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office@oaacc.org

Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce

COVID-19 Community Resources

Click on the links below to go to the section

The President’s Coronavirus Guideline for America

For background and the most up-to-date information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus Disease 2019 website: Click Here

Twitter

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

What you should know:

Situation Updates:

Information for Businesses:

Agency Resources and Information:

Information for Families and Households:

Information for Schools and Childcare Providers:     

Information for Healthcare Providers, First Responders, and Research Facilities:

Information for Travel and Transportation:

Information for Community Events and Gatherings:

Information for Law Enforcement:

Verizon Small Business Recovery Fund | Local Initiatives Support Corporation

Yesterday LISC announced that Verizon has committed $2.5 million to provide critical relief to small businesses facing immediate financial threat because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will go to make grants of up to $10,000, especially to entrepreneurs of color, women-owned businesses and other enterprises in historically under-served places who don’t have access to flexible, affordable capital. More information, including how and when small businesses can apply can be found here: https://www.lisc.org/covid-19/verizon-small-business-recovery-fund/

Please share this opportunity with the small businesses in your network, and encourage them to apply. We want to make sure we reach as many eligible small businesses as possible to have the greatest impact we can.

Verizon Small Business Recovery Fund | Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Verizon Small Business Recovery Fund

U.S. Chamber Creates Coronavirus Loan Guide to Help Small Businesses

For Immediate Release
March 30, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has created a guide to help small businesses, independent contractors, and gig economy workers prepare to file for a coronavirus relief loan under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security(CARES) Act.

The U.S. Chamber’s Coronavirus Small Business Guide (available at uschamber.com/sbloans) outlines the steps small businesses should take now and prepare to access much-needed funds to help keep their workers on the payroll during this disruptive period. Further guides will be developed as the CARES Act becomes implemented.

“The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is working with state and local chambers across the country to provide businesses with the information they need to stay afloat and keep people employed during the pandemic,” said Suzanne Clark, President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.“This comprehensive guide ensures small business owners fully understand what aid is available to them and how to access those funds as quickly as possible. We remain committed to ensuring no family or business goes bankrupt due to financial hardships associated with the coronavirus.”

Additionally, to help small businesses, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has compiled an interactive map to show the aid available to them on a state-by-state basis (please click here to see that information).

Last week, Congress passed the CARES Act which allocated $350 billion to help small businesses keep workers employed amid the pandemic and economic downturn. Known as the Paycheck Protection Program, the initiative provides 100 per cent federally guaranteed loans to small businesses who maintain their payroll during this emergency. Furthermore, these loans may be forgiven if borrowers maintain their payroll during the crisis.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is committed to helping American businesses respond to the coronavirus so they can support their employees, customers, and communities. Our members and the state and local chambers, who are on the front lines of this pandemic, need us now more than ever to help them through this significant disruption. We will continue working every day to help our country’s people, businesses, and economy weather this storm and emerge stronger—just as we have at other challenging times in our nation’s history. Visit uschamber.com/coronavirus for more information.

oakland-african-american-chamber-commerce

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Funding Opportunity Description:

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce, will provide Federal assistance to support innovative projects seeking to promote and ensure the inclusion and use of minority enterprises.

MBDA has established the Enterprising Women of Color program in support of the Administration’s focus on empowering women.  MBDA is seeking to promote minority entrepreneurs, with a focus on women entrepreneurs, to become engines of economic growth in their communities.

MBDA seeks to fund Business Center(s) with a particular focus on supporting minority women entrepreneurs in the U.S. and its territories to build their businesses, secure contracts, and capital and increase employment opportunities.

The primary drivers of the Minority Business Center – Enterprising Women of Color are:

  1. capacity building, and
  2.  job creation/retention resulting from facilitating contracts and financing for medium-sized minority businesses.

MBDA Centers provide technical business services including (but not limited to) the development of a pool of contracts and finance opportunities; direct matching of opportunities with qualified/vetted MBEs; relationship management and deal sourcing initiatives (e.g., industry clusters); facilitating MBE growth through exports (identifying global markets and financing); identifying, matching and securing alternative sources of capital and financing; educating MBEs on the benefits of strategic growth alternatives (e.g., mergers, acquisitions and/or joint ventures); MBE advocacy; and, providing service referrals to MBEs of all sizes.

NOTE: Projects must be located in a U.S. State or U.S. Territory, and must provide services that benefit minority-owned businesses in any U.S. state or territory. Applicants are especially encouraged to provide services to women-owned MBEs.

MBDA expects to expend approximately $3,000,000 (FY2020 $1,500,000 and FY2021 $1,500,000) to fund the financial assistance awards under this Announcement.

Submission Requirements:

Eligible applicants include: For-profit entities (including but not limited to sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations), non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, commercial organizations, state and local government entities, and quasi-government entities in any U.S. State or U.S. Territory.

The deadline to submit completed applications for the broad agency announcement is 11:59 pm EST on Saturday, May 30, 2020.

For more information and to register for a pre-application teleconference visit: 

Link to announcement:  https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=325873

Link to register: https://www.mbda.gov/form/pre-application-teleconference-mbda-enterprising-women-color-grant

Applicants should visit MBDA at www.mbda.gov for more information.

For more information, please contact Shayla Moon at smoon@mbda.gov or Emily Kessel at ekessel@mbda.gov

oakland-african-american-chamber-of-commerce

Are you seeking Relief During COVID-19

Greetings Family and Partners,

Hope you and your families are staying well. As you may well be aware of, the Bay Area Shelter in Place order has been extended to May 3rd. This means that non-essential businesses, schools, nonprofits, and other organizations will continue to be closed, working remotely, or scaled back considerably. The ban on social gatherings in person will continue, families will continue to homeschool their children, and physical distancing is still in effect in grocery stores, banks, and other public places.

I can imagine that we are all seeking some sort of relief during COVID-19. Please know that there are several resources available to support you and your family, local nonprofits, and small businesses during this time. 

Here’s How You Can Help

We invite you to provide support during this time and beyond. Below are ways you can support others:

  • Call a Friend, Family, Neighbor to check on their well-being during this time.
  • Serve as a volunteer and support others in any way you can. If interested, reach out the Berkeley Mutual Aid and sign up to volunteer: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15JpuvA8jXCWkO0aPzrcPY_4RkJ61HY3FoGIctCWJ7y8/edit#gid=1975280849
  • With just a simple click of a button, you can invest in the work of Healthy Black Families, Inc. Any amount is appreciated and will be used to serve families in need. Remember that it truly does take a village to support the community and have a lasting impact.
  • You can support by investing in the work of Healthy Black Families, Inc. by clicking on the donate button below. Remember- it takes a village to support community and make a trans-formative impact. 
Donate Here

Healthy Black Families Inc.| Website