• COVID-19 Resources

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    The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce joins the new initiative Chambers All In for Economic Recovery. Chambers All In for Economic Recovery is a collaboration of chambers across the state of Illinois. It is all chambers' mission to support our business communities and help ensure that businesses can thrive for years to come. Last fall, Chambers partnered through a social media campaign to encourage using health and safety practices to keep businesses open. Now, the growing coalition urges the Illinois Legislature to prioritize economic relief for Illinois' businesses.

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  • Bridge to Phase 5 

    Governor Pritzker introduced the Bridge Phase between Restore Illinois Phase 4 and Phase 5. The Bridge Phase will begin once 70 percent of residents age 65 and older have been vaccinated and the recent twenty-eight-day monitoring period does not show any reversals in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.

     

    The Bridge Phase will allow for increased capacity limits in nearly every industry across Illinois. Full details on Illinois’ Bridge Phase and how the state will move to Phase 5 can be found here.

     

    Mask wearing will still be required in public, and Illinois will not remove its mask-mandate until CDC recommendation.

     

    You can view the slide deck from Governor Pritzker’s presentation here.

     

     

    Click on the photo to the right to enlarge.

     

     

     

     

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    State of Illinois COVID-19 Response

    Restore Illinois Plan

     

  • COVID Testing PSA

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  • Champaign County Safe

    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 Application Links to Disaster Related Funding

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    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.

     

    FEDERAL
     

    Economic Injury Disaster Loans

    • Applications open now.
    • This SBA programs provides small businesses with working capital up to $2 million.

     

    Employee Retention Credit

    • 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

    • Loans with 1 percent interest rate to help fund payroll costs, including benefits, and may also be used to pay for mortgage interest, rent, utilities, worker protection costs, uninsured property damage costs by civil unrest in 2020, certain supplier costs and expenses for operations.
    • First draw and second draw loans available. Application deadline: March 31, 2021.
    • Loans may be forgiven if certain criteria are met.​
    • Starting February 24, 2021, for 14 days only, businesses with fewer than 20 employees can apply for PPP. 

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