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COVID-19 Resources
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COVID-19 Resources
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As a result of increasing positivity rates Champaign County is now under tier 1 mitigations.
Please CLICK HERE to find out what the mitigations entail.
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COVID Testing PSA
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The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce has partnered with a coalition of local organizations and municipalities to help Champaign County businesses as we all progress through the phases of the Restore Illinois plan.
Together, we have developed a Re-opening Toolkit that compiles best practices from a variety of industries, government organizations and resource centers. The practices featured follow the State of Illinois’ Restore Illinois plan. These practices highlight communication strategies for various types of businesses and provide details on how to prepare workspaces, cleaning and disinfecting procedures, PPE tutorials, and general information on COVID-19. This information will assist industries ranging from agriculture to childcare to manufacturing and hospitality – all with specific guidelines on employee and customer protection, sanitation standards, social distancing, and much more.
An accompanying website Champaign County Safe has also been launched and will serve as an information and resource hub regarding COVID-19 rules, PPE resources, guidelines and best practices.
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Application Links to Disaster Related Funding
LOCAL
Champaign - Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant:
- Grants up to $15,000 that have been impacted by the pandemic. Priority will be given to businesses who have not received other state or federal grants related to COVID-19. Applications will be accepted in-person or online beginning Wednesday June 24, 2020 at 8:00 a.m.
- To find submission and application materials, please click here.
- The City also released a video detailing more.
STATE
The Business Interruption Grant Program:
- Round 2 Application materials are open now.
- This round of funding will provide $220 million in funds to small businesses hit by the pandemic.
- BIG funding aims to provide relief for all type of small businesses with a focus on those located downstate or in disproportionately impacted areas.
- Furthermore, round 2 funding will emphasize heavily impacted industries including performing arts venues, event spaces and hotels. A full list of eligibility criteria and grant information can be found at the link below.
Rebuild Distressed Communities Program:
- More details expected in October.
Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program- Multi-part application detailed here.
- Small businesses in some communities (some, included Champaign and Urbana, are excluded due to program guidelines may be eligible for a sixty-day grant of working capital up to $25,000. A business must have 50 employees or less.
Illinois Small Business COVID-19 Relief Program
- Applications open now for financial institutions.
- The Illinois Treasurer’s office is partnering with approved financial institutions to provide loans to businesses that would otherwise not qualify. State funds are deposited to financial institutions for a one-year term. These funds provide loans to small businesses to provide working capital to bridge this season.
Small Business Layoff Aversion Emergency Assistance
- Application can be found here.
- Emergency Assistance funding available to support small businesses facing the financial impacts from the COVID-19 national health emergency.
- Grant funds are now available to support your business with a number of layoff aversion activities.
- Funds must be used to mitigate layoffs and adhere to social distancing provisions established by federal and state public health entities.
- This grant program is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
FEDERAL
Economic Injury Disaster Loans
- Applications open now.
- This SBA programs provides small businesses with working capital up to $2 million. Applicants will receive an advance of $1,000 per employee up to $10,000 regardless of whether the loan closes.
- The Employee Retention Credit is a fully refundable tax credit for some employers that is equal to 50 percent of qualified wages up to $10,000. The credit is available to businesses who have not received a Paycheck Protection Loan, have had operations partially or fully suspended and experienced a decline in gross receipts by more than 50 percent.
- Other criteria and regulations apply.
- Credit is taken against the employer's share of social security tax, but excess is refundable under normal procedures.
Paycheck Protection Program
- Program is now closed.
- The Federal Reserve established this program with $600 billion as a result of the CARES Act.
- Loans of varying amounts available to businesses that meet a variety of criteria.
- Loans must be applied for through approved lenders.
- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has prepared a preparation guide.
Other Financial or Funding Resources:
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PPE Suppliers
All resources are subject to varying quantities and availability.
Local Resources:
- Agile Supply Company- masks, thermometers, disinfectants, cleaning supplies, other
- Aramark - gowns, reusable masks, other
- Baran Marketing - hand sanitizer, bandanas, disposable & custom masks, disposable gloves, gowns
- Illini Plastics- sneeze guards, plastic barriers
- KEC Design - thermometers, hand sanitizer, reusable face masks, other
- Rogards - hand sanitizer, wipes, gloves, sneeze guards, disposable masks, other
- Staples - sneeze guards, masks, other
State Resources:
- Black Band Distillery- hand sanitizer
- Crown Packaging Corp.- disinfectant, sanitizer, gloves, masks, shields, thermometers, other
- DP Supply Inc. – cleaning supplies, sanitizers, gloves, other
- Illinois Manufacturer’s Association PPE Sourcing Center - list of PPE resources
- John Boos- sanitizer station, sanitizer stand
- Lorenz Supply Co. – cleaning supplies, sanitizers, other
- Sani-Kure- hand sanitizer
Nationwide:
- Family Face Mask & PPE- masks, other
- Global Industrial- masks, thermometers, other
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Business Resources
Unemployment & Leave
Leave and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
- Department of Labor-Families First Coronavirus Response Act FAQ
- Department of Labor- Fair Labor Standards Act FAQ
- Department of Labor- Family and Medical Leave with COVID-19 FAQ
- Addressing FFCRA in the Workplace: What Employers Need to Know Right Now - The Illinois Manufacturer’s Association hosted this webcast to go over the FFCRA and the ways in which this act may apply to your business.
- IRS Tax Credits for Required Paid Leave
Unemployment
- Illinois Department of Employment Security
Small Businesses
- Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives - Crisis Management
- Chamber's Business Advisors' Council (BAC)
- BluePay - A step-by-step plan for working to build-up after a disaster.
- Department of Homeland Security - Business Continuity Plan
- Kauffman Foundation - A Guide to Helping Small Businesses Navigate and Recover from COVID-19
- SBA
- SBDC
Large Businesses / Manufacturers
- CliftonLarsonAllen - Webinar: Organizational Management in Times of Uncertainty
- IMEC
- Illinois Manufacturers Association
- Webinar: COVID-19 Employee Leave Laws and FMLA: Your Questions Answered
- Illinois Department of Public Health - Guidelines for Large Businesses
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) - Preparing for COVID-19 Impacts
Restaurants
- UPDATED: Phase 4 Guidelines for Bars & Restaurants
- CDC Cleaning Recommendations
- FSR Magazine - COVID-19 for Restaurants
- Illinois Liquor Control Commission
- Illinois Restaurant Association - Guidance for Restaurants
- National Restaurant Association
- Restaurant Employee Relief Fund
- Restaurant FAQ from the State of Illinois
- ServSafe - Free food safety and career development training and resources
General Employer Information
Local
National- Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives - Crisis Management
- BluePay - A step-by-step plan for working to build-up after a disaster.
- CDC Cleaning Recommendations
- Corona Virus Response Act
- Department of Homeland Security - Business Continuity Plan
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Help
- Kauffman Foundation - A Guide to Helping Small Businesses Navigate and Recover from COVID-19
- Laner Muchin - Workplace Intelligence Firms: Best Practices
- POSITIONED: COVID-19 Communications
- United States Government
- US Chamber of Commerce
- U.S. Department of Labor
Employee Information
Local
- 211
- Elliott Counseling Group
- Families First Corona Virus Act - Employee Rights
- Illinois Department of Revenue
- State of Illinois - Unemployment Insurance Benefit
National- USBG National Charity Foundation
- U.S. Department of Labor
- Unemployment Guidance
- FMLA - If you are out sick or taking care of a ill family member you may be covered under FMLA
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Health
National:
- CDC
- Johns Hopkins Corona Virus Map
- U.S. Department of State - Travel Information
- WHO
State:- Illinois Department of Public Health
- State of Illinois - Map of Positive Cases
- Testing Sites
- UPDATED: Phase 4 Guidelines for Bars & Restaurants
Local: -
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Family / Education
2020 CENSUS INFORMATION - Deadline extensions and adjustments
National:
- BrainPOP
- Children's Literacy Center - Kid's Learning Room Resources
- Creditcards.com - Teaching Financial Literacy to Children & Teens
- Drawing Lessons via Author Mo Willems
- Have Fun Teaching - Free courses for preschool - fourth grade
- iCivics - Free educational resources for teaching kids about civics and government
- PBS - programming schedule
- PBS - How to Talk to Your Kids About COVID-19
- Scholastic - Learn from Home
- Today - How to Homeschool
- U.S.Chamber of Commerce Foundation - COVID-19 Impact on Childcare
- U.S. Department of Education
- U.S. Department of Labor - Families First Coronavirus Response Act
State:
Emergency Rental Assistance Program
With applications now available, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA) will support Illinois tenants unable to pay their rent due to a COVID-19-related loss of income. Tenants whose applications are approved will receive one-time grants of $5,000 paid directly to their landlords to cover missed rent payments beginning March 2020 and prepay payments through December 2020, or until the $5,000 is exhausted, whichever comes first. The assistance will be in the form of a grant and repayment will not be required. Applications for ERA will be accepted August 10th through August 21st. Due to anticipated high volume, the application window may close early. IHDA will use a third-party entity to select a pool of applications to be reviewed for eligibility. Approximately 30,000 tenants are expected to receive funding. Apply online at: era.ihda.org.
Tenant Eligibility:
- Household income before March 1, 2020 was at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income;
- An adult member of the household must have had a loss of income due to the COVID-19 crisis on or after March 1, 2020; and
- Household has an unpaid rent balance that began on or after March 1, 2020.
- IDHA Emergency Rental Assistance Program (Application Period 8/10/20 – 8/21/20)
Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program
Available August 24, 2020, the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (EMA) will assist homeowners who have experienced a COVID-19-related loss of income resulting in past due mortgage balances starting March 2020. Approved applicants will receive up to $15,000 paid directly to their mortgage servicer. Assistance will cover the homeowner’s past due or forbearance balance and their regular mortgage payments through December 30, 2020, or until the funding is exhausted, whichever comes first. Payments may include all escrowed first mortgage expenses including property taxes, insurance and certain fees. The assistance will be in the form of a grant and repayment will not be required. Applications for EMA will be accepted from August 24th through September 4th. Due to anticipated high volume, the application window may close early. IHDA will use a third-party entity to select a pool of applications to be reviewed for eligibility. The program is expected to assist approximately 10,000 households. Apply online at: ema.ihda.org.
Homeowner Eligibility:
- Household adjusted gross income from 2019 Tax Return was at or below 120 percent of the Area Median Income;
- An adult member of the household has had a loss of income due to the COVID-19 crisis on or after March 1, 2020;
- Homeowner’s mortgage was current as of February 29, 2020;
- The mortgage is past due or in forbearance.
- IDHA Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (Application Period 8/24/20 – 9/04/20)
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services - Protecting Children is a Responsibility we all Share
Local:
- 211
- Elliott Counseling Group
- Chambana Moms - 300+ Resources for Learning at Home
- Champaign-Urbana Public Health District - Germ Busters program for kids
- Champaign Unit 4 School District
- Eastern Illinois Foodbank
- Girl Scouts of Central IL - Sparkle & Shine Girl Scout Home Edition
- Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development - Emergency Childcare for Communities and Providers
- Orpheum Children's Science Museum - At home activities for children posted daily
- Rantoul City Schools
- Urbana School District #116
- United Way of Champaign County
- WILL TV - At Home Learning
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COVID-19 Business Related Articles
Local:
- AdAge - Ignore Short-Term Panic to Recession-Proof Your Brand
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CliftonLarsonAllen -
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Commerce Bank - Protecting yourself from corona virus scams
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Consolidated Communications - Company Preparedness & Response
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Creditcards.com - Teaching Financial Literacy to Children & Teens
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FSR Magazine - COVID-19 for Restaurants: What’s Working and What Will Become Part of the New Normal
- Kemper CPA - Illinois Emergency Small Business Grants and Loans Assistance
- Lincoln Office / Steelcase - Navigating What’s Next: The Post-COVID Workplace
- LinkedIn - New to Working Remotely? These Resources Can Help
- Martin Hood - A Few Tips for Working Remotely
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