COVID-19 Detroit Business Resources and Workforce Needs Survey
City of Detroit, Michigan sent this bulletin at 04/20/2020 05:34 PM EDT
4/20/20
Dear Business Owners,
Mayor Mike Duggan announced that testing will begin for employees at businesses providing essential services, such as grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies. The testing at the State Fairgrounds also will be available to City of Detroit employees providing essential services and restaurant workers. With the announcement, Mayor Duggan hopes Detroit becomes the first city in the country to have testing in place for all employees of essential businesses.
Starting Monday 4/20/20, business owners providing essential services can call (313) 230-0505, register their company and receive an access code. After the City determines if the business is providing an essential service, the owner will receive a follow-up call and verification that the access code is valid. The code will allow business owners or employees to make testing appointments. These employees will not need a doctor’s prescription for the test.
Detroit Business Resource and Workforce Needs Survey- The City of Detroit is working hard to help our business community and we need to hear from you.
The City of Detroit is working hard to identify gaps to help provide resources to residents and businesses as we recover from the challenges presented by COVID-19. In order to provide quality support we need YOU to complete this survey that will assist us with understanding needs by this Friday, 4/25.
Sign up for our Detroit Spring Business Crawl-If you have an online business or currently functioning online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sign your business up for our Virtual Business Crawl on April 25th. Sign up here.
Funding Resources:
Small Business Grants from US Chamber, Available 04/20
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched a fund to provide *assistance to small businesses in the form of $5,000 grants*. The Save Small Business Fund will include contributions from corporations, philanthropies, and individuals. *The grant is expected to address small businesses’ immediate needs like closures, job losses, as well as support their long-term their recovery.
Qualifications:
▪Employ between 3 and 20 people
▪Be located in an economically vulnerable community
▪Have been harmed financially by the COVID-19 pandemic
*Sign up to receive notification when application opens.
SBA Loan Assistance The City of Detroit is here to help you apply for an SBA Paycheck Protection Loan.- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering small businesses loans through its Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The City of Detroit is providing small business owners with individual and personalized support to help them through the SBA application process. Visit our assistance support form.
Small Business Owners Guide to the CARES Act
TechTown Small Business Stabilization Fund Applications have re-opened today 4/14 at 9am techtowndetroit.org The fund expansion was made possible by a lead gift from New Economy Initiative and additional support from Bank of America.
Detroit Economic Development Corporation of City of Detroit will continue to provide information and resources here: http://www.degc.org/local-business-support-for-covid-19/
Wayne County and TCF commit to $6 Million in low interest loan fund. These small business loans are for businesses with less than 100 employees that are able to demonstrate over 25% loss of revenue due to COVID-19. To apply, collect required documents and apply here. A relationship manager will contact you to process the application.
StartUp Space from NEI have created Community Resource and Digital Resource Hub
Launch Detroit is sponsored by Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), New Economy Initiative (NEI), William Davidson Foundation.
HR Assistance for City of Detroit Small Business Owners: Regarding Unemployment- Please use Everything HR to set up WorkShare or file unemployment on behalf of your employees. You'll save your employees a lot of headache, and you'll help relieve the burden on the State's UIA system. DTE has generously funded this support for Detroit Small Businesses only.
Detroit At Work- Supporting Detroit's Small Business Community. Submit your Ready-To-Hire information online at here.
Detroit Regional Chamber UI Resource Guide
Education and Training Resources:
Free CDL Training: Available for free to Detroit Residents. Classes begin May 4th. Register here.
Launch Detroit Program: A 10-week summer accelerator for college students and recent grads. This hands-on, practical workshop and mentoring experience will have a strong focus on students creating unique, scalable tech businesses that could locate and grow in the city of Detroit.
Zoom Trainings
Health Resources:
Drive Thru Testing- On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Community Care Network will launch its first drive-thru testing site at Joe Dumars Fieldhouse on the corner of Woodward Avenue and E. State Fair Avenue in the City of Detroit. Learn more here.
Detroit Health Department COVID-19 - Coronavirus Updates-Keeping Detroit residents healthy and safe is the number one priority of the Detroit Health Department (DHD).
Questions can be answered by contacting the Detroit Health Department at 313.876.4000 or dhdoutbreak@detroitmi.gov or by visiting the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website at https://www.cdc.gov/ or michigan.gov/coronavirus.
Food and Beverage Resources:
Sign up to Help Feed the Frontlines here if you are able to provide meals to Detroit’s front line workers. Participating is easy: your Detroit-based restaurant or catering company just needs to be able to:
- Make individually packaged meals including utensils.
- Provide meals for $15 or less. Ability to provide meal delivery is helpful, but not required. We have coordinators matching restaurants with need based on location, cost, and capacity. A coordinator will reach out to restaurants with details on date, time, location, delivery details, etc. We will use best efforts to utilize as many restaurants as possible. If you have any questions, please email feedthefrontlines@detroitmi.gov or call 313-279-8980.
Donate to help Feed the Frontlines.
Detroit Regional Chamber Delivery and Take-Out Resource Guide.
State of Michigan Liquor Buy Back Program- Governor Whitmer's executive order instructs the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) to conduct a spirits buy-back program from bars and restaurants with on-premise liquor licenses. More information here
ServSaf Courses- ServSaf has developed free courses due to the challenges presented by COVID-19 Sign up here.
Restaurant Carryout Zone Program-Mayor Mike Duggan announced the Restaurant Carryout Zone program, which allows any restaurant that has parking meters in front of their establishment to petition to have paid street parking areas converted to free 15 minute pickup zones. Signage will be installed within 48-72 hours after the request is made. The request form can be found at http://bit.ly/detroitcurbside
Food Rescue Program- The City of Detroit is partnering with Forgotten Harvest and Detroit restaurants to “rescue” surplus food that otherwise might go to waste during the COVID-19 outbreak and provide to local area agencies for residents in need. Businesses interested in participating can find more information and fill out a signup form at http://bit.ly/detroitfoodrescue. After filling out the form, businesses will receive email instructions directing them to a nearby receiving agency and details on how to track their donation.
Hospitality Specific Infection Prevention Guide
Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association-Delivery of food via curbside carry-out, we encourage you to promote this via store windows, social media and/or website as this seems to be a well-received service from many who are highly concerned about social distancing.
More information can be found here: https://www.mrla.org/coronavirus.html
Our Best Regards,
Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity Department
Charity Dean, Esq.
Director
Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity
City of Detroit
https://www.facebook.com/criodepartment/