an Oregon state agency
In the face of a global pandemic and significant wildfires Oregon is resilient. We are resilient because we work together, standing up resources as soon as possible to help our fellow Oregonians. This page contains resources for businesses in the face of COVID-19.
Over at wildfire.oregon.gov, you'll find additional resources and information related specifically to wildfire recovery. Our phone hotline below can help navigate business owners through both wildfire and COVID-19 questions, as we work through both emergencies, together.
New Commercial Rent Relief Program
Business Oregon is launching a new program to help small businesses behind on their commercial lease payments. Open for applications on March 8, this program provides grant funding to landlords to clear tenant rent debt that may have accumulated during the pandemic.
Small Business Navigator Hotline 833-604-0880
Resources for Business Owners/Employers
Financial Assistance for Employers
Jump to: State Financial Assistance || Local Financial Assistance || Additional Financial Resources
Federal Financial Assistance
Oregon is working quickly to implement the following federal actions to improve benefits for Oregon workers and businesses.
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Who can help me with this?
- 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov Disaster Helpdesk from 5AM to 5PM Pacific Time 7 days a week
As of June 15, 2020, the SBA began accepting new Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance applications from qualified small businesses and U.S. agricultural businesses.
Here is data on loans made in Oregon.
Paycheck Protection Program
The Paycheck Protection Program is a federal loan program designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.
The SBA will forgive loans if all employee retention criteria are met, and the funds are used for eligible expenses.
On Monday, January 11, 2021, the SBA reopened the Paycheck Protection Program. When the PPP loan portal system opens, it will initially accept First Draw PPP (new) loan applications from participating CFIs, which include Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), Certified Development Companies (CDCs), and Microloan Intermediaries. The program will soon allow for loans for some businesses that have previously received PPP.
You should consult with your local lender as to whether it is participating in the program.
Complete program information on the SBA website.
United States Department of Agriculture
Business and Industry Loan Guarantee for rural businesses
Federal Reserve Main Street Program
Who can help me with this?
To access the program, contact your bank/credit union and ask if they're participating in the program. There is no separate federal application, it is up to banks to offer the loan product, or not.
The Federal Reserve has established a Main Street Lending Program to support lending to small- and medium-sized businesses that were in sound financial condition before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will operate through three facilities:
- Main Street New Loan Facility (MSNLF), term sheet
- Main Street Priority Loan Facility (MSPLF), term sheet
- Main Street Expanded Loan Facility (MSELF), term sheet
U.S. businesses may be eligible for loans if they meet either of the following conditions: (1) the business has 15,000 employees or fewer; or (2) the business had 2019 revenues of $5 billion or less. Loans issued under the program would have a four year maturity, and principal and interest payments on the loans will be deferred for one year.
Other Federal Programs
Federal Emergency Aid Legislation—As the federal aid package gets rolled out, Senator Jeff Merkley assembled some helpful FAQs for what is in it and how it can help.
State Financial Assistance
State actions and programs to protect small businesses.
Small Business Relief Funding
- Creation of the "Small Business Stabilization Fund" within the Oregon Community Foundation with initial contribution of $700,000 from the Oregon Growth Fund. This fund will include capital from additional sources to leverage and deploy to intermediary organizations around the state to put money in the hands of small businesses.
- Request for $10 million of the Oregon Cultural Trust fund to create an emergency relief funding program for arts and cultural organizations.
- $300 Above-the-Line Charitable Deduction to support non-profits: for tax year starting in 2020, an individual taxpayer who does not itemize is permitted to claim up to $300 in qualified charitable contributions.
Business Oregon Financial Programs
Business Oregon is the state's economic development agency and operates several direct loan and loan guarantee programs for small businesses.
- Entrepreneurial Development Loan Fund (EDLF) offers direct loans to help start-ups, micro-enterprises and small businesses expand or become established in Oregon.
- Oregon Business Development Fund (OBDF) provides direct loans that can be used for permanent working capital. Participants must create or retain jobs and must typically be a traded-sector business in manufacturing, processing or distribution.
- Oregon Royalty Fund (ORF) provides direct loans to help early stage (post R & D and prototyping), scalable, and high-margin small businesses obtain short-term working capital.
- Capital Access (CAP) provides a form of loan portfolio loss reserve so financial institutions may make business loans that carry higher than conventional risks while complying with federal and state banking regulations.
- Credit Enhancement Fund (CEF) provides loan guarantees to financial institutions in order to increase capital availability to small businesses.
Small Business Loan Modifications and Forgiveness
- Loan modifications for direct loan programs administered by Business Oregon (OBDF, EDLF, ORF) that defer payments and interest, with no fees.
- Loan modifications for the Business Oregon loan guarantee and loan loss reserve programs (CEF, CAP).
- Forgiveness of existing loans through Business Oregon to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), to strengthen the CDFIs' financial position and ability to continue small business lending.
Accessing Broadband
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has asked carriers to take a Keep Americans Connected Pledge during the pandemic, and more than 700 carriers are pledging to
- Not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
- Waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Open Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.
Service providers should be contacted directly to see what is locally available in your area.
Emergency Business Assistance Grants
Business Oregon is releasing the latest of the state's recovery efforts for Oregon small businesses suffering in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic—grants to intermediary organizations that in turn issue grants to small businesses impacted by COVID-19. We issued 94 awards totaling $12.6m in General Fund, Lottery Fund, and CARES Funds through 3 rounds to intermediaries (cities, counties, EDDs, CDFIs) from May through July. A fourth round with new federal funding was issued in September.
- Current list of available funds and applications
- View a map and get a full list of awards and recipients.
Round 1—eligible applicants were cities, counties, and economic development districts that have existing small business COVID-relief programs or will stand up new programs to issue grants to local small businesses. This round closed for proposals on May 18, and awardees have been posted.
Round 2—eligible applicants were community development financial institutions(CDFIs) and economic development districts (EDDs). The RFP for this round closed on June 1, 2020, and awardees have been posted.
Round 3—eligible applicants were public entities (cities, counties, economic development districts, council of governments) that have or will develop a community business assistance program in response to the COVID-19 crisis and are able to meet the parameters of this program. The RFP for this round closed on July 10, 2020, and awards were announced July 24.
Round 4—In July the Oregon Legislature added $22.5m from the Federal CARES Act. $5M of this was awarded to round 3 intermediaries (community matching funds), remainder was awarded in September and October to these intermediaries.
Public ports payment relief
Community Development Block Grant Funding Available for COVID-19 Response
Business Oregon has made available $3,750,000 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for non-entitlement communities impacted by COVID-19. The funds will be divided into two project types: $2,000,000 for Small Business/Microenterprise Assistance and $1,750,000 for emergency COVID-19 response assistance—projects that prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19. All program funds are available on a first-come first-serve basis. Eligible applications will be accepted until all the allocated funding has been exhausted.
Additional Financial Resources
Banks and Community Lending Resources
- We encourage you to work with your current or local banks, credit unions, or other local lenders. Private lenders are still lending, and are also being amenable to loan modifications on current loans.
Community Development Financial Institution Fund (CDFI)
Other Micro Lenders
Regional and Local Resources
Oregon Community Foundation:
- Oregon Community Recovery Grant Program—funds to nonprofit organizations in Oregon that are particularly affected by the outbreak of COVID-19
- Oregon Small Business Stabilization Fund—for organizations assisting small businesses
Community Lending Works—emergency loan fund for Lane County businesses
Float—Crowdfunding and gift card purchases to support Portland's small businesses
CCD Business Development Corp—microlending program focused on COVID-19 needs
Other Resources
Portland Independent Restaurant Alliance—Grants and Funding for Restaurant and Hospitality businesses
ondeck—small business financing
The Timely Help—free service to sell eGift cards and get donations
Founder Gym—online training on how to raise money
Workforce and Employee Assistance
Federal Actions
- Additional $600 per week in unemployment benefits, and an expansion covering part-time workers, gig workers, self-employed workers and contractors.
- Two weeks of paid sick leave for quarantined workers.
- Paid leave to care for sick family members and extended leave to care for children out of school.
- Distribution of $1.1 million in layoff aversion funds to local workforce boards.
State Actions
Workshare Program
Who can help me with this?
Workshare—Additional funding is going to workshare, which helps employers keep employees on the payroll by paying part of their wages.
Unemployment Insurance
- Adopted rules providing flexibility for displaced workers to receive unemployment benefits. These rules closed many gaps in the unemployment system that would have prevented workers from getting benefits when they were laid off by an employer impacted by COVID-19, or out of work because of a COVID-19 diagnosis.
- Coverage provided for employees out of work because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Waiver of work search requirement during the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Coverage also provided for hospitalized and quarantined workers.
Insurance Coverage Measures for Businesses and Workers
Who can help me with this?
A suite of policies to aid businesses and workers navigate the crisis while maintaining insurance policies including:
- A grace period for premium payments on all insurance policies issued in the state.
- Suspension of all cancellations and non-renewals for active insurance policies.
- Extension of all deadlines for consumers to report claims and communicate about claims.
- Consumer ability to make premium payments and report claims while maintaining safe social distancing standards.
Reopening Guidance
Oregon COVID-19 Status
Oregon Governor Kate Brown has a webpage, which is the central place with information on reopening status and has the latest health guidelines. We have pulled some information below to add to our own content, but the Governor’s page has more complete information and content is updated the moment anything changes.
What's open in my county?
Learn more about the vaccine
Oregon Health Authority
Oregon OSHA
Federal
CDC Re-opening Guidelines
CDC Guidance on Face Coverings
Federal OSHA Guidelines
Supply Connector
The Supply Connector resource is Business Oregon’s collaborative project to connect businesses and communities with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) manufacturers and suppliers to fight the spread of COVID-19 and keep employees safe. This tool provides a searchable database of businesses we have identified that can help provide PPE. The system also serves to connect businesses up and down the supply chain from raw materials, manufacturing needs, packaging, distribution, etc.
Supply and Manufacture Information
Importing PPE—The FDA's covid19FDAimportInquiries@fda.hhs.gov email is for industry representatives to quickly communicate with the agency and address questions or concerns. The agency is providing maximum flexibility to those seeking to bring PPE into the U.S. and are ready and available to engage with importers to minimize disruptions during the importing process.
Federal Supply of COVID-19 PPE equipment is provided by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA PPE Exchange
Oregon FEMA PPE Dashboard
Manufacture PPE
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently shared that ASTM has made more than 20 of their standards Open Access that relate to medical masks, gowns, gloves, hand sanitizers, and other PPE and medical equipment.
Hewlett Packard (HP) has made available digital files for 3D printing of PPE. These design files will be updated by HP regularly. At this time the files include designs for face masks, face shields, and ventilator components. They are developing 3D printing designs for testing swabs.
Gerber PPE Task Force Resource Center has everything you need to get started switching your production line to PPE. We have more than 10 patterns and cut files available from masks to gowns.
Sewing patterns for isolation gowns
Other Resources and Guidance
Supplies
- Free masks, gloves, and other supplies for small businesses
Due to supply shortages and after filling more than 8,000 orders, we are no longer taking new applications for supplies for Oregon small businesses. The state of Oregon fulfilled orders at no charge until resources were depleted. Funding for free PPE supplies was allocated from the federal CARES Act by the Governor’s office in partnership with the Oregon Legislature’s Emergency Board. - Businesses interested in providing services and/or supplies
Connections
- Webinars and Virtual Sessions
- Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership—series of free webinars on a variety of topics designed to provide constructive information to manufacturers about successfully managing their businesses now and in the future
- RAIN Oregon free weekly entrepreneur support meetings; Fridays at 9:00 am on Zoom
- The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce—webinar schedule and access to recorded webinars.
Planning, Counseling
- Business Survival Tips—English and Spanish
(planning, managing cash flow, insurance, staffing) - Long-Term Business Decisions English and Spanish —Some thoughts and tips on making long-term decisions for your business in the face of this crisis
- Help Avoiding Layoffs
- Workshare (help avoid layoffs)
- Rapid Response Task Force
- Rogue Workforce Partnership
- Small Business Development Centers: centers across the state are offering no-cost advising and training. Currently all centers are operating virtually and are available to assist with general business questions.
- Oregon RAIN (Regional Accelerator & Innovation Network) offering free virtual mentoring, workshops, support groups, and more to any entrepreneur/innovator/startup in the state
- Small Business Advocate—Businesses without employees or with fewer than 100 employees can contact the Office of Small Business Assistance by email or by calling toll free 1-844-469-5512.
- Free and discounted coaching for distressed small businesses from consulting firm [Pregame]
- Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership offering counseling and planning for any Oregon manufacturer
- Nonprofit Association of Oregon
- XXcelerate—strategic business coaching and free emergency business support for underserved entrepreneurs affected by COVID 19, peer mentorship support groups, and online education for growing womxn-owned businesses across Oregon
Business and Industry
- Survey results on small business COVID-19 impacts
- Federal emergency aid FAQ documents and resources by Senator Merkley's office
- Congress passed the CARES Act filled with programs and initiatives to assist business owners on several fronts. The act includes the Paycheck Protection Program, boosts to the SBA's loan and grant programs, and consulting resources among other things. Federal CARES Act Small Business Owner's guide; available in 6 different Asian languages.
- National Governor's Association—a diverse list of resources available from testing facilities for Personal Protective Equipment production to business consulting.
- Technical Assistance for Employers—Guidance for employers on compliance with employment and leave laws
- Oregon Department of Revenue tax relief information
- Am I an essential business?
- Sick Leave Information
- Layoffs, Closures, and Unemployment Insurance
- Resources for Oregon Health Plan partners (OHP)
- Child Care Provider Resources
- Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association
- Industry/Business regulated by OLCC—temporary rules, licensing process changes, and waiving certain fees connected with business and licensing transactions
- Predictive scheduling—hourly and seasonal restaurant workers going to just take out
- Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (OMEP)
- Oregon Entrepreur Network (OEN) twitter feed
- TiE Oregon—non-profit supporting Oregon's entrepreneurs
- MRG Foundation Community Response Fund—funding community-based organizations and accepting donations
- OSU information for small farms, farmers markets
- Oregon Department of Agriculture information and resources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture—Opportunities for immediate relief for rural residents, businesses, and communities
Resources for Employees and Others
Resources for Employees
Loss of health insurance coverage due to COVID-19
Sick Leave for Caring for a loved one
Restaurant Employee Relief Fund
Other Resources
Treasury, IRS tool to help non-filers register for Economic Impact Payments. The tool is designed for people who did not file a tax return for 2018 or 2019 and who don't receive Social Security retirement or disability benefits or Railroad Retirement benefits. Check out the non-filers tool for receiving the federal Economic Impact Payment
Oregon Health Authority
- COVID-19 Updates
211info connects people with health and social service organizations
