An Update from Iowa Team on COVID-19
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Managing Child Care Businesses
during COVID-19 Webinar

Friday, March 27
10:00 -11:00 am (CDT)
First Children’s Finance invites child care businesses from Minnesota, Iowa and Michigan to explore crisis management strategies for their businesses during COVID-19. Topics to be discussed include: business crisis management, access to emergency capital, projecting cash flow, reviewing financial data to make decisions about business operations, how to manage continued operations, and how to manage a temporary closure of a program.

Registration is limited to 500 att endees. If you are not able to register or attend a recording will be made available on our Facebook Page.  
First Children's Finance in Iowa
The First Children’s Finance staff is here to help you. Our Iowa staff does much of our work through technology, so we are experiencing little disruption to our assistance programs at this time. Below is an update on FCF programs and services in Iowa and other business resources you may find useful.

In-Person Training Events that were previously scheduled have been canceled. In their place, we are planning web-based training topics and dates to be offered shortly. Watch your email, the FCF website, and the DHS Training Registry for those web-based trainings.

Growth Fund Program in Scott County , will be converting all remaining consulting and group events to video conferencing and other electronic means, including the final Class 10 Celebration.

We want to thank all of you who are caring for young children and those who are helping to preserve child care operations and staff for our future.

Sincerely,
Heidi Schlueter, Iowa Regional Director
First Children's Finance Business Resources

Business Consulting and Coaching
Business consulting and coaching are available. Contact us if you have questions about your business operations or need help navigating resources.

Cash Flow Coaching for Child Care Businesses
F irst Children’s Finance provides child care center-based and home-based programs with the cash flow tool and coaching you need to help answer your critical financial questions.

Financial Assistance
Financial Assistance in the form of a business loan is available. Clients that have an existing loan with FCF should keep in touch with our staff about any changes in your business. 
 
Additional Business Resources

Iowa Small Business Relief Grant and Tax Deferral
The purpose of Iowa Small Business Relief Grant and Tax Deferral is to provide financial assistance and/or tax deferral to businesses that are experiencing business interruption due to the COVID-19 virus. The program provides grants in the amount of $5,000-$25,000 for businesses employing 2-25 employees prior to March 17, 2020.

Deadline: 12:00 pm (noon), March 31, 2020. This program is NOT first-come, first-served. Applications will be sorted by county and ranked by business impact level. 

Iowa Targeted Small Business (TSB) Sole Operator Fund
The program offers eligible small businesses that have been economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic grants ranging from $5,000-$10,000 to businesses that are single owners with no employees that are also TSB certified, or have an application submitted to the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) by April 10, 2020 to become TSB certified.

Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis until all funds are exhausted. Applications are processed in both order of receipt of application and submission of all required documents and Targeted Small Business certification approval. 

Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) and Unemployment Deferral
Unemployment Tax Insurance Payment Deferral
Governor Reynolds announced on March 23, 2020, that first quarter unemployment tax payments for employers with 50 or fewer employees can be deferred . Payments for Q1 would be due when Q2 payments are due, July 31, 2020. No interest or penalties will accrue for delayed payments. The extension of payment deadline without interest is not a holiday or forgiveness and the taxes will be due July 31, 2020. Employers still need to file their quarterly reports by April 24.

Iowa Workforce Development has put together: FAQs sheets on unemployment for both Employers and Employees, information from the US Department of Labor, and an Unemployment Insurance informational webinar for claimants (employees).

Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Assistance
The SBA issued a disaster declaration for the State of Iowa as of March 21. This declaration makes low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital available to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Facebook Small Business Grant
Facebook is offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries where we operate.