413-584-1900
info@northamptonchamber.com

Search

Mon – Fri: 9 AM – 5 PM
Visitor Center is open.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Updates & Resources

COVID-19 Resources

The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) has been closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its impact on our community. This page will continue to be updated with new resources as they become available.

The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) and its affiliate, the Downtown Northampton Association (DNA) have established the Community Revitalization Fund with the help of United Way of Hampshire County. The dedicated fund will provides grants to eligible small businesses in Northampton, Florence, and Leeds as they reopen and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Grant applications for the Community Revitalization Fund are currently closed. See a list of grant recipients for funding rounds I-III here. 

The following are recommended sources for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), disinfecting cleaners, and air purification technologies. List updated as new information is acquired. 

SECTOR-SPECIFIC GUIDELINES AVAILABLE

Please see here for a list of available sector-specific guidelines made available by the Administration, including the Close Personal Contact Personal Services (Phase 2, Step 2) and Sectors Not Otherwise Addressed (Phase 2, Step 1) released on June 6th.

The MA Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) recently released FAQs to guide employers and employees in returning to work: Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Returning to Work: Guide for Employers and Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Returning to Work: Guide for Workers. These FAQs provide responses to some of the questions that employers and employees may have when looking ahead to reopening. 

  • The MA Small Biz Reopening Guide is an online resource created through a partnership between Mass Growth Capital Corp. and Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corps. The site helps businesses navigate available guidance and tools that will help you reopen safely and successfully.
  • Small Business Strong is a public-private partnership that offers access to information, business advisors, and functional specialists to help small business navigate the impacts of COVID-19.
  • Businesses can find SBA Resource Partners (including Massachusetts Small Business Development Centers) through the Find Local Assistance Tool.
  • MGCC offers resources for small businesses, including translation support for PPP applications and technical assistance through the COVID-19 Small Business Stabilization Network. 
The Main Street Lending Program is another CARES Act loan program available for small- to medium-sized businesses. This program will be implemented by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and will allow businesses to access loan capital with deferred payments. This program is just ramping up and has opened up registration for lenders via an online portal this week. When the program opens applications, eligible businesses will access this loan program through participating lenders. Businesses must have 15,000 or fewer employers and under $5B in 2019 revenue; businesses that receive a loan must also make an effort to maintain payroll.  Read more about eligibility, program structure, and access on the Program Overview for Borrowers page.
 

PUA How to Apply
Self-employed, gig workers, religious workers, people seeking part-time work, and others not eligible for regular unemployment assistance can now apply for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) in Massachusetts. The DUA call center phone at 877-626-6800 is also available for phone PUA applications for those without access to internet or computer.

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a loan program designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep workers on the payroll. Loans are up to $10M, with a 0.5% interest rate and a 2-year maturity; there are no payments for the first six months. Read more here.
Find loan forgiveness application here.

NEW: SBA and Treasury posted a new, streamlined loan forgiveness application for all PPP borrowers. There is also a new “EZ” version of the forgiveness application for certain borrowers who meet any of the following requirements:
  • Are self-employed and have no employees; OR
  • Did not reduce the salaries or wages of their employees by more than 25%, and did not reduce the number or hours of their employees; OR
  • Experienced reductions in business activity as a result of health directives related to COVID-19, and did not reduce the salaries or wages of their employees by more than 25%.

PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM FLEXIBILITY ACT
Congress passed and the President signed the PPP Flexibility Act last week. The Act’s adjustments to the PPP program will ensure many additional businesses can qualify to receive forgiveness of their loans. Additional guidance from the Small Business Administration and Treasury for loan recipients and lenders is forthcoming.

The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance is a Loan Advance of $10,000 that is available to applicants who have been approved for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan; it does not need to be repaid, so you can think of the Advance as a grant for business expenses. Read more here.

The SBA is also offering Debt Relief to small businesses. Under this relief, the SBA will pay the principal and interest for six months beginning March 27th, 2020 for qualifying new and current holders of 7(a) loans. Read more here.

The Express Bridge Loan Program is available to businesses that have an existing business relationship with an SBA-approved lender; speak to your lender about accessing this option while you await a decision on long-term financing.

The LISC Small Business Recovery Grant Program for Massachusetts will provide grants to hard-hit small businesses in Massachusetts to weather the immediate financial impact of closures and social distancing measures required to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Deadline: Friday, April 24 at 11:59 pm ET. Read more here. 

The national LISC team which serves communities nationwide has also reopened applications for its nation-wide Small Business Relief Grants program. This is a separate opportunity with the application period open now through Tuesday, April 28th at 11:59 pm ET. Read more here. 

Act Providing for Moratorium on Evictions and Foreclosures During COVID-19
On Monday, April 20, 2020, Governor Charlie Baker signed a bill establishing a moratorium on non-essential evictions and residential foreclosures. This law provides temporary protections for both residential tenants and small businesses that are unable to pay rent, in an effort to stabilize homes and commercial spaces during the COVID-19 crisis. The law also prohibits proceedings on residential foreclosures during the COVID-19 crisis. Read the specifics on the Chamber blog.

Eligible small businesses can use the Form of Notice – COVID-19 Hardship – Small Business Tenant and the Documentation of Financial Hardship – Small Business Tenant forms to provide the required notice to their landlord of their inability to pay rent. Access these forms and Emergency Regulations here.
Linda Tumbarello LMHC is now offering resources for our local business community. You can book a 30-minute session with her, or join an online support group.
 
“I found it helpful to talk to a calm person who validated the difficulties I was dealing with, and offered useful ways for me to become more balanced and to move forward.” -Feedback about 30 minute session. 
 

Connect with the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) during the annual Connect Campaign. In 2020, we’re going virtual. Visit the webpage for more information. 

All LINK/LEARN sessions are held using Zoom conference technology. Please register here in advance to receive a link to join. There is no cost to attend and everyone is welcome. 

The Northampton.live Business Support page contains the most up-to-date information on how businesses are operating during the crisis.

The GNCC Impact Survey was conducted March 19-26, 2020 by the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) and its affiliate, the Hampshire County Regional Tourism Council (HCRTC).  The survey was administered to measure the impact of COVID-19 on the local economy.  A variety of businesses and non-profit institutions in the Greater Northampton area and Hampshire County participated anonymously in the survey. 

Review Executive Summary and Survey Results

The City of Northampton and Valley Community Development are proud to announce the Northampton Emergency Small Business Grant Program. The purpose of these grants is to provide funds to low and moderate income businesses to assist them in remaining open, as well as stimulating and pivoting their businesses during this time of COVID-19 and in the future. Find full details and application here. 

On Monday, April 13, the Chamber will host a Zoom session with Dee Dice, the Small Business Advisor at Valley Community Development to share more about the Grant Program and discuss eligibility requirements, application review, and award process. Watch meeting recording. 

Updated information regarding unemployment resources can be found here.

  • The WorkShare program, a tool to help employers avoid layoffs during a downturn. Read more about WorkShare.
  • The Rapid Response program, which works closely with companies to avert layoffs and keep a skilled workforce engaged in the existing regional economy or industry; read more about how the Rapid Response Team can help businesses here.

INFORMATION ON COVID-19 OUTBREAK: The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is working closely with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and to provide updated information about the noval coronavirus outbreak.

LATEST MA STATE UPDATES: Find updates, emergency orders, and guidance associated with the COVID-19 State of Emergency in Massachusetts.

Last week, Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Robert DeLeo announced additional administrative tax relief measures for local businesses that have been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, especially in the restaurant and hospitality sectors. 
 
This tax relief builds upon previous similar tax extensions and includes postponing the collection of regular sales tax, meals tax, and room occupancy taxes for small businesses that would be due from March through August, so that they will instead be due in September. Additionally, all penalties and interest that would otherwise apply will be waived.
 
  • Businesses that paid less than $150,000 in regular sales plus meals taxes in the year ending February 29, 2020 will be eligible for relief for sales and meals taxes, and businesses that paid less than $150,000 in room occupancy taxes in the year ending February 29, 2020 will be eligible for relief with respect to room occupancy taxes. 
  • For businesses with meals tax and room occupancy tax obligations that do not otherwise qualify for this relief, late-file and late-pay penalties will be waived during this period. 
 
The Department of Revenue will issue emergency regulations and a Technical Information Release to implement these administrative relief measures. The chamber will share these resources as soon as they become available.

On Wednesday, March 18, 2020 the Baker-Polito Administration announced administrative tax relief measures for small local businesses, especially in the restaurant and hospitality sectors. This tax relief includes postponing the collection of regular sales tax, meals tax, and room occupancy taxes that would be due in March, April and May so that they will instead be due on June 20. Additionally, all penalties and interest that would otherwise apply will be waived.

  • Businesses that paid less than $150,000 in regular sales plus meals taxes in the year ending February 29, 2020 will be eligible for relief for sales and meals taxes, and business that paid less than $150,000 in room occupancy taxes in the year ending February 29, 2020 will be eligible for relief with respect to room occupancy taxes.
  • The Department of Revenue is currently drafting emergency regulations to implement these administrative relief measures, and they are expected to be finalized before Friday, March 20, 2020.

The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission has ordered that the credit terms for all invoices issued on or after January 18. 2020 to on-premises consumption licensees (i.e. bars, restaurants) will be extended by 30 days to a total of 90 days for payment of those invoices. To qualify for this extension, the licensee must not be listed on the credit delinquency list prior to the 3/19/20 order and invoices subject to extension must be issued on or after January 18, 2020. Those who meet these criteria do not need to apply for this extension as these terms apply automatically.