In the wake of emergency assistance available to help small businesses in response to the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), the SBA is urging disaster loan applicants seeking federal aid to be alert to phishing campaigns and scams. These malicious actors are impersonating the SBA and its Office of Disaster Assistance to collect personally identifiable information (PII) for fraudulent purposes.

The SBA is particularly concerned about scam emails that are targeting applicants of the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program asking them to verify their accounts using a third-party online platform to collect personally identifiable information.

Watch Out for Phony Emails Asking for Your Information

• Any email communication from the SBA will come from email accounts ending in sba.gov, and nothing more.
• Look out for emails that use the SBA logo in their phishing emails and phony schemes.

These may be attempts to obtain PII, access personal banking accounts, or to install ransomware or malware on your computer.

The SBA will never use a third-party platform to:

• Actively seek PII
• Search a third-party platform for or by PII, or
• “Follow” public users proactively without a waiver.

 

Government Employees Do Not Charge for Recovery Assistance 

Additionally, federal agencies that provide disaster recovery assistance will never ask for a fee or payment to apply for financial assistance, and government employees do not charge for any recovery assistance provided.

Tips to Keep an Eye On

• The presence of an SBA logo in an email or on a webpage does not guarantee the information is either accurate or endorsed by the SBA.
• Help protect your identity and privacy by never providing your full name, date of birth, social security number, address, phone numbers, email addresses, case numbers, or any other PII in public-facing comments or responses to third-party emails.
• Loan applicants who receive email correspondence asking for PII are cautioned to ensure that any application numbers referenced in the email are consistent with your actual application number.
• Do not click on any links or open any attachments, which are often used in phishing email scams. 

 

The best way to avoid being scammed is to safeguard your information like money in the bank.  Always be vigilant in protecting your personal information and data assets. If you suspect an email is associated with a fraud scam targeting the SBA, report it to the Office of Inspector General’s Hotline at 800-767-0385 or online at https://www.sba.gov/COVIDfraudalert.

You can learn more about scams and fraud schemes on the SBA’s website at

https://www.sba.gov/COVIDfraudalert.

Loan applicants who have questions about SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program may call the Disaster Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.  

August 25^th and 26^th 2020

8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Create a profile and register here:

https://sbavets.force.com/s/

Boots to Business is a two-step training program developed to introduce all Veterans and transitioning service members to business ownership. All veterans or their spouses and/or dependent children over 18 are welcome to participate!

After completing the 2-day Boots to Business session, participants will have the tools and knowledge they need to identify a business opportunity, draft a business plan, connect with local small business resources, and launch their small business. 

When: August 18, 10:00am-11:30am
Register: HERE

If you are thinking about starting your own business, or already own a small business and want it to grow, then please join us for this no-cost informative webinar.

Representatives from the Small Business Administration's Maine District Office will discuss; recognizing good ideas for a business, deciding if your business idea will work, the steps to take to get started, and what lenders are looking for from borrowers. If you already have a business and are looking to grow, this webinar will also discuss ways to increase sales through targeted marketing, and introduce you to no-cost partners who can help you achieve ongoing success in your venture.

Please reserve your space by using the Eventbrite invitation at the registration link above.

To join the webinar, simply click on this link: https://bit.ly/3fzocnA

If the link does not immediately take you to the Teams Meeting, simply paste it in your browser and that will provide access to the webinar.

Health Reimbursement Arrangements Webinars Interested in learning about a new way to offer health benefits to your employees? Join the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for a webinar on individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). Register today

The National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) commissioned the first comprehensive study examining the factors that may influence women’s participation in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs—also known as America’s Seed Fund. The NWBC intends for this report to provide a baseline understanding of the inclusion of women entrepreneurs and female principle investigators in the advanced technology business realm funded by SBIR/STTR.

The NWBC is a non-partisan federal advisory committee created to serve as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners.

Learn more

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration announced the updated interest rates for the 504 Loan Program offered by Certified Development Companies (CDC). Small businesses can now apply for the lowest interest rates since July 2018 as the program is now allowing 20 and 25-year interest rates at 2.214% and 2.269%, respectively.

 “These are very encouraging terms and very supportive of our nation’s goal to bounce-back from COVID-19,” said William Manger, SBA Chief of Staff and Associate Administrator for the Office of Capital Access.  “CDCs” are the driving force behind the 504 Loan Program. The longer terms and low interest rates support and encourage entrepreneurs to step outside of the box and look at real investments. We are pleased that the 504 Loan Program continues to show double-digit year-over-year growth, especially in these extraordinary times.”

Small businesses looking for information on how to expand their business's real estate or improve their working capital should visit: https://www.sba.gov/brand/assets/sba/sba-lenders/504-Loan-Fact-Sheet-Borrower-Version.pdf

The 504 Loan Program is an SBA business loan program authorized under Title V of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, 15 U.S.C. 695 et seq.  The core mission of the 504 Loan Program is to provide long-term financing to small businesses for the purchase or improvement of land, buildings, and major equipment, to facilitate the creation or retention of jobs and to support local economic development.  Under the 504 Loan Program, loans are made in conjunction with private sector lenders to small businesses by CDCs, which are certified and regulated by the SBA to promote economic development within their community.

For questions about the 504 Loan Program, please contact:

Linda Reilly
Chief, 504 Loan Program
202-205-9949
Linda.reilly@sba.gov                                

 

Please see below for the New Hampshire Universal Guidelines revised August 12, 2020. 

guidance-universal.8-12-2020.pdf

Concord, NH ‐ Today, Governor Chris Sununu issued Emergency Order #64 , Emergency Order #65 , and Exhibit P to Emergency Order #29  as part of the state's effort to respond to COVID-19.

Portable Document Format (.pdf) . Visit nh.gov for a list of free .pdf readers for a variety of operating systems.

The Race is Virtual.  The Impact is Real. 

DOVER, N.H. – The Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Foundation Board of Directors has announced that the Seacoast Cancer 5K, originally scheduled for Sunday, September 20, will take place virtually in 2020. The move to a virtual format is a result of the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and a precaution to protect the health and safety of those in the greater Seacoast community.

Since it started in 2014, the Seacoast Cancer 5K has raised more than $1.4 million dollars and has become one of the region’s largest fundraising events with more than 3,400 participants in 2019 alone. Proceeds from the 5K stay in the community to support lifesaving care and services for patients and their families at the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Seacoast Cancer Center. The cancer center, now with locations in Dover and Portsmouth, offers the most comprehensive cancer care in the area.

The fundraising goal for the 2020 Seacoast Cancer 5K is $500,000, raised through registrations, sponsorships, and individual and team fundraising.

This year’s event will be an “Anytime 5K,” allowing participants and teams to complete their 5K route anytime over a two-week period using a customized race app. Awards will be presented to top finishers in each age group, as well as  top fundraising teams and individuals.

Registration for the virtual Seacoast Cancer 5K will have three levels: basic registration is $25; registration with a race shirt is $30.  For those “5K Fanatics” the registration fee is $40 and includes a race shirt and a “goody bag” of fun race swag, including a car magnet, button, decals, bracelet, and more.

Boston hoops favorite and game analyst Brian Scalabrine will return as the Seacoast Cancer 5K’s honorary captain for the third year, rallying the community around this important cause. Sponsors and top fundraisers will also have an opportunity to participate in a virtual meet and greet with “Scal.”

“Cancer doesn’t stop and neither do we!” says Cristine C. More, CFRE Chief Philanthropy Officer, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Foundation. “The decision to go 100% virtual allows us to continue this annual tradition that our Seacoast residents, staff, and patients look forward to each year.  As the nonprofit hospital of choice in the Seacoast, Wentworth-Douglass holds patient safety as our top priority.  We encourage everyone to ‘Anytime 5K’ and look forward to connecting virtually to celebrate hope, survivorship, and togetherness. We are incredibly grateful to our community for their ongoing and continued support of this important annual fundraising event.”

Thank you to the sponsors that have already stepped up to support this crucial community fundraiser, including Blue Dolphin Screenprint & Embroidery, First Seacoast Bank, Kennebunk Savings Bank, Radiation Oncology Associates, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Medical Oncology & Hematology, Seacoast Dermatology, Dermatology & Skin Health, Cameron’s Home and Garden Center, Demoulas Market Basket Foundation, Holy Rosary Credit Union, Runner’s Alley, Leone, McDonnell & Roberts, PA, and Dupont’s Service Center. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact the Wentworth-Douglass Foundation at (603) 740-3292.

To register for the event as an individual or teams or to learn more, visit SeacoastCancer5K.org.

# # #

In a letter to the USDA in June, the Delegation requested that maple syrup be included in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
 
Washington, D.C. — Following a push by Maine’s Congressional Delegation and Governor Janet Mills, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that producers of maple sap used to make maple syrup are now eligible for direct financial relief to help offset the financial harm they have experienced due to COVID-19.

In June, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden sent a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue (PDF) in support of maple syrup producers’ eligibility for direct relief from the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).  CFAP, created through the CARES Act, is providing up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers.  In the letter, the Delegation also noted their full support of a letter previously sent by Governor Mills, which outlined the necessity of this relief for the Maine maple syrup industry.

“Maine is proud to be the country’s third-largest producer of maple syrup.  This is a strong sector of our state’s agricultural economy, representing more than 800 full- and part-time jobs,” said Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden.  “Maine maple syrup producers experienced substantial revenue losses due to the cancellation of Maple Sunday events this spring.  We strongly supported making maple syrup producers eligible for assistance through CFAP, and we are pleased that they will now be able to access this lifeline for farmers.”

“Like many pillars of our economy, Maine’s maple syrup producers have suffered unprecedented financial hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic. I am pleased to hear that the USDA heeded our call and that our maple syrup producers can now access the resources they need to survive these challenging times,” said Governor Janet Mills. “I hope to see continued changes to the CFAP program to ensure that more Maine farms, of all sizes, whose financial stability and futures have similarly been disrupted, benefit from this important program.”

Maine is home to more than 550 maple syrup producers whose combined output totaled 580,000 gallons with a value of $21.6 million last year alone.  Similar to other agricultural producers across the country, maple syrup producers in the State of Maine have suffered greatly due to COVID-19.  The impact on this industry is even more acute than most, however, given its short season from late February to mid-April and heavy reliance on direct-to-consumer sales.  Every March, sugarhouses across Maine host Maple Sunday events, an annual celebration showcasing maple syrup operations throughout Maine that serves as a catalyst for sales.  Due to the pandemic, this collection of events was effectively cancelled this year, eliminating many producers’ best opportunity to connect with consumers and secure sales.

CFAP was established to provide “vital assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline and face additional significant marketing costs as a result of lower demand, surplus production, and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities.”  To date, a total of more than $14 million has been awarded through CFAP to Maine farmers to help offset the financial harm they have experienced due to COVID-19. 

The USDA is continuing to accept applications from farmers through September 11.  More information about CFAP and the application process can be found on USDA’s resource page: Farmers.gov/cfap.