Windham Region Chamber of Commerce

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Governor Shuts CT Back Down To Phase 2

With COVID cases rising the Governor has changed his mind about letting individual municipalities decide whether to stay at Phase 3 or move back to Phase 2. As of Monday night the Governor has decided all towns will go back to Phase 2. What does this mean? The chart above is a good visual.
The DECD website should provide us with the specific information in the coming days. A “modified” Phase 2 will begin this Friday. We will keep you up to date on the specifics.
If you have been following these closures/openings you will know that the Phase 2 described a couple of weeks ago is different than this graphic. Religious gatherings under the old Phase 2 were 25% of capacity, capped at 100. This Phase 2 is 50% of capacity, capped at 100. This graphic also shows that personal services can remain at 75% of capacity at this Phase 2 (not 50%).

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Webinar on CT CARES Grant & PPP Loan Forgiveness

The Windham Region Chamber of Commerce and its Business Resource Center partner, the Small Business Development Center, will host a webinar that will discuss the application process for the new CT CARES Small Business Grant that will open up on November 9.  Any small business with less than 20 employees will be eligible for the grant.  In addition, the SBDC will go over the PPP forgiveness updated application process.

The $5000 grant is for small businesses and nonprofits and can be use for rent, payroll, utilities and other allowable expenses.

Anyone who applied for a PPP loan must file their forgiveness application before the end of the year.  There are now three different applications for forgiveness.  We will go through each of them.  You need to prepare now so that you will be able to get your application in on time and get your entire loan forgiven.

There will be a question and answer period for specific questions.  If you have a unique situation we can also help you by referring you to a specialist.

The Webinar is FREE.  We highly recommend that everyone attend to get the information you will need to apply for the CT CARES grant.  For more information call the Chamber at 860-428-7739.

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New CT CARES Small Business Grant $5000

Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is creating the Connecticut CARES Small Business Grant Program to assist small businesses and nonprofits that have been impacted by the economic downturn caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. The program will provide businesses and nonprofits in Connecticut that have fewer than twenty employees or a 2019 payroll of less than $1.5 million with a one-time grant of $5,000.

To fund the program, the governor is committing $50 million from the state’s Coronavirus Relief Fund, which utilizes federal CARES Act funding. The program will be administered by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). The grants can be used for payroll, rent, utilities, inventory, purchase of machinery or equipment, or costs associated with compliance of the ongoing Reopen Connecticut Business Sector Rules.

The governor is directing DECD to commit half of the funds to small businesses and nonprofits that are located in towns and cities designated as distressed municipalities.

DECD estimates it will begin accepting online applications the week of November 9, and all of the funds are anticipated to be disbursed by December 30. Information on eligibility requirements, upcoming webinars, and other aspects of the program will be published on the state’s business portal at business.ct.gov.

Eligibility

  • Business must have no more than 20 total FTEs in 2019 across all of their Connecticut locations, or have total 2019 payroll of less than $1.5 million (annualized). FTE and payroll include affiliated companies.
  • Businesses must be able to demonstrate a 20% or more loss in revenue year to date as of September 30th, 2020 compared with the same period in 2019.
  • Business must have been established by October 1, 2019 and still be active (as verified by DRS).
  • Home-based businesses are eligible.
  • Eligible entities: for-profit businesses that use any type of incorporation, as well as 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(6), 501(c)(7), and 501(c)(19) nonprofit organizations.
  • The business must remain a viable business, be planning to reopen, and be planning to rehire any workers let go due to COVID as business conditions recover, and have a material financial need that cannot be overcome without the grant of emergency relief funds.
  • Companies must be in good tax standing with DRS or current on a payment plan or consent to use a portion and/or all of their grant to remedy the delinquency.
  • Sole proprietorships are eligible.

Eligibility Exclusions

  • Businesses in which the majority of revenue is earned from the following activities:Liquor stores and alcohol distributors; adult businesses such as strip clubs; vape retailers; tobacco shops and smoking lounges; businesses having to do with gambling; gun stores and ranges; cash advance, check cashing, or pawn shops; bail bonds; collection agencies or services; and auction or bankruptcy or fire or “lost-our-lease” or “going-out-of-business” or similar sale.
  • Business establishments that are 50% or more owned by another establishment such that the FTE count for the umbrella establishment (when counting the FTEs of all subsidiaries in which the umbrella establishment has 50%+ stakes) is more than 500. For example, this would include non-franchised outlets of major national food and retail chains.
  • Businesses and not-for-profit entities may not participate in this program if they received another assistance grant from State of Connecticut CRF funds.

Eligible Activities & Uses

GRANTS CAN BE USED FOR:

  • Payroll
  • Rent/Mortgage
  • Utilities
  • Inventory
  • Purchase of Machinery and/or Equipment
  • Cost associated to ensure compliance with CT Reopen Business Sector Rules

FUNDING PRIORITIES

  • $25 million to businesses/nonprofits located in the state’s distressed municipalities
  • $25 million to businesses/nonprofits located outside of the state’s distressed municipalities
  • Applicants will only be allowed a single grant regardless of multiple locations
  • All funds will be disbursed to approved applicants by December 30, 2020

INFORMATION ON THE GRANT AND ASSISTANCE HERE

For more information or guidance, please call our Business Help Line at 860-423-6389 or email info@WindhamChamber.com

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Windham Chamber Receives $1500 Grant From Last Green Valley

The Windham Region Chamber of Commerce was the recipient of The Last Green Valley’s Capacity Building Grant, designed to give assistance to non-profit organizations that are striving to advance their mission during difficult times. They provided $22,000 in grants to local non-profits within their region.
“The Windham Region Chamber of Commerce is grateful for the opportunity to have received funding that enabled us to purchase video equipment, as well as the appropriate training so that we could help local businesses create videos promoting their goods and services,” said Pam Atwood, Chairman of the Board for the Chamber. “We are so excited to start working on the videos and get them posted so both our community and our visitors get a better picture of the wonderful things we have in our region.”
The Chamber will begin creating the videos and marketing them in November. If you are interested in working with the Chamber to promote your business, please contact us at info@WindhamChamber.com.
The Last Green Valley, Inc. works to enhance the region’s significant natural resources in the context of a vital economy and regional cultural identity. Their role is:
+To promote partnerships at the local, regional, state and federal levels
to accomplish the mission of TLGV and maximize limited resources,
+To act as an educator/facilitator to motivate independent actions that will accomplish the mission of TLGV and maximize limited resources.
+To take action through specific projects or programs when TLGV is the only or the most appropriate entity to bring about initiation or successful completion of critical work.