COVID-19 Resources for Small Businesses
Wacif’s offices are closed but our team is working remotely, and we are aggregating small business resources to help small businesses navigate and respond to COVID-related disruptions. Please continue to share your suggestions at
Financial Resources:
Federal
- Federal Stimulus Program Updates for Small Business Owners
- IRS Form 941 Employee Retention Credit for Employers Subject to Closure Due to COVID-19 Crisis
- IRS Guidance on Tax Relief for Food + Beverage Deductions – businesses can claim 100% of their food or beverage expenses paid to restaurants through 12/31/2022
- Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Deferment on Existing Disaster Loans
- SBA Express Loan
- SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans – accepting requests for increases, reconsideration, and appeals only
- SBA PPP Loan Forgiveness + Tutorial
- Small Business Tax Credit Programs
- USDA Rural Development COVID-19 Resources
Private
- Amber Grants for Women Entrepreneurs – deadline end of each month
- Black Founder Startup Grant – $10K and $5K cash grants to Black female and nonbinary entrepreneurs. Rolling deadline
- CISCO Global Problem Solver – $1,000,000 in prize money for early-stage entrepreneurs using technology to create social impact. Deadline 2/11/2022
- Comcast RISE – marketing, technology, creative, and media services to diverse entrepreneurs. Deadline 6/17/2022
- Facebook Invoice Fast Track – provides affordable, immediate cash for pay that your customers owe you
- Google Ad Credits for Small and Medium Businesses
- Hello Alice COVID-19 Business Resource Center
- Honeycomb Credit Crowdfunded Small Business Relief Loan
- Kiva Loan
- Mainvest for brick & mortar businesses: launch a capital raise and you may be eligible for a zero-interest $2K loan
- National Association for the Self-Employed – up to $4K in funding, applications reviewed quarterly
- National Geographic Society Emergency Fund For Educators – up to $8K in funding. Rolling deadline
- Merchants Maverick – $10K grants for 5000 AAPI-owned restaurants
- Modest Needs Grant
- One Fair Wage Emergency Fund for service workers
- Sage Invest in Progress – up to $10,000 to 25 Black women entrepreneurs in support of helping them successfully grow their business. Deadline 2/25/2022 @ 6:00 PM ET
- SOAR Fund | Connect2Capital – provides flexible, affordable capital and free business support services to small businesses and nonprofits across the south and southeast to help them navigate and rebuild from the Covid-19 economic crisis
- Techstars Founder Catalyst Program – 10-week program providing startup education, mentorship, and access to the Techstars network to women founders. Deadline 2/11/2022
- Southern Smoke Emergency Relief Program for restaurant and bar owners & workers
- Spa and Relief Fund
- Sweet Relief Musicians Fund
District of Columbia
- BizCAP Collateral Support Program
- Bridge Fund – 20K – 100K awards for eligible businesses with less than $2.5M in revenue + did not receive funding from the PPP. Deadline 2/25/2022 @ 5:00 PM ET
- Business Licensing & Permitting Extension
- Commercial Property Acquisition Fund – DMPED to provide down payment assistance through grants up to $750,000 or 25% of the sale price to eligible businesses looking to maintain and expand their operations to physical space in the District. Rolling deadline
- COVID-19 Emergency Sales and Use Tax Relief
- D.C. FemTech Grants – up to $500 in funding to help cover the cost of community events for women entrepreneurs in tech
- Dream Grants – the date for the 2022 grant has not been announced, but you can sign up today to receive notice about the grants when they open
- Inclusive Innovation Equity Impact Fund – supports eligible “equity impact enterprises” with training and investment in the form of revenue or equity-based financing. Deadline 6/1/2022
- Minnesota Avenue Main Street Small Business Resilience Grant. Rolling application through 3/3/2022 @ 4:00 PM ET
- Minnesota Avenue Main Street Business Directory Survey
- Minnesota Avenue Main Street COVID-19 Assistance Request form
- Special Event Fee Relief Fund – for organizers of events and festivals that celebrate D.C. culture and communities. Rolling application through 9/30/2022
Maryland
- Cecil County Cecil Catalyst relief loan program
- Charles County COVID-19 Business Loans
- City of Brunswick 2020 Small Business Sustainability Micro-Grant Program
- Community Partnership Grants – the main discretionary grant initiative offered by the Office of the County Executive to qualified nonprofit organizations
- Emergency Rental Assistance Program
- RELIEF Act of 2021
Virginia
- Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund
- Dominion Energy Small Business Relief – providing qualified businesses one-time assistance with their Dominion Energy electric bill up to $1K
- Fauquier County Emergency Micro Loans
- Goochland County E-Commerce Grant Program
- Loudoun County COVID-19 Emergency Funding Application for Food Assistance Programs
- Marion COVID-19 Stimulus Micro-Enterprise Loan Fund
- Marion Stimulus Loan Program
- Return to Earn Grant – bonuses of up to $1,000 available to new hires earning at least $15 per hour
- Richmond-area foodservice industry Holli Fund
- Richmond Economy Development Authority Small Business Disaster Loan
- Sales Tax Payment Extension
- Stafford Economic Development Authority Disaster Assistance Grant Fund
- VA 30 Day Fund
- Virginia Main Street COVID-19 Resources
Advisory Services and Assessments:
- Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance for small businesses
- Comprehensive COVID-19 FAQs for Employers
- COVID-19 preparedness checklist for businesses
- D.C. Government COVID Updates and Resource Page
- D.C. Vaccination Requirement for Certain Indoor Entertainment Facilities
- DMPED Weekly Recovery Check-in
- National Restaurant Coronavirus Information & Resources
- OFN Members COVID-19 Baseline Survey
- Office of Planning Outdoor Dining and Retail Survey
- Veteran COVID-19 Resources
- Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force
- Virginia State COVID-19 Resource Page
- Virginia Recommendations for Increased Sick-Leave and Absentee Policies
- Small Business Administration’s Employer Guidance for COVID-19