Regional support for your business

Forget the Feds! Take advantage of Regional Support for Your Business

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If your business is looking for financing, especially during these times, there are various places you can turn. While many small business owners applied for Federal grants and loans, in the form of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the EIDL, some of these financing opportunities have come and gone.  But have you considered regional support for your business?

Today, many localities across the country have all sorts of support mechanisms and are ready to help small business owners looking for COVID-19 relief. All you need to do is know where to look to take advantage of them.

Here’s where you can start looking.

Small Business Administration Regional Offices

The SBA doesn’t just operate out of Washington, D.C., all across the country, you’ll find SBA District and Regional Offices set up to help local small businesses in that area.

Within these local offices, the SBA offers programs such as SCORE for free and low cost mentoring and counseling, Women’s and Veteran’s Business Centers to help small business owners create business plans, networking, and marketing help.

This summer, the SBA also introduced the Community Advantage Recovery Loan (CARL) Program, which provides funding for small business owners in underserved markets.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Virtually every community around the country has a branch of the Chamber of Commerce (CoC). It can be an excellent source for small business owners to network and get in touch with local funding programs.

Many local Chambers of Commerce are also offering free help and guidance during this time. Search your state or local CoC website. There, you might find a list of local member brands providing grants, training and other free services to small business owners in the region.

State, County and City Government

Many states and county governments are also offering small business loans and grants for COVID-19 relief. To find these, search for your local city, county and state’s economic development offices and small business programs, which tend to administer these programs.

Statewide programs vary in size and scale. However, many offer smaller grants and funding to businesses serving in front line work or operating culturally essential institution.  These new options are in addition to more traditional options. Many of these loans focus on keeping struggling small businesses afloat, offering funding to keep employees on the payroll to prevent staff reductions and cover the costs of sick workers.

Rents are also a continuing concern for small business owners. So, check your state, local, and city governments to see if they have enacted rent moratoriums or offer rent assistance.

Several state and county governments are also facilitating personal protective equipment (PPE) to small business owners for employees at no additional cost.

Business Improvement District Programs

Business Improvement Districts (BID) are geographical areas that are overseen by a non-profit organization that helps maintain, improve and promote the area.

An essential part of the growth and improvement of any BID is through its small local businesses. Many BIDs have economic development programs that offer loan and grant programs to qualifying small business owners, especially those who might be underserved in the community, such as women and people of color.

Private Local Groups and Entrepreneurs

Don’t forget to look to local groups and entrepreneurs as well. Many of these groups and individuals offer grants, loans and even microloans to qualifying local business owners in the area.

There are already thousands of groups and non-profit organizations that work regionally providing small business and SBA loans during so-called “normal” times. They are working to continue their efforts during COVID-19 by expanding current loan options and offering new loans and grants.

You Have Options

Even though your business might be struggling under the weight of everything happening in the world right now, know that there are funding options out there for you.

Once you’ve gone through your opportunities at the Federal level, look look a little closer to home and consider taking advantage of regional support for your business. More often than not, you’ll find people and other businesses who want to help you get through this tough time.

 

Life-saving measures for small businesses on the brink of closure

Life-Saving Measures for Small Businesses on the Brink of Closure

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No matter what part of the country you’re in, you have small business-owning neighbors struggling to keep the lights on. With erratic reopening plans, caseloads that still won’t decline, and the need for social distancing until there’s a widely-available vaccine, countless businesses have been hit hard.  But what can be done?  Are there any life-saving measures for small businesses on the brink of closure?

If you’re a business owner in this situation, you could find enough relief to keep your doors open and critical staff employed using one (or all) of the options below.

Review Your Expenses

While you might have already done this back in March, it might be time to review your expenses again.

Instead of eyeing luxury expenses this time around, put an eye toward ways to discontinue some low-margin services and supplies until traffic gets back to pre-pandemic levels again. This could mean paring-down your menu, hiring a delivery person instead of subcontracting to meal delivery services, liquidating inventory at a deep discount to reduce warehouse space, or even limiting workdays to the most profitable days and hours.

When evaluating expenses to cut, don’t think of these expenses as permanently on the chopping block. Instead, you can bring them back and build back up when life and revenue pick up speed once again.

Get Creative With Payment Arrangements

If you’re strapped for cash, your vendors may be as well. Reach out to your accounts payable and start a conversation about mutually-beneficial payment arrangements.

For example, if you can promise $X toward your invoice every two weeks, that’s better for your vendor than zero dollars. Your vendor gets a predictable cash flow, and you get a reasonable payment arrangement.

If you and a vendor do mutual business (they invoice you and you invoice them), set up a call for an invoice review. Explore creative options like applying their invoice for $1000 to your invoice for $800. You’ll still owe them $200, but it’s a lot better than $1000. This is a simple solution that often slips through the cracks because your AP and AR systems might not communicate with one another.

Explore SBA Loan Options

While the Paycheck Protection Program is no longer offered, there are three other SBA loan options you can explore for a much-needed cash infusion:

  • Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL): If you’re experiencing a loss of revenue due to COVID-19, you could be eligible. Terms are 3.75% interest (fixed) for up to 30 years with no pre-payment penalty. You can even defer payments for up to one year (but interest will still accrue).
  • SBA Express Bridge Loan: If you have an existing relationship with an SBA lender, you may qualify for a loan up to $25,000. These loans can be regular term loans or bridge the gap between today and approval for your EIDL Loan. You just need to reach out to your existing SBA lender to inquire.
  • SBA Debt Relief: If you have an existing SBA loan and have trouble making payments due to COVID-related financial hardship, this program can bring you relief. Eligible loans include “7(a), 504, and Microloans in regular servicing status as well as new 7(a), 504, and Microloans disbursed prior to September 27, 2020” per the SBA. If you qualify, the SBA will pay any principal, interest, and fees on your loan for six months.

Have a Candid Conversation with Your Bank

Finally, it could pay to sit down and have a candid conversation with your bank. Your bank doesn’t want to lose your business or see you default on lines of credit or other loans. You could find they’re willing to work with you if they know your full financial picture.

There aren’t any guarantees that your bank could come through with funds or reprieves from payments due.  But, if you don’t start the conversation, you’ll never know what’s possible.

Have any other tips or advice on life-saving measures for small businesses?  Let us know.

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