Join the Second Lady of the United States, Mrs. Karen Pence, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and Hiring Our Heroes for the Military Spouse Entrepreneur Summit on August 19. This virtual event features remarks from distinguished guests, military spouse small business owner spotlights, and discussions about key resources that all military spouse entrepreneurs should leverage.

Register today

The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. SBA will forgive loans if all employee retention criteria are met, and the funds are used for eligible expenses. The deadline to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program loan is August 8, 2020. 

Learn more

U.S. Small Business Administration offers the 7(j) Management and Technical Assistance Program for eligible Small Businesses.

7(j) training, provided to eligible firms and their employees, includes very specialized training in the areas of federal contracting. The training will be provided in an online format with live instructors and the ability for students to participate and ask questions. Up to 40 participants per workshop will receive training on how to make "real world" business decisions that will facilitate their firm's success.

Training is provided by Stover & Associates, Inc. For more information and to register, please visit: http://sbaworkshops.stoverteam.com/cgi-bin/app.cgi

To view all current offerings, please visit: Stover & Associates

Any questions, please reach out to Nadine.Boone@sba.gov

The federal government contracts with small businesses to buy products and services. 

The SBA works with federal agencies in order to award 23 percent of prime government contract dollars to eligible small businesses. It also offers counseling and help to small business contractors.  >learn more

New updates were announced recently for the Woman Owned Small Business and HUBZone certification programs - and we want you to know the Massachusetts District Office and resource partners are available to answer any of your questions and support you in seeking government contracts.  

We're inviting you to join us for a series of events to help you find out if government contracting is a viable business development activity for your small business. 

Thursday, August 6th at 4pm

SBA MA Deputy District Director Peter Kontakos and Lead Business Opportunity Specialist Nadine Boone will be joined by representatives from the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers to help you get connected with FREE one-on-one government contracting counseling. 

REGISTER

Friday, August 7th at 10am

Join Sandra Ledbetter, Government Sales Advisor at MA Small Business Development Center and Nadine Boone, Lead Business Opportunity Specialist for an overview on how to do business with the federal government.

SBA Certifications to be discussed:

• Women–Owned Small Business
• Service Disabled Veteran- Owned Small Business
• 8(a) Business Development Program/Small Disadvantaged Business
• HUB Zone Program

REGISTER

Wednesday, August 26th at 10am

Join us to explore the possibilities to pivot into government contracting. 
What are the top industries that government agencies are buying from? 
What do I need to do to get my foot in the door and prepare my business?

REGISTER

Last week, New Hampshire governor, Sununu, signed omnibus bill HB 1558<http://gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/billText.aspx?sy=2020&id=1725&txtFormat=html>.

Among the many different areas address in the bill, the extension of the ERZ program was of particular interest to BEA and for many Seacoast communities that have zones. Essentially it does three things:


  *   Extends the program to Jan. 1, 2028;
  *   Clarifies language that simpifies the processing of the applications at BEA; and
  *   Extends the announcement deadline from March 10 to March 31.

This will not affect how you get zones approved or how you market them. Also, it does not add any additional tax credits beyond the $825,000 currently in the program.

 

Join the SBA for a virtual town hall about COVID-19 recovery resources for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) entrepreneurs on August 3. The event will be hosted in the following eight languages:

English	Mandarin
Korean	Japanese
Vietnamese	Hmong
Hindi	Chamorro

Register today

July 30, 2020

The Mills Administration announced today an investment of $1 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to significantly and quickly expand services to help reduce the disproportionately large racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 in Maine.

This funding through the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will expand education, prevention, and eligibility for services currently supported by the Coronavirus Relief Fund. Generally, it will include individuals referred to DHHS by communities at elevated risk of COVID-19. It will support temporary wrap-around services such as food as well as referrals to existing child care, health care, and income support programs. This funding will be provided directly to community-based organizations that are run and led by the communities they serve. The Department will issue an application for the "2020 COVID Health Equity Improvement Initiative" next week, after additional consultation with community-based organizations on its design.

This investment represents our continued commitment to making progress on the unacceptable disparities in COVID-19 in Maine, said DHHS Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew. In addition to preventing the spread and limiting the impact of the virus, our response must include working in partnership with organizations trusted by the communities they serve and addressing the underlying problems that contribute to this disparity.

The Governor's commitment more than doubles the nearly $1 million already dedicated from the Coronavirus Relief Fund for social services and supports for people with COVID-19. This includes contracts with ten Community Action Program (CAP) agencies ($595,000), Wabanaki Public Health ($40,000), and Catholic Charities ($320,000). Catholic Charities, in partnership with community-based organizations, is supporting interpretation, translation and cultural brokering services, including culturally appropriate support services. To date, 326 people have been referred for currently available services across Maine.

This latest initiative builds on previous actions. It aims to support people identified by community organizations as at risk of and affected by COVID-19, not just those who have been directed to quarantine or isolate by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It could offer support services for those who dont currently qualify or offer extra needed supports for people already getting DHHS services. Organizations would also be supported for their work in connecting eligible people to existing programs like MaineCare or General Assistance. DHHS plans to quickly and directly fund willing and qualified non-profit organizations that meet the eligibility criteria which includes, among others, being run or led by the community the organization intends to serve.

The racial and ethnic disparities related to COVID-19 in Maine are profound, with the rate of cases among minority populations in Maine indicating a higher, crisis-level inequality in those communities. For example, Black and African American Mainers represent about 1.4 percent of the total population in Maine, but over 22 percent of the COVID-19 cases in Maine where race is known. Hispanic or Latinx Mainers represent about 1.7 percent of the population in Maine, but 3.9 percent of cases where the ethnicity is known.

To date, the Department has undertaken a number of actions to address disparities in COVID-19, including:

Access to testing: The Departments June 23 Standing Order (PDF) for COVID-19 testing includes people at elevated risk of contracting COVID-19, including people of color, given the disparities noted above. The Department is working with health care and community organizations to increase testing at sites accessible to people at risk.

Case Investigation: The Maine CDC is increasing staff with language and cultural proficiency. Maine CDC has successfully connected to 95 percent of COVID cases in Maine residents. The individuals Maine CDC did not connect with were not disproportionately represented by racial or ethnic minorities (24 out of 112 confirmed cases from May 1 to July 21).

Contact Tracing: Maine CDCs technology platform (Sara Alert) sends messages and check-ins to close contacts of people with COVID-19 in English, Spanish, French, and Somali. About 14 percent of people currently in the system have a primary language other than English. The Department pays for language translation, interpretation and cultural brokers to assist Maine CDC. Interpretation services in other languages are available on an as-needed basis.

Education: The Department is helping to organize educational webinars for health care providers on racial and ethnic health disparities.

More work by the Department is needed to address COVID disparities as well as the underlying causes of inequity that pre-date COVID-19. On July 24, the Department issued a Request for Information to get input on the Departments organizational structure and contracting process. It is working with private partners to support a rapid community-participatory needs assessment with communities of color. And, the Department will focus on equity as it works to help the state recover from the pandemic.

July 30, 2020

Governor Janet Mills announced today that MaineHousing will double its rental assistance from $500 to $1,000 through the COVID-19 Rental Relief Program beginning next Monday, August 3rd. The Governor, who established the program with MaineHousing in April, is dedicating an initial $5 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) to support the expansion. The Governor today also signed an Executive Order continuing expanded timeframe protections for renters in the evictions process. The moves come as the Maine Supreme Judicial Court plans to reopen courts for hearings next week and as the Federal government appears poised to reduce Federal unemployment benefits, leaving people concerned they may face a housing cliff.

“Many Maine people are still experiencing significant financial hardship as a result of COVID-19, and the last thing they need to worry about is losing their home,” said Governor Janet Mills. “While the future of the $600 boost in Federal unemployment benefits remains in question, we believe the combination of an expanded rental relief program and continued protections through the updated Executive Order can help renters while also not leaving landlords behind. My Administration will continue to work closely with MaineHousing and local agencies across the state to help keep Mainers housed.”

“We know that eviction concerns across Maine are significant. We want people to remain safe and secure in their homes – and this extended program will help,” said Daniel Brennan, Director of MaineHousing. “As we work on a number of solutions needed to address housing challenges that are exacerbated by the pandemic, we hope that landlords and tenants are continuing to work together to keep Mainers housed.”

With the support of $5 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds from Governor Mills, MaineHousing is doubling its rental assistance payment from $500 to $1,000 through the COVID-19 Rental Relief Program. Under the program, each household that meets certain ability to pay requirements may receive a payment of up to $1,000 in rental assistance paid directly to the landlord for up to three months. The assistance may also be used to pay for overdue rent. In accepting the payment, the landlord agrees not to evict the tenant for nonpayment for the month the payment was issued.

MaineHousing established the program in April at the urging of Governor Mills to help prevent evictions in the midst of the pandemic. This builds on a Financial Order signed by Governor Mills earlier this month that dedicates $2.2 million in Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to also support the COVID-19 Rental Relief Program. The Administration considers the $5 million an initial investment with the potential for additional funding in the future depending on the need and additional support from the Federal government, for which Governor Mills continues to advocate.

The Governor also signed an Executive Order today that continues expanded timeframe protections for renters in the evictions process. The Governor’s Order allows evictions scheduled for hearing prior to, and unrelated to, the pandemic to move forward. However, it continues to protect tenants who are considered “at will”, meaning they do not have a legal agreement with their landlord, and cannot make their rent payment, by requiring a landlord to provide at least 45 days’ notice, rather than 30 under law, to a tenant to leave. If the landlord is attempting to evict those at-will tenants, the Order also extends an eviction notice timeframe from 7 to 30 days. The Governor also maintained strengthened penalties for landlords who may try to evict tenants by unlawful means, such as, for example, turning off utilities.

The actions taken by the Governor today build on her Administration’s work to secure and protect housing and the health of Maine people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier today, the Department of Health and Human Services announced $1 million to significantly and quickly expand education, prevention, and services -- such as housing to support quarantine -- to help reduce the disproportionately large racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 in Maine.

Further, on March 31, Governor Mills issued an Executive Order bolstering General Assistance vouchers for basic necessities, such as housing. Under the Executive Order, all applications for General Assistance are processed as emergency applications for eligibility purposes, and certain other requirements are waived. The order also allows eligible individuals to reapply after 60 days rather than 30 days for ongoing assistance. Additionally, on March 25, 2020, Governor Mills directed the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to adjust requirements for the Bridging Rental Assistance Program (BRAP) beginning May 1, 2020. BRAP helps clients with serious mental illness, including those who also have substance use disorder, obtain transitional housing. The transition to lower income requirements was completed by July 1, 2020 for all new and existing BRAP participants.

More information about the COVID-19 Rental Relief Program, including eligibility requirements, application materials, statistics about the program, and frequently asked questions may be found at www.mainehousing.org/covidrent.

A copy of the Executive Order is attached (PDF).

Open NH Website Launched We hope that you are enjoying your summer! With residents and visitors eager to find places to go and things to see and do in the Granite State, our friends at the Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) have created the Open NH website. The website will provide a database of businesses that are open and services that are currently available. In addition, they encourage all tourism businesses to sign up for a free listing on Open NH to let visitors know that you are open and ready to welcome them back!

July 29, 2020

Today, the Revenue Forecasting Committee (RFC) projected that State General Fund revenues will decrease by $524 million in Fiscal Year 2021, $434 million in Fiscal Year 2022, and $449 in Fiscal Year 2023 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Mills issued the following statement in response: 

“These numbers are more than statistical projections. They represent funding for vital services on which Maine people rely, from health care, to schools, to economic development. We know that we will face difficult decisions in the future, but these projections make one thing clear: additional aid and flexibility from the federal government for the states is necessary in order to preserve basic services and ensure the strongest possible economic recovery. I have joined with my Republican and Democratic counterparts from across the country to advocate for this critical support through the National Governors Association for the good of our state and country. I hope Congress delivers.” 

Thanks to good, bipartisan fiscal management by the Governor and the Legislature, which included a revision of the supplemental budget and the Governor’s instruction to all departments to apply an emergency-basis scrutiny to spending and hiring, state government did not confront a shortfall last Fiscal Year. As a result, the current projected balance of $106 million in unappropriated surplus for the current biennium will offset today’s updated revenues, resulting in a projected reduction of $418 million over the biennium. 

The Governor’s instruction to all departments of state government to apply an emergency-basis scrutiny to spending and hiring remains in place, including freezing access to all unencumbered balances for Fiscal Year 2020. The Budget Stabilization Fund stands at $258 million, which is an increase of more than $50 million since the Governor took office.  

The Administration has made no decision about another supplemental budget at this point. The Governor will review revenue reports, examine revenue forecasts, evaluate potential expenditure reduction options, monitor federal efforts to provide additional aid and flexibility to state governments and will confer with legislative leaders about next steps.   

Governor Mills continues to urge Congress to provide additional direct support to states as well as flexibility with funding already authorized in order to continue to protect the public health and safety and to spearhead an economic recovery. Over the past several months, Governor Mill has joined other Governors through the National Governors Association in repeatedly calling on Congress to provide robust and flexible federal relief to offset expected revenue reductions that all states are seeing. Earlier today, Republican Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Chair and Vice Chair of the NGA, respectively, issued the following statement regarding the need for federal aid to states: 

 

National Governors Association Leadership Statement On Congressional Coronavirus Relief Negotiations

Jul. 29, 2020
Press Releases

Governors Larry Hogan of Maryland, the National Governors Association chair, and Andrew Cuomo of New York, the NGA vice chair, issued the following statement about the ongoing congressional coronavirus relief negotiations:

“As leaders of states and territories, governors are battling the effects of COVID-19 on all fronts including protecting public health, assisting those struggling with unemployment, working to ensure access to education, and supporting our front-line health care workers.

“Financial aid to states is one of the most important economic tools available to the federal government. While the Senate proposal is disappointing, we continue to believe there is significant common ground for an agreement that will help state and local governments.

“Goldman Sachs analysts assert that the measures that Congress has passed to date will cover less than half the expected state shortfalls, even when combined with state rainy day funds. Moody’s Analytics has noted that without federal revenue replacement, state and local governments would need to cut more than $500 billion—shaving two full percentage points off the GDP and eliminating more than 3 million jobs.

“Nearly every category of state and local revenue is experiencing pandemic-related losses. States and localities that rely on income taxes are seeing much lower revenue due to high unemployment. Sales tax income is also declining due to the sharp drop in consumer spending and store closures. Limited travel means less revenue from gasoline taxes for transportation projects.

“We stand firm in our request for federal aid in the amount of $500 billion over the next three years. This will ensure a strong recovery for our nation. It is time for Congress to come together to help restore our nation’s health and economy.”