Huntingdon County Moves to the Green Phase Next Friday & More!

Huntingdon County Moves to Green June 19

The green phase eases most restrictions with the continued suspension of the stay at home and business closure orders to allow the economy to strategically reopen while continuing to prioritize public health.

While this phase will facilitate a return to a “new normal,” it will be equally important to continue to monitor public health indicators and adjust orders and restrictions as necessary to ensure the spread of disease remains at a minimum.

Green Phase

Work & Congregate Setting Restrictions

Continued Telework Strongly Encouraged
Businesses with In-Person Operations Must Follow Updated Business and Building Safety Requirements
All Businesses Operating at 50% Occupancy in the Yellow Phase May Increase to 75% Occupancy
Child Care May Open Complying with Guidance
Congregate Care Restrictions in Place
Prison and Hospital Restrictions Determined by Individual Facilities
Schools Subject to CDC and Commonwealth Guidance

Social Restrictions

Large Gatherings of More Than 250 Prohibited
Masks Are Required When Entering a Business
Restaurants and Bars Open at 50% Occupancy
Personal Care Services (including hair salons and barbershops) Open at 50% Occupancy and by Appointment Only
Indoor Recreation, Health and Wellness Facilities, and Personal Care Services (such as gyms and spas) Open at 50% Occupancy with Appointments Strongly Encouraged
All Entertainment (such as casinos, theaters, and shopping malls) Open at 50% Occupancy
Construction Activity May Return to Full Capacity with Continued Implementation of Protocols

All businesses must follow CDC and DOH guidance for social distancing and cleaning

Monitor public health indicators, adjust orders and restrictions as necessary

Read more here .

LISC Small Business Relief Grant

Who is eligible?

Small businesses and enterprises affected the Covid-19 across the country, especially those in underserved communities, including entrepreneurs of color, women- and veteran-owned businesses that often lack access to flexible, affordable capital.

Applications will be reviewed based on criteria designed to prioritize particularly challenged businesses, and the final grantees will be randomly selected from the top scoring applicants.

LISC Small Business Relief Grants are for small businesses facing immediate financial pressure because of Covid-19.

The Round 4 application period is now open. Click here to apply. Your application must be completed by Wednesday, June 17th, 11:59 p.m. ET.

Before completing the application, we recommend you review our Grant Information Overview and FAQ, which can be found here .

If you have questions not answered by the FAQ , please email smallbusinessgrants@lisc.org . We are monitoring this inbox and updating the FAQ accordingly.

Apply Now

If you are a nonprofit organization, here is a compiled a guide of resources available nationally and locally.

REMINDER: Pennsylvania 30 Day Initiative

The Pennsylvania 30 Day Fund is a non-profit recently launched to provide forgivable loans of $3,000 to Pennsylvania small businesses struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility criteria is simple:

Employs between 3 and 30 people
Based in Pennsylvania and operating for at least a year
Owned and operated by a Pennsylvania resident
Operate as a forprofit business.

Eligible employers must complete a short application and submit a video detailing how they could benefit from the funding. The funds do not need to be repaid. However, business owners who are able may choose to "pay it forward" by paying the proceeds back to the Fund to be used by other small businesses.

CLICK HERE for a one-pager describing the program and CLICK HERE for their most recent press release.

Additional questions about the PA 30 Day Fund can be directed by Maia Comeau at maia@comeaucompany.com .

Office Hours by Appointment

While we will continue to return calls and respond to emails as quickly as possible, we are now available at the office by appointment. Let us know if you need to meet with us.

Looking at Reopening??

Attend this FREE SCORE Seminar

"A New Way To Look At Marketing"

Thursday, June 18, 2020 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM EDT

Marketing is likely the "second science" proposed and studied in business schools. Most people will agree that accounting and numbers were the "first science", but few will dispute that you cannot generate numbers for a company if you don't market the product. Marketing has long been recognized as part science and part magic.

There are many facets to marketing...some would call it to sales, others would say that it's advertising. In fact, marketing is sales, advertising, and much more. This workshop A New Look At Marketing will cover the following topics:

1. Brand & trademark development

2. Using a website & controlling SEO

3. Online company listings (other than your website)

4. How to use email marketing

5. Using social media

6. How to use print marketing

The workshop covers the traditional aspects of marketing, but also offers a no nonsense look at the new media. The purpose of the workshop is to give you the opportunity to reassess your marketing strategy or to refresh your current strategy to address the post COVID world.

Co Sponsored by Schlow Centre Region Library

Small Business Development Center Webinars

R3: Designing a Resiliency Roadmap for 30/60/90 Days

Beginning Monday, June 29

This 4-part series will address small business Re-evaluation, Recovery, and Regeneration strategies in the introductory workshop followed by check-ins at the 30-60-90 day marks. The R3 program will give business leaders a chance to learn from experts, network with other businesses, and create a new way of doing business.

Learn more

Refining the Retail New Normal Recorded Webinar Series

Host: Penn State Extension

Best Practices for the Future

Creating Safe and Clean Retail Interactions

The Customer Experience

Clean and Safe Point of Sale System Options

Resources from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Reopening Business Digital Resources Center

Reopening Business Digital Resources Center Toolkit

State-by-State Business Reopening Guidance

Coronavirus Response Toolkit .

Yellow Phase

Work & Congregate Setting Restrictions

Telework Must Continue Where Feasible
Businesses with In-Person Operations Must Follow Business and Building Safety Orders
Child Care May Open Complying with Guidance
Congregate Care and Prison Restrictions in Place
Schools may provide in-person instruction only in accordance with Department of Education guidance.

Social Restrictions

Stay at Home Order Lifted for Aggressive Mitigation
Large Gatherings of More Than 25 Prohibited
Masks Are Required When Entering a Business
In-Person Retail Allowable, Curbside and Delivery Preferable
Indoor Recreation, Health and Wellness Facilities and Personal Care Services (such as gyms, spas, hair salons, nail salons and other entities that provide massage therapy), and all Entertainment (such as casinos, theaters) Remain Closed
Restaurants and Bars May Open Outdoor Dining, in Addition to Carry-Out and Delivery (effective 6/5/2020)

All businesses must follow CDC and DOH guidance for social distancing and cleaning
Monitor public health indicators, adjust orders and restrictions as necessary

STANDARDIZED EMPLOYEE SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE

Download this questionnaire for sample screening questions to ask employees upon return to work and on a regular basis moving forward. This template is based on questions required or recommended by various states as well as input from U.S. Chamber member companies of all sizes and sectors.