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Ongoing Pandemic Relief Options for Small Businesses

Updated: September 19, 2024

 

As of October 1, 2021, there have been over forty-three million (43,000,000) cases of COVID-19 in the United States and almost seven-hundred thousand (700,000) deaths. Current hospitalizations due to COVID sit at over seventy-thousand (70,000) while nearly one-hundred eighty-five million (185,000,000) American citizens and residents have been fully vaccinated against the virus.1

The effect this situation has had on small businesses in the U.S. is well-known. They have lost revenue and staff, and many have shuttered entirely as a result of COVID-19 shutdowns. Now, eighteen months into the pandemic, many financial relief opportunities for small businesses have expired or will expire soon. We’ve compiled a list of ongoing options for businesses to take advantage of.

Table of Contents

Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)

Economic Injury Disaster Loan

The Small Business Association’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) provides capital to help small businesses cover necessary operating expenses. Qualified expenses include but are not limited to business debt, payroll, mortgage payments, rent payments, and utilities. It is a low-interest, fixed-rate loan with a thirty (30) year term. The fixed-rate is 3.75% for for-profit businesses and 2.75% for non-profits.2

The EIDL is not eligible for forgiveness. However, payments are deferred for the first two (2) years of the loan term. Interest will accrue in those first years, but there are no penalties for prepayment. (source 2)

The maximum loan amount is $2 million. Businesses can apply online through the SBA’s application portal. Existing loan holders can apply for an increase to their loan here. All loans greater than $25,000 require collateral, and all loans greater than $250,000 also require a personal guarantee. The following documents are required to submit with an application:

Applications for this loan follow this fee structure: 

  • $25,000 or less – no fee
  • $25,000 – $500,000 – $100 fee
  • Greater than $500,000 – $100 fee + real estate collateral2

The EIDL also has the following credit score requirements:

  • $500,000 and under – 570
  • Greater than $500,000 – 6252

Paycheck Protection Program

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a loan program established by the CARES Act. The program closed on May 31, 2021. Any business that currently has a PPP loan may be eligible for loan forgiveness.3 Both “First Draw” and “Second Draw” loan holding businesses are eligible for total forgiveness if they:

  • Used all of the loan funds for payroll and other qualified expenses;
  • Put a minimum of 60% of the loan funds directly into payroll; and 
  • Maintained employees’ wage levels.4

Small business loan holders can apply for forgiveness as soon as they have used up all of the funds from the loan. They have until the loan’s final due date to apply. There are two ways to apply, depending on the lender. If a lender is on this list, the loan holder can apply for forgiveness directly through the Small Business Administration PPP Direct Forgiveness Portal. These businesses can use PPP 3508S Loan Forgiveness Application & Instructions to apply in person or by mail.4

If a lender is not on the list mentioned above, the loan holder will have to apply for forgiveness directly through the lender. If the lender doesn’t have their own application form, a loan holder can use one of the following4:

It is often required to include the following documentation with any of the previously mentioned applications: 

  • Employer contributions to employee health insurance and retirement plans;
  • Mortgage interest or rent payments;
  • Operations expenses;
  • Payroll reports;
  • Payroll tax filings;
  • Property damage expenses;
  • Supplier costs;
  • Unemployment insurance tax filings;
  • Utility payments;
  • Wage reports; and
  • Worker protection expenses.4

Small Business Association Debt Relief

For small businesses that hold existing SBA loans approved on or before September 27, 2020, the SBA will cover six (6) months of principal, interest, and fees. This coverage applies to all 7(a), 504, and Microloans but doesn’t apply to PPP or EIDL loans. The SBA will process these payments automatically, so there is no need for businesses to apply for debt relief.5

Small Business Association Loans Graph

U.S. Department of Treasury Employee Retention Credit

The American Rescue Plan extended the Employee Retention Credit through December 2021. The tax credit allows these businesses to offset their payroll tax liabilities by up to $7,000 per employee per quarter.6 It is only available to companies that meet the following criteria:

  • The business experienced a revenue decline of more than 50% in at least one quarter of 2020 compared to the same quarter in 2019; or
  • The business had to partially close in response to a government mandate; and
  • The business has less than one hundred (100) employees; and
  • The business kept its employees on payroll for the extent of the pandemic.7

Other Funding Opportunities

Annuity Freedom Small Business Grants

AnnuityFreedom.net provides two different types of grants for small businesses in response to the pandemic: the BIPOC Small Business Grant and the Minority Business Micro-Grant.

The BIPOC Small Business Grant is a marketing-focused grant that includes free SEO evaluations, advice, and planning services. The grant is directed toward minority-owned businesses. To apply, a small business is required to have:

  • a Google account;
  • an active website; and
  • direct access to the website editor or CMS.

The Minority Micro-Grant has no requirements and provides $100 grants to one small business per month.

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)

The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) is specifically designed for agricultural producers that deal with COVID-19 related market disruptions. This program is available to businesses that produce eligible commodities. Companies can apply online or manually with form AD 3117.

Creciendo Con TikTok

TikTok teamed up with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation to create Creciendo Con TikTok. This program provides $5,000 cash rewards to individual business owners that meet the following criteria:

  • Active in the operation of their business;
  • At least eighteen (18) years old;
  • The business began operating before September 15, 2020;
  • Business is in good standing with the IRS and any relevant regulatory bodies; and
  • Latinx that owns at least fifty-one percent (51%) of their business.

Fiserv Back2BusinessGrant

Fiserv is a global financial technology and payments company. They have established the Back2Business Grant that awards $10,000 to eligible Black- and minority-owned small businesses affected negatively by the pandemic. To apply, a business has to:

  • Be located in an eligible location;
  • Be minority-owned by a person that is eighteen (18) years of age or older;
  • Have annual revenue less than $1 million;
  • Have been in business since before January 1, 2020; and
  • Staff less than eleven (11) employees.

GoFundMe Small Business Relief Fund

GoFundMe partnered up with Bill.com, GoDaddy, Intuit QuickBooks, and Yelp to create the Small Business Relief Initiative. The initiative established the Small Business Relief Fund, which provides $500 matching grants to businesses that raise at least $500 with a GoFundMe fundraiser created in response to the pandemic. Any business is only eligible for a one-time grant. Companies cannot receive multiple grants from this fund.

To qualify, a business must:

  • Be independently owned and operated;
  • Have no fraud reports against it;
  • Have suffered in any way in direct response to a pandemic-related government mandate;
  • Not hold any national market dominance in its given field of operations; and
  • Plan to use the funds to pay for basic business expenses or care for its employees’ well-being.

IFW Covid-19 Relief Fund

IFundWomen (IFW) is a fundraising platform catered towards women-owned businesses. IFW created the IFW Covid-19 Relief Fund, which gives microgrants to companies that have an active fundraising campaign on their site.

KKR Small Business Builders Grant

As a part of its COVID-19 relief effort, global investment firm KKR created the Small Business Builders Grant. These recovery grants are for $10,000 and also include networking opportunities and technical support from KKR experts. They are available to businesses globally. KKR is particularly looking for companies that provide essential community services, are operated by historically underrepresented groups, or are pivoting their business in some way as a direct result of the pandemic.

For a business to apply, it must:

  • Be in good standing with the IRS;
  • Demonstrate a qualitative need for support;
  • Have between five (5) and fifty (50)  employees;
  • Have less than $7 million in annual revenue; and
  • Present a qualified business plan for moving forward.

The Barstool Fund

The Barstool Fund is an ongoing fundraising effort that donates its proceeds to small businesses in the U.S. The only requirement for a business to apply is for it to be still paying its employees.

State-Specific Resources for Small Businesses

 

STATE

Total Federal Funding Relief Per Capita

(As of 9/15/21)

Relief Programs USDA Relief Vaccine Info
Alabama $9,392 All Together Alabama Alabama COVID-19 Waivers & Flexibilities Alabama Public Health
Alaska $15,734

Alaska ARPA Business Relief Program

Rural Development Programs 

Alaska COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
Arizona $10,058

Arizona Department of Health Services

Arizona Together

City of Phoenix COVID-19 Relief

Arizona COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Arizona Department of Health Services
Arkansas $9,371

Arkansas Department of Human Services Rental Assistance

Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce

Arkansas COVID-19 Waivers & Flexibilities Arkansas Department of Health
California $13,552

California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program

COVID-19 Relief and Assistance for Small Business

Golden State Stimulus

n/a California ALL
Colorado $10,769

Colorado Small Business Development Center

Denver Small Business Emergency Relief Fund

Philanthropy Colorado

Colorado COVID-19 Waivers & Flexibilities Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Connecticut $12,218

Connecticut Relief and Support

The Office of the Treasurer

n/a CT Vaccine Portal
Delaware $12,478 Delaware Relief Grants Program Delaware COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Delaware Division of Public Health
Florida $10,775 n/a Florida COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Florida Health
Georgia $11,209

COVID-19 Resource

Guide for Georgia’s Second Congressional District

DeKalb County Better Business Loan Program

Georgia Department of Community Affairs

Georgia COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Georgia Department of Public Health
Hawaii $14,622

Hawai’i Community Foundation

One Oahu

Hawaii COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities State of Hawai’i COVID-19 Portal
Idaho $10,305 Idaho Community Foundation n/a Idaho Coronavirus Resources
Illinois $12,524

Illinois Humanities COVID-19 Emergency Relief and Recovery Grants 

State of Illinois Coronavirus Response

Illinois COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities State of Illinois Coronavirus Response
Indiana $9,777

Indianapolis Pandemic Community Resource Bank

Neighbor Relief Fund for Marion County

n/a Indiana Vaccine Information and Planning
Iowa $9,939

Iowa Credit Union Foundation Emergency Relief Fund

Iowa Economic Development Authority Relief Programs

Iowa COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities COVID-19 in Iowa
Kansas $9,813

Kansas Department of Labor Shared Work Program

Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance

Kansas COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Kentucky $9,670

Kentucky Housing Corporation

Lexington Emergency Financial Assistance

Louisville Forward’s Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program

Kentucky COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Louisiana $12,494

City of New Orleans

Community Foundation of North Louisiana

Louisiana COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Louisiana Department of Health
Maine $12,416

CEI Maine Grant Programs

Maine Department of Economic & Community Development

The Opportunity Alliance

n/a Maine Office of the Governor
Maryland $11,868

Maryland COVID-19 RELIEF Programs for Businesses

Maryland Department of Labor Financial Relief Guide for Marylanders

RELIEF Act

n/a Maryland Department of Health
Massachusetts $14,696

Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association COVID-19 Assitance

City of Worcester Employment and Financial Assistance Programs

Massachusetts Nonprofit Network

Massachusetts COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Mass.gov
Michigan $12,815

Back to Work: Employer Resources

COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance

MI Safe Start Plan

Michigan Small Business Development Center Comeback Kit

State of Michigan Small Business Resources

Michigan COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Michigan.gov
Minnesota $11,372 Minnesota COVID-19 Response Minnesota COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Minnesota COVID-19 Response
Mississippi $10,664

City of Jackson Request for Disaster Assistance

Mississippi Small Business Development Center

Mississippi COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Mississippi State Department of Health
Missouri $9,698 St. Louis Emergency Resources for Individuals and Families n/a Missouri Stronger Together
Montana $11,867

Carbon County COVID-19 Relief Fund

Central Montana Foundation

Millions Available in Emergency Grants Via Montana Programs

Montana Community Foundation Response to COVID-19

Whitefish Community Foundation

Montana COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Montana Department of Health and Human Services
Nebraska $10,610 Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) Program Administration Nebraska COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Nevada $12,685

Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau

Reno Coronavirus Relief Programs

n/a Immunize Nevada
New Hampshire $11,519

Capital Access Program

NH Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery

New Hampshire Nonprofit Response Fund

New Hampshire Small Business Development Center

Portsmouth COVID-19 Response Resources for Businesses & Employees

New Hampshire OVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities New Hampshire COVID-19 Vaccine
New Jersey $14,069

Council of New Jersey Grantmakers

Garden State Relief Fund

New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund

New Jersey COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities New Jersey COVID-19 Info Hub
New Mexico $10,636

LEDA Recovery Grants

Small Business Recovery Loan Fund

n/a New Mexico Department of Health
New York $16,625

Access NYC

Business Pandemic Recovery Initiative

Excluded Workers Fund

New Paid Leave for COVID-19

Small Business Recovery Grant Program

New York COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities New York State COVID-19 Vaccine
North Carolina $9,278

North Carolina Pandemic Relief Center

North Carolina Network of Grantmakers

n/a North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
North Dakota $14,528 North Dakota COVID-19 Business and Employer Resources North Dakota COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities North Dakota Health
Ohio $10,791

 

Ohio Micro-Enterprise Loan Program

Women’s Business Enterprise Loan Program

Ohio COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Ohio Department of Health
Oklahoma $10,074 Oklahoma American Rescue Plan Act Oklahoma COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Oklahoma State Department of Health
Oregon $11,049

Oregon COVID-19 Economic Relief Resources by City

Oregon Emergency COVID-19 Relief Program

Oregon Worker Relief Fund

Oregon COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Oregon.gov
Pennsylvania $12,738 n/a Pennsylvania COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Pennsylvania Department of Health
Rhode Island $14,914

Providence Community Health Centers

Rhode Island Foundation

Rhode Island COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Rhode Island Department of Health
South Carolina $9,219 Richland County COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Grants South Carolina COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities COVID-19 in South Carolina
South Dakota $12,714

COVID-19 Reemployment Assistance

Guidance on Preparing

Workplaces for COVID-19

South Dakota COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities South Dakota Department of Health
Tennessee $9,694 n/a Tennessee COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Tennessee Department of Health
Texas $10,767

OneStar Foundation Texas COVID Relief Fund

TDHCA Pandemic Help for Texans

Texas Rent Relief

n/a Texas Health
Utah $8,795

Score Utah

Utah Resources for Employers and Businesses

Utah COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Coronavirus Utah.gov
Vermont $16,046

The Woodstock Area Relief Fund

Vermont COVID Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program

n/a Health Vermont
Virginia $9,719 Virginia Department of Social Services n/a Virginia Department of Health
Washington $11,296

COVID-19 Outreach and Engagement Fund

COVID-19 Relief Fund for Undocumented Individuals in Washington State

StartUp Washington COVID-19 Small Business Resources

Washington State Department of Revenue Business Relief

Washington State Employment Security Department

n/a Washington State Department of Health
Washington D.C. n/a

The DC MAP (Mortgage Assistance Program)

THRIVE East of the River Partnership

Washington D.C. COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Get Vaccinated D.C.
West Virginia $9,979 West Virginia Economic Development COVID-19 Business Relief Resources and Information n/a West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
Wisconsin $9,671

Destination Marketing Organizations Grant Program

Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation

Event Venue Assistance Grants

Live Event Small Business Assistance Grants

Main Street Wisconsin

Mainstreet Bounceback Grants

Minor League Sports Teams Assistance Grants

Movie Theater Assistance Grants

Summer Camp Assistance Grants

Wisconsin Response and Recovery Program Investments

Wisconsin COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Wyoming $14,199

Wyoming Business Council

Wyoming Small Business Development Center Network

Wyoming COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities Wyoming Department of Health

 

Sources

    1. https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/state-covid-19-data-and-policy-actions/
    1. https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/eidl/covid-19-eidl
  1. https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program
  2. https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program/ppp-loan-forgiveness
  3. https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/sba-debt-relief
  4. https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-small-businesses/small-business-tax-credit-programs
  5. https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/ERC-Flyer-4.13.21.pdf
  6. https://www.pgpf.org/understanding-the-coronavirus-crisis/coronavirus-funding-state-by-state?utm_term=covid-19%20program&utm_campaign=COVID+State+Tool&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=1523796716&hsa_cam=11185911289&hsa_grp=113208885521&hsa_ad=467197551728&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-904240186230&hsa_kw=covid-19%20program&hsa_mt=b&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAjwqeWKBhBFEiwABo_XBvWlJ8GrSJTa3Hl_3zGDUHKsEqqp_ouCtDFX-pOUrJ7VPgCbpXutORoCQiQQAvD_BwE