Resources for Employers

UPDATES: 

Resources and opportunities have been rapidly developing in response to COVID-19. In order to keep you abreast of changes, we’ve added this “Updates” section to the top of this page so you can easily find the most recent developments that impact you and your business. Also, note changes to previously announced programs below in italics.

Reopening Guidelines

According to the latest order by the Health Official and the approved County Variance , several businesses may resume services. This includes:

  • Workplaces
  • In-store Retail
  • Worship and Religious Services/ Cultural Ceremonies
  • Political Protests
  • Manufacturing
  • Limited Personal Services (laundromats/ dry cleaners, auto repair shops, car washes, landscapers, pet grooming and dog walking)
  • Dine-In Restaurant Services
  • Barber shops/ Hair Salons
  • Manufacturing

These businesses may resume operations following state and local guidelines found here. 

The City of Scotts Valley Provides Restart Toolkits to 100 City Businesses

As businesses begin to re-open under the new County Rules, the safety of your workers and the public will be a top priority. The City of Scotts Valley wants to support these efforts by providing up to 100 businesses with a Restart Toolkit, including one free gallon of locally produced hand sanitizer and 50 disposable face masks and printable signage.

Toolkits will be available for pickup in front of Scotts Valley City Hall (1 Civic Center Drive) on Monday, June 1st and Tuesday, June 2nd from 9am - Noon. Additional dates will be scheduled, so please email if you are interested in an alternative time.

THE PROCESS:

  • Businesses must fill out this form to receive a toolkit.
  • During the pickup window, business representative pulls up to City Hall in vehicle and pops trunk or unlocks door.
  • Representative gives identifying business information through window.
  • Masked/gloved City representative will place toolkit in car and shut trunk/door.
  • Get back to business!

We are so grateful to all of our Scotts Valley businesses from providing outstanding service to our community. We look forward to continuing to partner with you to get our local economy thriving again.

County of Santa Cruz  
PRESS RELEASE

Date: May 5, 2020
Contact: Jason Hoppin        831-454-3401

COUNTY SEEKS VENDORS FOR GREAT PLATES PROGRAM

The County is seeking local restaurants, caterers and other food business interested in preparing and delivering meals to older Santa Cruz County residents who face an elevated risk of COVID-19, under the new Great Plates Delivered program.  
 
A federal program designed to support adults 65 and older as well as adults 60-64 who are at high-risk from COVID-19 and are sheltering in place without access to food support, the program delivers up to three meals per day delivered from local restaurants and food providers to help them stay home and stay healthy. The program also provides a way for local food providers to maintain operations and staff.
 
Vendors must meet certain nutritional, delivery, and other requirements. If your business is interested in Great Plates Delivered, please email eoc032@santacruzcounty.us no later than May 11, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. Please ensure to submit the following:
 
• Brief Description of your Food Service Restaurant or Facility. • Proposed Example of Menu to be served to meet the requirements. • Please include your average daily cost per person. This should be broken down into meal costs (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks), delivery costs, and admin costs. Reimbursement will be based on a daily cost to provide meal service per person. • State if your restaurant would be willing to donate 6.25 percent of the meals delivered to count as the local share of cost. • Date when service could begin.
 
Interested business should see the attached Request for Information, or click here. For more, visit https://covid19.ca.gov/img/wp/great-plates-delivered-restaurants-faqs.pdf.

  •  Santa Cruz Works has formed CEO Works, a peer-to-peer support for local businesses
  •  Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
    • is intended to help people that are otherwise ineligible for Unemployment Insurance (UI)
    • in general, independent contractors, self-employed, people with insufficient work history or those who have exhausted UI are eligible to apply
    • PUA is retroactive to February 2, 2020
    • PUA is available for p to 39 weeks, the last week of availability is December 26, 2020
    • Claims will accepted as of April 28, 2020
    • Generally, recipients will receive benefits within 4 – 7 days
    • For more information and to apply for benefits: https://edd.ca.gov
  •  Verizon Small Business Recovery Fund
    • Grants up to $10,000 to businesses facing immediate financial pressure because of COVID-19 especially entrepreneurs of color, women=owned businesses and other enterprises in historically underserved communities who don’t have access to flexible, affordable Capital.
  •   California IBank Support – businesses who are not eligible for EIDL or PPP
    • $50 million loan fund for loans up to $50,000
    • Must be disqualified for EIDL or PPP
    • Allows small businesses with less than $5 million in taxable annual sales, to take advantage of a 12-month interest-free, payment plan for up to $50,000 sales and tax liability only.
    • For more information and to apply for benefits: www.cdtfa.ca.gov

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for Businesses

We recognize that our business community is particularly impacted by the Shelter in Place guidelines and are committed to providing ongoing resources and support to ease the burden of complying with the guidelines. There are a variety of programs in place to assist businesses in navigating these uncharted waters.

We want to encourage you to utilize the Santa Cruz County Office for Economic Development, the Workforce Development Board and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and have included links to their online resources below.

In addition to providing useful and up to date COVID-19 information and its potential impacts on businesses, the SBDC offers free, individualized and confidential advising for financing assistance and building a strategy to plan for or recover from impacts to your business. The SBDC is also available to help you understand the financial resources available and prepare applications for funding. Click here to explore SBDC’s resources and support.

We want to reiterate advice provided by the SBDC that businesses are strongly encouraged to carefully document the short and long-term financial impacts related to COVID-19 as the potential exists to use this information for future state or federal allocations of funding to support our economic recovery.

Please visit the links below for direct access to online documents, webinars with detailed information and a variety of other resources.

To review the  Santa Cruz County Office of Economic Development list of resources for employers and employees, please click here. 

To continue to receive up-to-date information from the Santa Cruz County Office of Economic Development please follow them on Linked-In by clicking here.

Also, visit the Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce webpage for additional resources.

Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act 

The $2 trillion Federal CARES Act is the largest aid package in American history. The CARES Act provides $349 billion for small business loans to cover qualified payroll costs, rent, utilities, and interest on mortgage and other debt obligations. Below are brief summaries of the primary programs as well as links to specific details:

PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM

  • Eligible recipients may qualify for a loan up to $10 million determined by 8 weeks of prior average payroll plus an additional 25% of that amount
  • Loan payments will be deferred for six months
  • If you maintain your workforce, SBA will forgive the portion of the loan proceeds that are used to cover the first 8 weeks of payroll and certain other expenses following loan origination
  • Term of loan: 2 years
  • Interest rate: 1%
  • There should be no fees to the borrower for participation
  • CLICK HERE for more information and access to applications  

ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOANS (EIDL) AND LOAN ADVANCE 

  • Economic Injury Disaster Loans provide small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing
  • The EIDL is a loan and will need to be paid back, loan terms vary
  • Eligibility
    • Sole proprietor
    • Tribal business
    • Cooperatives and employee-owned businesses
    • 501(c)(3) with fewer than 750 employees
  • There should be no fees to the borrower for participation
  • CLICK HERE for more information and access to applications  

EIDL LOAN ADVANCE 

  • You may apply for a Loan Advance which will provide up to $10,000 in economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue.
  • Loan Advance Funds will be made available within three days of a successful application.
  • Loan Advances WILL NOT have to be repaid
  • If you have already applied for a EIDL you can return to your existing application
  • CLICK HERE for more information and access to applications  

EXPRESS BRIDGE LOANS

SBA DEBT RELIEF

  • Under this program the SBA will pay the principal and interest of new 7(a), 504 and microloans issued prior to September 27, 2020
  • The SBA will also automatically pay the principal and interest of current 7(a), 504 and microloans loans for a period of six months
  • CLICK HERE for more information and access to applications

TAX PAYMENT EXTENSIONS

Facebook announced $100M grant program for small businesses.
Applications aren’t open yet, but the company says this will include both credits and cash grants that can be spent on operational costs like paying workers and paying rent. It will available to up to 30,000 businesses in the 30-plus countries where Facebook operates.