In this Must Know…
- Take Action on Infrastructure Bill
- The CA Relief Grant Reopens
- This week’s Goodie highlight is SBA’s PPP Forgiveness Portal, which will allow borrowers with Paycheck Protection Program loans of $150,000 or less to apply for forgiveness directly through the SBA.
Take Action on Infrastructure Bill
The U.S. Senate continues talks on a bipartisan infrastructure package this week. A weekend session has been scheduled and a procedural vote was set for Saturday.
Such an investment in infrastructure will not only stimulate our economy, it will stimulate entrepreneurship.
In a post-COVID economy, internet access through broadband and other key infrastructure improvements will be more important than ever. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, California would receive a minimum allocation of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state.
Join us in calling for Congress to pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill that works for small businesses. Use Small Business Majority’s sample tweets and graphics to spread the word!
The CA Relief Grant Reopens
The California Relief Grant Program received an additional $1.5 billion injection following the signing of the 2021 State Budget.
The expansion will open three new funding rounds. Round 7, which is open from August 3 through September 16, is a closed round for existing eligible applicants who were waitlisted in previous rounds. These applicants do not need to reapply. An additional round for nonprofit cultural institutions starts on August 27. And new applicants can apply starting September 9 (stay tuned!).
The Goodies
For Your Clients
- SBA revealed the streamlined PPP Forgiveness Portal, which will allow borrowers with Paycheck Protection Program loans of $150,000 or less to apply for forgiveness directly through the SBA.
- The Census Bureau’s webinar on economic and demographic data for business expansion takes place August 11, 2021 at 11:00am PT.
Funding Opportunities
- USDA is inviting applications for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program for FY2022. The deadline for the First Quarter competition is September 30, 2021.
- EDA announced $3 billion in funding opportunities to invest in distressed and underserved communities impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
New Reports
- The SBA Office of Advocacy published ”Small Business Facts: Women-Owned Employer Businesses.”
- The SBA Office of Advocacy published a fact sheet on Small Business Commodity Challenges.
Other Goodies
- Free Forum: Join Opportunity Finance Network’s CONNECT+ Forum on CDFI growth, September 9, 2021 at 10:00am PT.
- Jobs: The Aspen Institute, PCV, and ICA announced new jobs recently. See who else is hiring!