Small Business Advisor - Special Edition COVID-19

Small Biz News

Small Business Advisor

Special Edition COVID-19

Resources for managing healthcare waste related to COVID-19

The Department of Natural Resources has compiled relevant resources for managing healthcare wastes from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) healthcare activities. That information is available on the DNR's infectious waste webpage.

Instructions from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) direct all waste generated from healthcare activities related to COVID-19 to be disposed of in the typical fashion.  Healthcare wastes that would already be assumed to be infectious waste should be managed and disposed of as infectious waste. Healthcare wastes that are not assumed to be infectious or that are exempt from infectious waste management (household generated infectious waste) can continue to be disposed of as solid waste.


Funding opportunities for small business during COVID-19 event

US SBA Disaster Relief Lending

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced small business lending opportunities in the wake of COVID-19. The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance for a small business. These loans can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.

For more information, please visit the SBA's website here.

 

WEDC announces targeted grants to small businesses suffering losses due to COVID-19 emergency

In another step toward assisting small businesses that suffer losses related to the COVID-19 health emergency, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is creating a program to provide grants to targeted businesses throughout the state.

The WEDC Board of Directors on March 17 approved $5 million in funding for the program, which will be known as Small Business 20/20 (SB20/20). SB20/20 will provide grants of up to $20,000 to targeted businesses with no more than 20 employees to cover rent and to meet payroll expenses, including paid leave (including sick, family and other leave related to COVID-19). 

The grants will be deployed by partnering with the state’s 23 community development financial institutions (CDFIs).  Applications for business assistance must be processed through the CDFIs and not WEDC. WEDC plans to identify the participating CDFIs within the next two weeks. 

More information about the program is available at wedc.org/sb2020.

 

Work-Share Program at Department of Workforce Development

Wisconsin's Unemployment Insurance Work-Share Program allows you to reduce work hours across a work unit with employees then able to receive a pro-rated benefit for the partial work reduction. This is a little-known program that may be helpful to small businesses.  Learn more at:  https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/uitax/workshare.htm


Assistance for Small and Disadvantaged Communities Drinking Water Grant

The DNR has been appropriated $722,000 in grant monies to assist small public water systems in complying with Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements.  The grants will provide financial assistance to any qualifying other-than-municipal community and not-for-profit nontransient noncommunity water systems. 

Grant program recipients can receive up to 55% grant monies for eligible projects and will need to provide a 45% funding match. Eligible projects are those that assist the water system in meeting SDWA requirements.  To be considered for grant funding, complete the application and email a copy to Nicholas Bertolas, Nicholas.Bertolas@wisconsin.gov, no later than April 1, 2020.  For questions, contact Nicholas Bertolas by email or call (414) 263-8640.