• Ken Riehl, CEO, [email protected]

• Peter Webber, Sr. VP, [email protected]

• Olivia Perez-O’Dess, Member Services Director, [email protected]

• June 30 Deadline to Apply for Cape Ann Community Foundation (CACF) Grants. Eligible applicants include religious, educational, scientific and cultural institutions and poverty relief agencies based in or providing services to the Cape Ann community. Cape Ann’s local governments and their subdivisions, including schools, are also eligible to apply. The CACF Board has narrowed the focus of the Foundation’s grant funding this year to support non-profits’ efforts to ensure the well-being of our Cape Ann community as we all move through the Coronavirus pandemic. For further information please visit www.lovecapeann.com, and to apply online please click here. Grants are funded from the proceeds of sales and renewals of the Cape Ann license plate.

• June 30 Deadline to Apply for Paycheck Protection Program Funds. Time is running out to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan to help your small business through the COVID-19 crisis. There is nearly $120 billion still available and the June 30 deadline to apply is fast approaching. For more information and to apply please click here.

• New Loan Forgiveness Applications for the Paycheck Protection Program Now Available. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, has posted a revised, borrower-friendly Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application implementing the PPP Flexibility Act of 2020. In addition to revising the full forgiveness application, SBA also published a new EZ version of the forgiveness application. For further information please click here.

• New EIDL Loan and Grant Applications Still Being Accepted. The SBA earlier this month re-launched the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and EIDL Advance Program. EIDL is now available to all small businesses that did not apply by the previous April 15 cut-off date. In addition, small businesses and non-profits may request, as part of their loan application, an EIDL advance grant of up to $10,000. For more information and to apply, please click here. Overall funds are limited, so it is important to apply as soon as possible.

• Reopening Massachusetts, Phase II. We have posted links to the latest General Business and Sector-Specific Guidance from the state on our special COVID-19 webpages. Please click here for detailed information including mandatory workplace safety standards.

• Dashboard for June 25: The state’s most recent Dashboard of Public Health Indicators continues to trend favorably in Massachusetts. The positive test rate is still trending downward, with the 7-day weighted average standing at 1.8% on June 24, a change of -94% since April 15. The 3-day weighted average of patients currently hospitalized has also fallen significantly – down 75% since April 15 – including a steep drop to 822 as of June 25.

• 2020 Cape Ann Guide is Here! The latest issue of the Chamber’s beautifully illustrated and informative Cape Ann Guide & Directory is now available. This publication is now firmly established as the most comprehensive and sought-after visitor guide and directory representing all of Cape Ann. The Guide features the Cape Ann region and its four communities of Essex, Gloucester, Rockport and Manchester-by-the-Sea. This full color magazine-style publication is a must-have for visitors to the area as well as Cape Ann residents. The 2020 edition contains informational pieces - including attractions and activities on land and sea - and feature articles highlighting Cape Ann’s villages, neighborhoods and cultural heritage, including the fifth annual Cape Ann Plein Air (CAPA). The 2020 Guide also shares the stories of multi-generational Cape Ann musicians, artists, restaurateurs and entrepreneurs. There is also a new feature highlighting the attractiveness of Cape Ann as a year-round destination. Copies are now being distributed throughout Cape Ann and beyond, and will also be delivered to Cape Ann households in partnership with the Gloucester Daily Times.

• Reopening Cape Ann. As we progress through Phase II, more and more Cape Ann businesses have reopened and expanded operations in accordance with state and local guidelines. We encourage members to update your business hours and operations in your online account so that our Business Directory on www.capeannvacations.com has your most current information. To learn more or for assistance logging into your member account, please contact Member Services Director Olivia Perez-O’Dess ([email protected]).

• Job Postings Welcome. We encourage Chamber members to use us as a resource to post job openings. All CACC members have an online account where they can post a job listing. View current job listings here including a recent posting by GMGI for an Accounting and Operations Associate. For assistance in posting job openings for your business, please contact Olivia Perez-O’Dess at [email protected].

• Changes on Gloucester’s Main Street Begin. To help restaurants with outdoor dining and encourage retailers to bring the shopping experience outside, sections of the right side of Main Street from the Hancock Street area to the West End have been cordoned off to allow for al fresco dining. The City encourages diners, residents, employees, and guests to park in the adjacent lots at 65 Rogers Street (I4C2) and Warren/Middle Street. The City will offer free parking at these locations through Wednesday, July 1. In her recent Facebook post, Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken said “Let’s all continue to eat and shop local - by spending your dollars locally, you are helping support our neighbors and investing in our community’s recovery…Thank you for your continued support”.

• Shop, Dine and Stay on Cape Ann. Like Mayor Sefatia we encourage the Cape Ann community and our visitors to shop, eat, play and stay here on Cape Ann. For a list of business hours courtesy of the retailers on Main St. Gloucester, please click this link. We welcome similar list from all our community lists and are committed to sharing this information to support Cape Ann.

• Statewide Small Business Recovery Survey. The Cape Ann Chamber is partnering with Essex County Community Foundation, MassINC Polling Group and others to conduct an important statewide survey about how the coronavirus has impacted small businesses in Massachusetts. We’re asking for your input to ensure that economic recovery programs and policies are informed by your current needs. This survey should take less than 10 minutes of your time. Your answers will be analyzed together with other responses and will never be used to identify you personally. This survey will be open for a short period of time. Please respond as soon as possible. TAKE SURVEY NOW

• CATA Seeking Public Input for Ridership Survey. The Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA) is working to continue to provide a vital service to our area by meeting the transportation needs of Cape Ann and the surrounding communities. Regular CATA services have been adjusted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and their dedication to providing safe and reliable transit service continues. This is a critical time for transportation agencies, and CATA is taking this time to plan for the future as they update their Comprehensive Regional Transit Plan. For this 5-year plan, CATA is seeking feedback from the public regarding current services and how these services meet the needs of riders and neighbors. Please take a few minutes to complete this online survey and let CATA know how they can continue to improve. You can access the survey by using this link.

• Rockport Music’s Virtual Gala is This Saturday! Rockport Music invites all to join them this Saturday, June 27 at 5 pm for their Virtual Gala 2020: A Gift of Music to the Community featuring pianist Marc-André Hamelin, as well as a special presentation for their 10th Anniversary of opening the Shalin Liu Performance Center. Join them by viewing on their website (best video quality), Youtube, or Facebook.

• Manchester-by-the-Sea Historic Walking Tours Now Available to Download. Manchester Historical Museum has three self-guided walking tours of the downtown area that tell about the architecture and history of some of the town’s wonderful buildings. All three tours can be downloaded from MHM’s website here.

• Advertising Opportunities in BONS 15th Anniversary Edition. North Shore Magazine is offering a special advertising opportunity for Cape Ann businesses for this very popular edition. The deadline for ad placements is fast approaching. For further information please contact Marlene Pippins at [email protected].

• Post and Share Your Events. Please use your online account to post your upcoming events, including virtual events, on our online community calendars. These are valuable resources for Cape Ann residents and visitors alike, and another way to promote your business and the reopening of Cape Ann. If you need assistance in logging in to your online account, please email [email protected].  

• COVID-19 Command Center Update: Read MEMA’s June 24 Command Center report here.

• Department of Public Health: Safer-at-Home Advisory

• Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For the latest COVID-19 news and information for Massachusetts, including public health advisories, business resources and government services, please visit here.

• Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante: Most recent update

• Centers for Disease Control

• Symptoms and Self-Checker

• What You Need to Know

• Congressman Seth Moulton: Updates and Resources

• OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

• Essex: www.essexma.org

• Gloucester: www.gloucester-ma.gov

• Manchester-by-the-Sea: www.manchester.ma.us

• Rockport: www.rockportma.gov