Enid Response and Recovery to COVID-19
4.8.20
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ERDA & Main Street Enid Partner Together to Support Local Small Businesses
The Enid Regional Development Alliance (ERDA) is partnering with Main Street Enid to increase small business shopping through a gift card giveaway. Once a week, there will be a drawing for a $100 gift card from a downtown Main Street Enid partner of the winner's choice. To enter, make a purchase of $20 or more from ANY small business in Enid, retail or restaurant, and send your proof of purchase to  web@mainstreetenid.org . Entries will be doubled if you purchase from a downtown small business. Drawings will take place every Friday starting April 10th and ending on May 29th. For updates and winner announcements, follow Enid Regional Development Alliance on Facebook or Main Street Enid on Facebook and Instagram.

"Now more than ever, it is vital that we support our small business owners in Enid. Small businesses do not have the reserves in place to weather a long-term shut down and many who close during this pandemic will not reopen. Please focus your spending on our small businesses to increase their chance of survival through this time”, said Lisa Powell, Executive Director of ERDA. “This weekly drawing is our way of reminding everyone of the value these businesses bring to our community.”


RESOURCES
SBA Loans & Faith-Based Organizations
The SBA has released a FAQ on the Payroll Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan and how it applies to Faith Based Organizations.

Checklist to Complete the PPP Application
Are you ready to turn in your Payroll Protection Program Application? Make sure you have these five items when you visit with your lender:

  1. Completed PPP Loan application
  2. Payroll documents to show how you determined your average monthly payroll
  3. Corporate and Organizational Documents
  4. SSN & Driver’s License for all who own at least 20% of business
  5. Certification of Beneficial Owner Form – provided by the bank

Note: 1099 contractors and self-employed sole proprietors can apply for the PPP loan beginning this Friday, April 10th.


Important PPP Forgiveness Information
For your PPP loan to be forgiven, the number of employees on your payroll at the end of the 8-week program has to equal your Pre-COVID levels. To determine your Pre-COVID employment level businesses may use the number of employees on staff during either of these dates: Feb 15 – Jun 30, 2019, OR Jan 1 – Feb 29, 2020. Most businesses are using the lower employee count between these two dates. Businesses are not required to have Pre-COVID employment levels to apply for the PPP but, must hire employees to match Pre-COVID levels during the 8 weeks of funding.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has created a checklist for Small Businesses applying for the Payroll Protection Program to help you understand the loan and what you need to apply.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act created new temporary paid sick leave and paid Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) programs that are 100% reimbursable by the federal government. The effective date of both programs is April 1 and they expire on December 31, 2020.
Both programs are in addition to any leave you already offer.

Scammers are using the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) name to con small businesses and individuals during the COVID-19 crisis through phone calls, emails, text messages and letters.

Please note:
·    If you are contacted by someone claiming to be from the SBA, suspect fraud. 
·    Emails from SBA or other legitimate government agencies will always end in .gov.
·    There is no cost to apply for a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan and SBA will never ask you to provide a credit card.
·    Do not release any private information (social security number, date of birth, etc.) or banking information in response to an unsolicited caller, letter, email, or text.
·    If you are in the process of applying for an SBA loan and receive email correspondence asking for PII, ensure that the referenced application number is consistent with your application number.
·    An SBA logo on an email or webpage does not guarantee the information is accurate or from the SBA.
·    Check for spelling and grammatical errors in an email and be wary of clicking on any links or attachments.
·    For help with applying for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan, call 800-659-2955 or email  disastercustomerservice@sba.gov . You can also use a text telephone (TTY) by calling 1-800-877-8339.
·    For inquiries regarding support for small businesses, send an email to  answerdesk@sba.gov
·     Visit [lnks.gd]  the Small Business Cybersecurity site to learn more about small Business Cybersecurity tips, common threats, training, and best practices.  https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/manage-your-business/small-business-cybersecurity [lnks.gd]
·     Visit [lnks.gd]  the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Infrastructure site for small business resources.  https://w.gov/publication/stopthinkconnect-small-business-resources [lnks.gd]
·    Trust your instincts! If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is too good to be true.


Small Business Assistance
In response to this pandemic, ERDA has partnered with Autry Technology Center, the Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce, and REI Oklahoma to serve as a resource to our business partners during this COVID-19 crisis. Although this partnership is not affiliated with the Small Business Administration, our goal continues to be to support our community businesses by providing resources and assistance.