Emergency Resources for Small Businesses & Self-Employed

Lots of small businesses are hurting right now. Almost overnight, many went from profitable to almost out of business. Finding the resources they need now can help keep them going until this pandemic is over.

The cool part is, the government passed the CARES Act with some fantastic resources for self-employed and small business owners.

Here are the resources we could find to help find money to keep afloat. I am NOT an expert, I have just done quite a bit of research on the help my friends and family so I thought I would share what I found…

Emergency Resources for Small Businesses & Self-Employed

Self Employed Can Get Unemployment:

First off, for the first time ever self-employed and contractors can apply for unemployment. If you went from having an income to no income (or drastically reduced income) you need to start there. Normally unemployment is around $300 a week (well in FL) but with CARES Act individuals can get an extra $600 PER WEEK!!! 

You will need to find unemployment for your state (Google Unemployment + your state). 

It varies by state. In many states, your unemployment benefit is about half of your salary, although the amount vary and may be less than that amount. You receive benefits from the state in which you worked, and the payments are typically made weekly.

This can be a huge resource for those that are self-employed!

Small Business Administration Loans:

If you have employees (or contractors, you can apply for a Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance Loan. They are offering low-interest loans that can be paid back over a long period of time. This also can include a $10,000 loan advancement that doesn’t have to be paid back!

Rumor has it you will get the $10,000 even if you aren’t approved. Definitely worth a shot!

CARES Act Payroll Protection Program:

The program allows small business owners to apply for low-interest loans through local banks to cover payroll and other monthly expeneses. Use this money to pay bills and keep employees and ALL OF THIS LOAN COULD BE FORGIVEN. Yes, the government may help you pay your bills for months!

Other Grants and Programs Available for Small Businesses:

• Amazon Neighborhood Small Business Relief Fund – Grants for businesses in Bellevue, WA, and the South Lake Union and Regrade neighborhoods of Seattle.
• Facebook Small Business Grants Program – Facebook is offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries where it operates.
• *Birmingham Strong Fund (Birmingham, AL) – will rapidly deploy resources to small businesses in Birmingham that are substantially affected by the Coronavirus.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loans (Washington, DC )
• Delaware Hospitality Emergency Loan Program (HELP) – No-interest loans of up to $10,000 per business/per month available to eligible businesses in the hospitality industry.
• Maryland Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grant Fund – Grants up to $10,000 for Maryland small businesses and nonprofits.
• San Francisco COVID-19 Small Business Resiliency Fund – Access of up to $10,000 for employee salaries & rent for eligible businesses in the San Francisco area.

• Los Angeles City Small Business Emergency Microloan Program – Loans ($5,000-$20,000) for eligible businesses in the Los Angeles area.
• Denver Small Business Emergency Relief – Cash grants of up to $7,500 to small businesses in Denver that have lost the ability to operate because of coronavirus.
• Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan COVID-19 – Loans of up to $50,000 available to small businesses in Florida experiencing economic damage as a result of COVID-19.
• Chicago Small Business Resiliency Fund – Loans to provide Chicago-area small businesses with emergency cash flow during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Michigan Small Business Relief Program – Grants & loans to small businesses affected by the coronavirus.
• NYC Employee Retention Grant Program – Grants of up to $27,000 to cover 40% of payroll costs over the course of 2 months; for small businesses or nonprofits with 1-4 employees that have lost 25% of revenue due to coronavirus.
• NYC Small Business Continuity Fund – Up to $75,000 in interest-free loans to NYC businesses that have experienced at least a 25% reduction in revenue due to coronavirus.
• Beaverton (Oregon) Emergency Business Assistance Programs – Businesses in Beaverton, Oregon, that were ordered to close as a result of government coronavirus guidelines can apply for $2,500 per month in rent or mortgage reimbursement while the city is in a declared state of emergency.
• Hillsboro (Oregon) Small Business Emergency Relief Program – Grants of $5,000 for businesses in Hillsboro, Oregon, to offset losses associated with the coronavirus.
• *Entrepreneur Fund (MN) Small Business Relief Fund – Direct grants to small business owners in northeast & central Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin.

• Grand Rapids (MN) Emergency Working Capital Loan Fund – Quick turnaround loads to Grand Rapid-based businesses impacted by COVID-19.
• Itasca (MN) Small Business Relief Fund – County-wide relief to small businesses in Itasca County, MN, impacted by COVID-19.
• Dream Maker Small Business Emergency Relief Fund – Funds to provide short-term gaps of small businesses in Jackson, Michigan.
• Small Business Continuity Loan Program (KY) –  The loan program will provide zero-interest loans up to $25,000, with no payments for 12 months, for businesses with 10 full-time employees or fewer. *Applications open April 6*
• James Beard Foundation Relief Fund – (Applications suspended due to overwhelming response; Foundation will notify its audience if the application will be reopened.) Provides critical financial assistance to small, independent restaurants that, due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) national disaster, have an immediate need for funds to pay set operating expenses and keep from going out of business.
• SBA Paycheck Protection Program – An SBA loan that helps businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 crisis.
• Michigan Small Business Relief Program – Grants & loans for eligible small businesses in Michigan.
• PMBC COVID-19 Emergency Access & Retooling Grants – Grants for eligible Michigan businesses looking to retool and manufacture critical supplies.
• Tampa Bay Wave’s COVID19 Emergency Fund (FL) – Tampa Bay Wave will offer short-term zero interest microloans for quick cash infusions to Florida startups while they apply for and await state and federal funding.
• GlobalGiving – The Red Backpack Fund. Designed for women. Thousands can get $5,000 grants. Must have employees.
• COVID-19 Emergency Fund (Cambridge, MA – Cambridge Community Foundation) – Must be a resident of Cambridge, MA

• * Season of Sharing Fund (Sarasota County, FL – Community Foundation of Sarasota County) – Funds go directly to nonprofits; to receive funds from Season of Sharing, individuals must be working with a case worker at a social service agency. United Way 2-1-1 assists potential clients in finding the appropriate agency.
• *One Sioux Falls Fund (Sioux Falls, SD) – to help residents in the Sioux Falls MSA (Minnehaha, Lincoln, McCook and Turner counties) avoid evictions and financial hardships if they are unable to work due to COVID-19 and if they are unable to qualify for federal or state assistance. Nonprofits, the County and the City will coordinate to distribute the funds to make sure assistance gets into the right hands.
• ONE22 COVID-19 Financial Relief Awards (Teton, WY) – Need-based awards for anyone who lives or works in Teton County, WY, and has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Neighbor-to-Neighbor Grants (Berkshire Taconic area, NY) – Small grants (generally around $500) to help those with overdue utilities, medical bills, short-term housing costs and transportation problems.
• It Takes a Village Emergency Funds (Parenting Journey) – Stipend to ease financial burdens for Parenting Journey families.
• Bartender Emergency Assistance Program
• DoorDash COVID-19 Financial Assistance Program – Financial assistance for eligible Dashers that are diagnosed with COVID-19 and have been active on the DoorDash platform for at least 60 days and have completed at least 30 deliveries in the last 30 days.
• *One Family, Los Angeles – A fund in development that will distribute grants directly to families in need in Los Angeles, CA; refer to the FAQ page for information about how to access these funds.
• Real Change Vendor Relief Fund – Cash cards and gift cards to supplement reduced income for Real Change vendors.
• *Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) Emergency Community Stabilization Fund – Will distribute mutual aid directly to Asian immigrants and refugees in areas where APEN works (Oakland & Richmond, CA).

• Freelancers Relief Fund – Assistance of up to $1,000 per household for any independent worker in the U.S. who has primarily earned income through freelance work for at least one year and has experienced a recent, sudden, and unforeseen hardship or loss of income as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Moonlighting.com – A leading freelance & work-from-home job site is offering free job searching and access to its business tools to help independent workers better manage jobs and gigs.
• A Better Balance – A free helpline (call or email) that offers answers to questions about the law for workers facing issues at work related to sick, family, or medical leave.
• New Mexico Caregiver Emergency Child Care Grants – Immediate grants to New Mexico’s caregivers and home care workers who have a young child/children (aged 0-12) in child care settings.
• One Fair Wage – Emergency Coronavirus Tipped & Service Worker Support Fund – Cash assistance to restaurant workers, care service drivers, deliver workers, personal service workers
• United Way of Western Connecticut ALICE Emergency Fund – Provides fresh produce for individuals & families living in the 15 cities/towns this United Way serves in Western Connecticut.
• Napa Valley Emergency Financial Assistance Program – Financial help for workers who live in Napa County, CA.
• One Louisville (KY) COVID-19 Response Fund – Household assistance for Jefferson County (KY) residents experiencing a loss of income due to COVID-19.
• *The Workers Fund – Help for gig and low-earning contract workers.
• Student Relief Fund – Resources for college students in need of support due to a COVID-19 campus shutdown (note: organization does not offer financial assistance)
• Humboldt Health Foundation Angel Fund – Small grants to meet immediate medical or health-related needs of individuals who are residents of Humboldt County, California.
• Young Nonprofit Professionals Network San Francisco Bay Area COVID-19 Relief Fund – Stipends for young nonprofit professionals in the Bay Area impacted by COVID-19.
• *One Family LA – Direct financial support for Los Angeles, CA, families most economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
• National Domestic Workers Alliance Coronavirus Care Fund – $400 in emergency assistance for home care workers, nannies, and house cleaners who have participated in activities of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), NDWA chapters, affiliate organizations, circles and current Alia users.
• San Diego County Refugee Families Emergency Fund – Small, one-time grants to help refugee workers in the San Diego, CA, area.

• Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation COVID-19 Relief Fund – Emergency funding for those employed by or own restaurants or bars that are facing unforeseen expenses not covered by insurance.
• Sacred Heart Community Service Financial Assistance for Low-Income Residents of Santa Clara County (CA) – Fund is no longer accepting applications but you can add your name to an “interest list” if you meet the eligibility requirements.
• HealthWell Foundation COVID-19 Ancillary Costs – Assistance for households that have a positive diagnosis for COVID-19 and have costs associated with delivered food, medication, diagnostics, transportation.
• Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning & the Finger Lakes (NY) COVID-19 Micro Grants for Individuals – Up to $250 per individual for creative community service projects in Elmira-Corning & the Finger Lakes region of New York state.
• Hebrew Free Loan Society Coronavirus Financial Impact Loan (for NYC five boroughs) – Loans to support individuals with financial challenges caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
• Apron Inc. Emergency Fund for Restaurant Workers – Grants of up to $500 each for restaurant workers for all currently employed persons (at least 6 months) who work in locally owned independent food service businesses.
• American Kidney Foundation Coronavirus Emergency Fund – Small grants for kidney patients affected by coronavirus (NOTE: funds have been depleted & there is a waiting list).
• Free Speech Coalition Emergency Fund – Provides grants for eligible talent and crew of working in the adult film industry.
• Another Round, Another Rally Emergency Assistance – $500 relief grants for workers in the hospitality industry (dishwashers, bartenders, servers, bussers, chefs/cooks, sommelier, managers, hosts, concierge, cleaning staff, or barbacks may apply).
• UndocuFund for Disaster Relief in Sonoma County, CA – Help for undocumented individuals & families residing in Sonoma County, CA, who have lost homes, wages, or employment
• 805 UndocuFund – Fund to assist immigrant families in Ventura & Santa Barbara County, California.

• Betancourt Macias Family Scholarship Foundation for Undocumented Families – Funds to support undocumented families and individuals impacted by coronavirus.
• Oakland (CA) Undocumented Relief Fund – A relief fund set up for undocumented workers who live or work in Oakland, California, and have lost their jobs or had their hours cut as a result of the Coronavirus and the shelter in place orders.
• Memphis (TN) Food Industry Worker Assistance – For service industry workers in Memphis, TN, impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
• Northern Virginia Family Services COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Program – Funds for eligible residents of Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Fairfax/Falls Church, Loudoun County, Manassas, Manassas Park, or Prince William County, Virginia, that are experiencing hardship due to COVID-19.
• Cambridge Community Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Fund – Funds for those that live or work in Cambridge, MA, and have been impacted by COVID-19.
• Freelancers Relief Fund – Financial assistance of up to $1,000 per freelance household to cover lost income and essential expenses not covered by government relief programs.
• Together Las Cruces (New Mexico) – Grants to qualifying residents of Dona Ana county, New Mexico, that have been laid off or furloughed, or have experiences a significant loss of income as a result of the state’s executive order.
• Samuel Adams & the Greg Hill Foundation Restaurant Strong Fund – Grants for full-time (30 hours/week minimum) restaurant, bar, cafe, or nightclub workers located in AZ, CA, CT, FL, GA, IL, ME, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VT.
• SAG-AFTRA Foundation COVID-19 Relief Fund – Emergency financial relief for SAG-AFTRA members.