COVID-19 Resources for Local Businesses

COVID-19 Resources

COVID-19 Resources for Local Businesses

A Message from Orange County Economic Development

As we work together to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, we want you to know that we are here to support Orange County businesses, community leaders, and residents during this time. Below are some resources to help those who have been affected by COVID-19.

-Rose Deal, Project Manager Orange County Economic Development

Round 2 - Bounce Back Orange Small Business Grant

Round 2 of the Bounce Back Orange Small Business Grant program will offer grants to qualified businesses and organizations that will not have to be repaid. The program is funded using federal CARES Act funds provided to Orange County and will be administered by Community Investment Collaborative (CIC). The grant application process will open on October 5, 2020, and close on October 19, 2020 at 11:59 pm EST.  Grant awards will be awarded on October 30, 2020.  Please note it may take 7-10 days for your bank to receive the funds, with the large volume of transactions being handled by CIC. 

The aim of the $194,000 fund is to award cash grants to small businesses and organizations impacted by COVID-19 in a timely and efficient manner.

FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Eligibility:

• Must be based within Orange County.

o Does not require a “storefront” location and can be home-based business.

o If your business is located within the Town of Gordonsville or Town of Orange, you are not eligible for this grant program, please refer to each Town’s respective grant program:

o Town of Gordonsville: (TBD)

o Town of Orange: https://www.townoforangeva.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=342  

• Current on local taxes.

o Money cannot be used to become current on taxes.

• For-profit businesses and private schools/childcare/daycare (for profit or nonprofit, 501(k)).

• Must show a revenue loss or expenditure increase due to COVID-19 health crisis.

• If business received funding from Round 1 of the Bounce Back Orange Small Business Grant program, use of Round 2 must be for other business disruption expenses. 

Amount awarded:

• Grants of up to $8,000 for businesses with fewer than 100 full-time employees.

Funds may be used for:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

• Redesign of structure or operations to meet social distancing requirements.

• Website, eCommerce, or other digital forms of communicating to customers or clients.

• Payroll or other operating expenses.

• Rent or mortgage payments.

• Debt incurred because of COVID-19 disruption.

• Teleworking.

• Loss of revenue due to implementation of Forward Virginia guidelines.

• Funds cannot be used for:

o Payment of federal. state or local taxes

o Expenses incurred before March 1, 2020

Priority distribution if program is overcapacity*:

• Closed during Phase III.

• Closed during Phase II.

• Closed during Phase I.

• Partially open during Phase III.

• Partially open during Phase II.

• Partially open during Phase I.

• Remained open but suffered financial loss.

• Business has not received funding from Round 1 of the Bounce Back Orange Small Business Grant program.

*PPP funded, or UI recipient, will be used as a tiebreaker and not an eliminating factor. However, funds cannot be requested for the same use.

What you need to apply:

• Completed Bounce Back Orange Small Business Grant interest form https://forms.gle/cRTNq8TaeqxnfCDv9.   This is NOT the grant application. We will use the information captured in the interest form to notify you when the grant application opens on October 1, 2020. This is a required step in the process. The application will be an online form, backed by Lenderfit, to which you must be electronically invited. The interest form generates your emailed invitation. 

• IRS Form 941- most recent quarterly filing (employee count confirmation).

• 2019 federal tax return (or 2019 P&L if not filed).

• Bank statements (March to September 2020 and March to September 2019).

• List of qualifying expenses for which the grant will be used:

o If past expense between March 1 and present, record of those expenses – example: receipt, canceled check, paid invoice.

o If expense has not occurred, provide an estimate/budget to be completed by November 30, 2020.

Application Process

1. You will receive an email from CIC inviting you to LenderFit, the software used to process applications.

2. You will submit your application.

3. CIC will review applications.

4. Locality will review and approve the list of suggested awardees.

5. CIC will make announcements.

6. You MUST submit your ACH information for funding.

7. CIC will fund you. 

8. If you have a future renovation cost, Orange County Economic Development staff will check in on or about November 30 to review your completion.

NON-PROFITS

Eligibility:

• Must be based within Orange County.

o If your business is located within the Town of Gordonsville or Town of Orange, you are not eligible for this grant program, please refer to each Town’s respective grant program:

o Town of Gordonsville: (TBD)

o Town of Orange: https://www.townoforangeva.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=342  

• Must be a nonprofit (501(c)3, 4 or 6).

• Must be operating legally.

• Cannot be a for-profit or school.

• Must show a revenue loss or expenditure increase due to COVID-19 health crisis.

• If the non-profit has received other COVID-19 relief funding from the locality, the new grant request must be for used for other business disruption expenses.

Amount awarded:

• Grants of up to $8,000.

Funds may be used for:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

• Redesign of structure or operations to meet social distancing requirements.

• Website, eCommerce, or other digital forms of communicating to customers or clients.

• Payroll or other operating expenses.

• Rent or mortgage payments.

• Debt incurred because of COVID-19 disruption.

• Teleworking.

• Loss of revenue due to implementation of Forward Virginia guidelines.

• Funds cannot be used for:

o Expenses incurred before March 1, 2020.

Priority distribution if overcapacity:

• Provided on an ongoing basis: food.

• Provided on an ongoing basis: childcare.

• Provided on an ongoing basis: healthcare.

• Provided on an ongoing basis: other household needs (clothes).

• Did not provide a community need on an ongoing basis.

• Non-profit has not received other funding from the locality related to COVID-19.

What you need to apply

• Completed Bounce Back Orange Small Business Grant interest form (https://forms.gle/cRTNq8TaeqxnfCDv9). This is NOT the grant application. We will use the information captured in the interest form to notify you when the grant application opens on October 1, 2020. This is a required step in the process. The application will be an online form, backed by Lenderfit, to which you must be invited. The interest form generates your emailed invitation. 

• IRS Form 990.

• IRS Determination Letter.

• 2019 P&L or bank statements (March to September 2020 and March to September 2019).

• List of qualifying expenses for which the grant will be used:

o If past expense between March 1 and present, record of those expenses – example: receipt, canceled check, paid invoice.

o If expense has not occurred, provide an estimate/budget to be completed by November 30, 2020.

Application Process

1. You will receive an email from CIC inviting you to LenderFit, the software used to process applications.

2. You will submit your application.

3. CIC will review applications.

4. Locality will review and approve the list of suggested awardees.

5. CIC will make announcements.

6. You MUST submit your ACH information for funding.

7. CIC will fund you. 

8. If you have a future renovation cost, Orange County Economic Development staff will check in on or about November 30 to review your completion.

QUESTIONS?

Orange County Economic Development department has contracted Community Investment Collaborative to assist with the implementation of the Bounce Back Orange Small Business Grant program. Orange County Economic Development retains program oversight and management of the Bounce Back Orange Small Business Grant program. 

For questions or assistance applying, please contact Rose Deal, Project Manager at 540-672-1238 or by email at rdeal@orangceountyva.gov.

Town of Gordonsville CARES Grant

COMING SOON!

Town of Orange - IDA - Coronavirus Relief Fund Grant

Town of Orange - IDA - Coronavirus Relief Fund Grant - The Town of Orange was awarded Coronavirus Relief Funds via the CARES Act, through Orange County. Part of these funds will reimburse the Town for unbudgeted costs related to the impact of COVID-19.  However, the majority (96.5%) of these funds will be used to help local businesses and non-profit organizations in the Town of Orange recover from the impact of the disease.

To request this relief, please complete the following application /DocumentCenter/View/1181 and forward to:

Town of Orange

Industrial Development Authority

119 Belleview Avenue

Orange, VA 22960

While most of the qualifications are included with the application, the applicant must be:  

  • Operational as of March 27, 2020
  • Based in the Town of Orange
  • Current on Local Taxes
  • Able to show an impact due to COVID-19

If qualified, the applicant may be awarded relief for fixed and other costs incurred during the period March 1, 2020 through December 30, 2020.  Some reimbursable costs may include Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), Rents or Mortgages, Debt incurred due to COVID-19, as well as, other overhead costs. Some cost cannot be reimbursed such as those incurred prior to March 1, 2020, payment of taxes or revenue or income losses.

Other Grant Opportunities

VA 30 Day Fund – The non-profit Virginia 30 Day Fund provides forgivable loans for Virginia-based small businesses. The forgivable loan is intended to provide immediate financial assistance (within maximum three days) to meet payroll, preserve healthcare coverage for employees and save jobs while they await recently approved federal funding.

Southern Smoke Foundation – Emergency Funding Opportunity For Employees in the Food And Beverage Industry: Southern Smoke Foundation provides funding to individuals in the food and beverage industry who are in crisis. To qualify for emergency relief funding you must have worked in the food and beverage industry for a minimum of 6 months and an average of 30 hours per week minimum. Every applicant must show proof of such employment, so please have paycheck stubs and/or W2s available.

Rebuild VA Economic Recovery Fund for Small Businesses - The Rebuild VA Grant Fund is a program to help small businesses and non-profits whose normal operations were disrupted by COVID-19, including restaurants, brick and mortar retail, exercise and fitness facilities, personal care and personal grooming services, entertainment and public amusement establishments, and campgrounds. Expanded business sectors now eligible to apply, include small hotels and bed and breakfast lodging facilities along with the film industry companies supporting production in the Commonwealth. Businesses and non-profits that are approved for a Rebuild VA grant may receive up to 3 times their average monthly eligible expenses up to a maximum of $10,000. 

EnergyShare Program - Dominion Energy is partnering with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Foundation to temporarily expand its EnergyShare program to assist those small businesses impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. Dominion Energy Virginia is pledging $500,000 to help provide energy bill relief for small businesses, nonprofits, and houses of worship in its Virginia service territory. The program funding will be covered by shareholders and will not impact customer rates. Qualified businesses may be eligible to receive one-time assistance with their past due Dominion Energy electric bill balances up to $1,000. Application period will open on 9/1. 

Facebook Small Business Grants Program for Black-Owned Businesses - Any majority Black-owned business in the U.S. with up to 50 employees can apply for a grant through Facebook Inc.’s Black Business Grant. Businesses can receive grants of up to $4,000, including $2,500 in cash and $1,500 in optional advertising credits to use on the Facebook platform. Applications for the Small Business Grants Program are now open for eligible businesses. The deadline to submit an application is Monday, August 31, 2020 at 9:00 PM EDT / 6:00 PM PDT. 

Additional Resources

Federal Resources

State Resources

Orange County Resources

Small Business Administration

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Virginia Career Works – Piedmont Region

Virginia Small Business Development Center

Useful Resources

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