Business Resources for COVID-19

Today’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic can position your business to thrive tomorrow. As we follow public health guidelines and common sense, we will give Salt Lake City the best opportunity to stay resilient during this challenging economic time. We’re here to help.

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As we look toward long-term economic and social system recovery, Salt Lake City will aim to work collaboratively with Salt Lake County and the state. We will be guided by public health data and protecting the health of our residents will always be the highest priority. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall has identified three principles of recovery, revitalization, and preparation to guide our City.

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NEW: We have released an Outdoor Business Activity Guide to help restaurant and retail operators expand their businesses beyond the brick and mortar of their physical establishments. This builds upon the Open Streets initiative that was incredibly successful last fall and a desire from businesses to continue those expansions now that warmer weather is on the horizon.

Our aim is to provide an economic opportunity to those businesses which may have a desire to increase their footprints on their private property and, in some cases, public spaces nearby. Business models are changing and we’re hoping to adapt as a city to allow the expansion of businesses as residents and visitors emerge from the pandemic.

These guidelines will be in effect until Mayor Mendenhall’s emergency proclamations expire regarding COVID-19.

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Are loans and grants working for your business or non-profit? Take the COVID-19 Business Needs Survey.

Salt Lake City’s Department of Economic Development has published several surveys for local businesses to determine which resources your business or non-profit has been able to access, and also to better understand what resources you still need.

If you have already taken a survey from us in the past, please answer these questions specific to loans and grants. Your answers will help guide better policy to provide the resources would be most useful for your business to recover.

Let’s keep the lines of communication open. Thank you for taking the time to fill out this short survey.

Reach out to us directly with any questions about the survey or any challenge your business is facing — Phone: (801) 535-7200 or Email: ed@slcgov.com.

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When we follow public health guidelines and common-sense economic rules, we will give our City the best opportunity to minimize the economic impact long term. Follow the guidance of trusted sources. In a public health emergency the sources of choice are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Utah Department of Health.

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More Resources to Help Guide Your Business Decisions:

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

This type of crisis is unprecedented. It is not a typical recession and Capital is available. As a business owner, we understand the enormous challenge ahead – make sense of which programs are the best fit for your needs.
Acting fast is critical. Salt Lake City, the State of Utah, private lenders and the U.S. Small Business Administration have been launching programs left and right. With so much information disseminating so quickly, you need help making sense of the choices before you.

• Learn and apply for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA).
• Get more information about the Main Street Lending Program (MSLP) a program designed for larger sized businesses.
• Salt Lake County Small Business Impact Grant (SBIG) – is currently closed but may reopen at a later date.
• Utah Commercial Rental Assistance Program “COMRENT” – Rental relief to Utah small businesses that have lost revenue as a result of measures taken during the pandemic to minimize the public’s exposure to COVID-19.
• Shop in Utah Grant – is currently funded and closed. May reopen at a later date.
• Safe in Utah Grant – grants for a business’s COVID-19 response that consists of the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE), implementation of workplace redesigns, additional signage, new technology solutions for distance working, and other items to comply with COVID-19 public health guidelines on safely returning employees to work.
• Utah Small Business Loan Finance – has been awarded a $1.72 million Revolving Loan Fund from the Cares Act. The grant can be used to lend to small business/#entrepreneur borrowers up to $250,000. Contact Kimberly Holley, Loan Administrator at kholley@usblf.org.
• Other national private loan/grant opportunities – click here for a list.

TAX RELIEF FOR BUSINESS OWNERS

• Whether your business is eligible for the second draw PPP (or not), you could also benefit from the Employee Retention Credit (ERC).
• The CARES Act granted businesses a payroll tax delay. Employers can delay paying their portion of employees’ Social Security taxes during the rest of 2020.  This amounts to 6.2 percent of wages. It’s not a gift, however, just a grace period. Employers will have until Dec. 31, 2021, to make up half of the delayed taxes, and until Dec. 31, 2022, to come up with the other half. Most employers will qualify for the payroll tax delay. The Treasury will release further guidance as to business owners’ obligations in the coming days.   
• Capital improvement write offs – temporary 100% expensing for certain business assets (first-year bonus depreciation), especially useful for retail, hospitality and service industries.
• Net Operating Losses (NOL) Credit Businesses that generated a net operating loss (NOL) in 2018, 2019 or 2020 can now carry that loss back up to five years.
• Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center: Online resources for taxpayers who file Form 1040 or 1040-SR, Schedules C, E, F or Form 2106, as well as small businesses with assets under $10 million.
• Need help? Get free business counseling from SCORE, Small Business Development Center, Women’s Business Center or Veterans Business Outreach Center. Find a counselor here.

LOCAL BUSINESS ADVISING AND FREE WEBINARS

• One-on-one help is available from Utah Small Business Development Center,  SCORE Utah, Suazo Center and Women’s Business Center of Utah.
• Salt Lake County HELPLINE talk to a LIVE person at (385) 468-4011.
• University of Utah’s Eccles School of Business, “Save Your Business” webinar series.
• Utah’s Business Resources and the COVID-19 Business Manual is a step-by-step guide from the Utah Department of Health that helps you protect your worker’s health.

HELP FOR UNEMPLOYED, REDUCED HOURS OR FURLOUGHED WORKERS

• If you have lost your job or had hours reduced, there is help. Go to the Utah Department of Workforce Services for unemployment insurance benefits
• Unemployment Benefits under the CARES Act – also apply with Utah Department of Workforce Services – benefits are not yet available.
• Utah’s WIC program provides food assistance.
• United Way’s Utah 211 provides people with ways to get help, and give help.
• Utah Governor’s temporary hold on residential evictions.

EMPLOYERS – UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, FFCRA

• As an employer, if I need to shut down operations temporarily because of COVID-19 can my workers file for unemployment benefits? Yes, start here.
• Utah Department of Workforce Services offers Rapid Response temporary layoff virtual workshops, daily to assist companies proactively with talent needs or to minimize negative impacts of layoffs.
• Paycheck Protection Program – as an alternative to laying off employees from the Small Business Administration.
• FAQ’s for employers for the temporary paid sick leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)

LOCAL SERVICE INDUSTRY HELP

• VisitSaltLake and GastronomicSLC are keeping lists of restaurants that are offering curbside service
• Call to order or order online with local restaurants at SupportUtahDining.com
• Online services to tip your bartender – ServiceIndustry.tips
• Set up a tip jar for your business with Tip Genie
• SLCGiftCards.com – submit and shop online gift cards in Salt Lake City
• Create a digital gift card program for your business quickly with Facebook Gift Cards for Business

COVID-19 AFFECTED EVENTS AND ARTS INFORMATION

• Utah Cultural Alliance is organizing support for our local humanities, arts, and museums nonprofits. Visit this link to learn more about petitions, fundraising, community surveys and more.
• Utah Cultural Sector Covid-19 weekly update call for the arts and cultural community.
• NowPlayingUtah listing of virtual events
• Salt Lake City’s Living Traditions Festival has been postponed. Click here for updated info.
• Local media is providing ongoing coverage of new innovative ways to support our arts community, watch our social media channels for updates.

CHILD CARE

• Can I establish temporary child care for my employees? Yes. Click on these links for business/employer FAQ, and parent resources. From Utah Department of Workforce Services.
• One Utah Child Care for essential employees in the public health and safety sectors.

WORKPLACE SAFETY

• If you suspect your employee has COVID-19, know how to identify COVID-19 symptoms. Call Utah’s Coronavirus Information Hotline: 1-800-456-7707, they can walk you through the process.
• What if your employee tests positive for COVID-19? Act quickly and minimize exposure.
• Workplace safety measures from OSHA
• Business cleaning and disinfecting recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC)

STATE OF UTAH RESOURCES

• Utah Leads Together Initiative and resources for Utah’s Businesses

FORECAST FOR OUR LOCAL UTAH ECONOMY

• What is the outlook? What industries are most impacted most by this pandemic? What can we do as a community to bounce back quicker? The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s mission is to develop and share economic, demographic, and public policy research that sheds light and helps people make INFORMED DECISIONS™.

EXPORT-IMPORT HELP FOR BUSINESSES

• Export Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) extends program waivers, extensions, and relief in response to the COVID-19 Crisis.
• Assistance available to businesses, individuals, and organizations interested in expanding internationally – stay current and help our economy bounce back more quickly with World Trade Center Utah COVID-19 guidance.

TRANSIT AND PARKING

• Utah Transit Authority will post updates regarding mass transit schedules and any closures.
• Salt Lake City will resume parking meter fares after more than four months of those fares being suspended, from an official proclamation from Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall.

UTILITIES AND INTERNET CONNECTIVITY

• Learn about broadband in Utah and what internet service providers are doing during the coronavirus pandemic, from the State of Utah.
• For the latest info on utilities, click on these links from Salt Lake City Public Utilities, Rocky Mountain Power, and Dominion Energy

UTAH DIVISION OF MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS

• Unique concerns and impacts that the outbreak has on underserved, underrepresented, and vulnerable populations. Click here for the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs COVID 19 Resources.
• Actively dispel xenophobic misinformation that COVID-19 is linked to individuals of a specific ethnicity, race, or national origin. Resources shared include local DOJ resources, OCA Asian Pacific Advocates reporting tool, and the University of Utah’s No Time for Hate initiative.

TOURISM INDUSTRY

• Updates from the Utah Office of Tourism

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A Letter from our Business Advisory Board (BAB) At the outset of the COVID-19 crisis, Salt Lake City’s Business Advisory Board set forth a letter to Mayor Erin Mendenhall to help direct City economic policy, promote small business growth, and assist the City in remaining responsive to the business community. Click here for a link to the COVID-19 business support letter.

Salt Lake City thanks you in advance for your cooperation in minimizing the economic impact of COVID-19 in our community. We have great faith in the Salt Lake City business community. Take advantage of resources quickly, prepare for the health of individuals and your business, and ask for help. Together we will weather the storm.