SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)
  • Rapid cash advance. SBA has added a checkbox on the application to request a rapid $10,000 advance on your loan. Advance is paid within 3 days of a successful EIDL application, and may not have to be repaid. If you already completed your application SBA will be in touch to offer you the chance to request this since it wasn’t available last week. If you started to apply, but never completed your application, you will need to reapply using the new and improved portal (see below.)
  • If you applied for EIDL and were denied. SBA is reviewing its past EIDL application denials and now expects to be able to approve many of the applications that were initially denied.
  • SBA dramatically improved the online application, beefed up capacity to deal with millions of applicants, and grows customer service team exponentially every week: covid19relief.sba.gov, 1-800-659-2955, disastercustomerservice@sba.gov
Layoff Help Event
 for your Humboldt employees
Multi-Business Employee Layoff Help Event on Friday, April 3rd from 10 - 11:30 am. Learn more and register here.

  • If you have already laid off employees or expect lay off employees please have them register for this event. They can participate by video conference or by phone.
  • We will help your laid-off employees understand what options and services are available to them during this difficult time.
  • North Coast SBDC, The Smart Center/Job Market, Employment Development Department, and other partners are co-hosting the first of several virtual events for employees in Humboldt County.

The Del Norte Workforce Center offers the same service in Del Norte. Co ntact Director Christy Hernandez to learn more: chernandez@ncen.org , (707) 464-8347
Webinars
Miercoles, 1 Abril, 11 h - Ayuda Financiera para Empresas en California Afectadas por COVID-19
Wednesday 4/1, 12-1 pm
Restaurants & Tourism-Based Businesses. Register now for the latest episode of the Surviving Together Webinar Series, co-hosted by Allie Heemstra of Allie Illuminates and Alanna Powell of Humboldt Made. Leave with marketing strategies to stay connected with clients and customers during Shelter in Place.
Friday 4/3, 12-1 pm
Support for Artisans & Self Employed Individuals. Register now for the latest episode of the Surviving Together Webinar Series co-hosted by Allie Heemstra of Allie Illuminates and Alanna Powell of Humboldt Made. S upport and resources available to artisans and self-employed individuals during the COVID-19 crisis.
North Coast SBDC Center Service Continuity
Stay Updated COVID-19 Resources and Guidance for Small Business is updated daily or more: northcoastsbdc.org/covid19

Get Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About COVID-19 for your business  here and download the California SBDC's COVID-19 Survival Guide for Small Business here .

Sign up for the Small Business Emergency Response mailing list: surveymonkey.com/r/NorthCoastBizCOVID19

Get confidential layoff or closure help ... manage and support your employees during forced closures or layoffs emailing layoffhelp@northcoastsbdc.org or calling (707) 445-9720

Get confidential management or finance help ... figure out how to maximize income, reduce expenses, apply for disaster funding and more by signing up to speak with a business advisor at northcoastsbdc.org/apply
Is the Center headquarters open?
The office is closed BUT your North Coast SBDC team is working from home during our Shelter in Place order. Please call 707-445-9720 or email admin@northcoastsbdc.org instead. Visit the  North Coast SBDC Service Continuity Update page   to understand how we are handling your needs and questions. 

Also, please be aware that staff are working at top intensity to respond to increased demand during the crisis so please start by accessing the resources above to see if we've already answered your question.

Is my workshop still running?
Probably. Most of our workshops through May are still on and are being offered virtually via Zoom. Register for the workshops you want to attend northcoastsbdc.org/calendar and we will send you login instructions. You'll need a computer, decent Internet speed, and ideally a separate phone. The workshops that require a high level of interaction and/or computer labs will be postponed.

Can I still meet with my business advisor?
Yes. Our advisors are independent contractors so we leave it up to you two to decide where and how to meet. Many of our advisors are prepared to meet with you by phone and/or videoconference to make sure you continue to get the help you need.

How do I use Zoom to access services virtually?
Zoom is the videoconferencing services we're using to deliver our workshops live. Most of our business advisors are also using to be in communication with you. It's flexible--can be used as a phone service, a videoconference service, to share views of what's on your computer so you can look at financial statements together, etc.

Please make sure that you have downloaded and installed the  Zoom program  on your computer in advance. It’s fairly fast and easy, but does take a few minutes.

And if this is your first time here is a short video tutorial on YouTube from Geeks on Tour: How do I join a Zoom meeting?
North Coast Small Business Development Center
Humboldt: (707) 445-9720 | Del Norte: (707) 464-2168
North Coast SBDC Learning Programs also generously funded by: