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COVID-Related Grants:
Salesforce - Salesforce will be offering Salesforce Care Small Business Grants of $10,000 to provide capital to help keep businesses afloat. These grants will support small businesses as they work to replenish materials, pay salaries, or adapt their business model to overcome these challenging times.
US Chamber of Commerce Foundation - Funded by corporate and philanthropic partners, the Save Small Business Fund is a collective effort to provide $5,000 grants to as many small employers as we can. We hope these supplemental funds will help you get through the next days and weeks.
Growth Through Ag - All projects will need to demonstrate how they expand Montana agriculture, but given the current public health situation with COVID-19, special attention will be paid to projects that strengthen and expand local food offerings, distribution, and infrastructure.
Northwestern Energy - Through shareholders dollars, the Company is providing resources in the form of $250 bill credits to a limited number of our locally-owned, stand-alone small business customers. Grant recipients must be a NorthWestern customer that was impacted by the state and local closure directives related to COVID-19. They also must have contacted NorthWestern to discuss management of their utility bill.
Verizon - An investment of $2.5 million from Verizon is making it possible for LISC to begin offering critical relief and resiliency-building support to small businesses facing immediate financial threat because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The funding will go to make grants of up to $10,000, especially to entrepreneurs of color, women-owned businesses and other enterprises in historically under-served places who don’t have access to flexible, affordable capital.
Thryv Foundation - To help businesses through the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Thryv Foundation will provide grants through its 2020 Small Business COVID-19 Program. Small- and medium-sized businesses can apply today.
Music COVID Relief - The information for the Relief and Grants section of MusicCovidRelief.com was compiled by the U.S. Music Community to help music professionals learn about organizations providing relief and potential grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.
James Beard Foundation - The James Beard Foundation Food and Beverage Industry Relief Fund application is now open. The application period will run through 3 P.M. ET on April 3, 2020. Please review the criteria and frequently asked questions before submitting an application. *First round closed - check back for the second round.
Facebook - Facebook is offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries where we operate. We’ll share more details as they become available.
JPMorgan – pledged $50 million global philanthropic commitment to support communities and people hit hardest by this public health crisis, including $2 million to existing nonprofit partners and $8 million to assist small businesses. Learn more.
MainVest – a crowdfunding platform, announced its new Main Street Initiative: a $2,000, zero-interest, 120 day loan for restaurants or other brick and mortars affected by the shutdown.
Opportunity Fund – which specializes in money lending to small businesses owned by women, immigrants and people of color, is collaborating with investors and nonprofits to put together a coronavirus relief fund that will provide grants and low-interest rate loans.
Golden Rule Charity – To qualify for a grant, you must be employed in a restaurant/hospitality establishment for 6 months. You must apply no later than 6 months after onset of need. Grants will only be awarded to applicants who currently (or at the time of injury or illness) work at least part-time.
Red Backpack Fund - The Red Backpack Fund, an initiative of The Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation managed by GlobalGiving, will make at least 1,000 grants of $5,000 each to female entrepreneurs in the U.S. to help alleviate the immediate needs and support the long-term recovery of those impacted by this crisis. Eligible applicants include majority women-owned businesses and nonprofits with annual revenues less than $5M, at least one additional paid employee, and fewer than 50 individuals on staff.
Freelancers Union - Freelancers Relief Fund will offer financial assistance of up to $1,000 per freelance household to cover lost income and essential expenses not covered by government relief programs, including: Food/food supplies, Utility payments, and Cash assistance to cover income loss. 100% of all donations will be distributed directly to freelancers in need.
National Endowment for the Arts - The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act recognizes that the nonprofit arts industry is an important sector of America's economy. The National Endowment for the Arts will award funds to nonprofit arts organizations across the country to help these entities and their employees endure the economic hardships caused by the forced closure of their operations due to the spread of COVID-19
Artist Relief Program - The Artist Relief program is an initiative that provides immediate, unrestricted emergency funding of $5,000 for individual artists throughout the United States, of all disciplines, and resources to help those in need due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Go Fund Me – The Go Fund Me Relief Initiative is intended to support our local businesses facing financial loss. Make a difference today by donating or starting a fundraiser.
Hello Alice - Hello Alice is offering $10,000 grants being distributed immediately to small business owners impacted by coronavirus, as part of our broader mission to ensure Business for All. In addition to funding, grant recipients will receive ongoing support from the Hello Alice community.
Additionally, a list of other resources to help individuals and small businesses:
Northwestern Energy - NorthWestern Energy voluntarily suspended service disconnections for non-payment, effective immediately, to help customers who may be financially impacted as the result of this outbreak. This suspension will apply primarily to residential customers and will remain in effect until further notice. You are encouraged to contact us if you are having trouble paying your bill.
Montana Housing - At Montana Housing, within the Department of Commerce, we are closely monitoring the impacts of COVID-19. We will communicate with statewide housing partners any relevant information about COVID-19 and how it affects affordable homes in Montana.
USDA - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced new contacts to encourage communication with USDA to help feed kids and ensure the United States food supply chain remains strong in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
MT Dept. of Commerce - Please visit this one-stop-shop for business, community, and housing recovery resources to utilize during this crisis.
Bartender Emergency Fund - Be a Bartender or the spouse or child of a Bartender. The Bartender Emergency Assistance Program defines a “Bartender” as an individual employed in serving beverages or otherwise engaged in the production, promotion or distribution of alcoholic beverages.
Google - $340 million in Google Ads credits available to all SMBs with active accounts over the past year. Credit notifications will appear in their Google Ads accounts and can be used at any point until the end of 2020 across our advertising platforms. We hope it will help to alleviate some of the cost of staying in touch with their customers.
Verizon - Due to economic circumstances related to the coronavirus and to keep customers connected during this economic and global crisis; Verizon waives late fees for residential and small business customers impacted by COVID-19, offers free international calling to CDC level 3 countries.
American Express Financial Hardship — Amex is evaluating accounts on a case-by-case basis under its Financial Hardship Relief program to provide support for cardholders impacted by COVID-19. If approved, your interest rate may be lowered to rates as low as 0%, and you may receive a waiver on late and other account fees. Just note that if you accept the relief, your accounts may be frozen, and you won’t be able to use them until paid off. Your Membership Rewards balance will also be frozen, and the issuer may notify the credit bureaus that your account limits were lowered.
American Express Working Capital — Amex business cardholders can enroll with no credit check and get ongoing access to funds used for vendor payments between $500 and $150,000 with repayment terms of 30, 60 or 90 days. These charge a fixed fee between 0.6% and 5.25%.
Chase — You can call the number on the back of your card and ask to speak with an account representative about the possibility of relief from fees and interest. Multiple readers have reported success in having interest and late fees waived due to hardship related to COVID-19.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — The Treasury Department and IRS just announced a three-month delay for any tax payments owed up to $1 million. You’ll still need to file your returns by April 15, 2020 but will have until July 15 to pay. This will apply to individual tax returns but should also cover many pass-through entities and small businesses.
Resources & Guides
State of Montana Joint Information Center - Resources for citizens, businesses, employers, media, community partners, and state employees.
Mainstreet MT Rural Partners - The Rural Partners project focuses on empowering small towns in Montana to stay ahead, support their efforts, and ensure economic opportunities are shared throughout the state.
MT Dept. of Commerce - Please visit this one-stop-shop for business, community, and housing recovery resources to utilize during this crisis.
Mainstreet MT Rural Partners - The Rural Partners project focuses on empowering small towns in Montana to stay ahead, support their efforts, and ensure economic opportunities are shared throughout the state.
OSHA - A publication on Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19
The Small Business Owner’s Guide to the CARES Act - The programs and initiatives in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was just passed by Congress are intended to assist business owners with whatever needs they have right now.
Family Resources - Need help sorting through all the information out there on COVID-19? Check the new Zero to Five Page on the website to help you navigate all the info and resources. There are sections for Parents/Caregivers, Child Care Providers and more.
Seated Hotline – Free Finance and Law Hotline for Restaurant Owners
Butte Emergency Food Bank - The Butte Emergency Food Bank operates with the intention that no individual or family in the community experiences the fear and pain of hunger. Each year we distribute about 1,200,000 pounds of food–canned goods; boxed and bagged food; baby food and formula, diapers, and baby products; milk; bread and bakery items; meat and more–to Butte area residents, about 2800 people each month.
Butte Pantry Pop-up - The Butte Pantry is a community organization where people can donate food, baby items, pet food, and more, and where people in need, especially during this time of social distancing and temporary layoffs, can find some relief and help through these difficult times.
Front Line Appreciation Group of Butte - The Butte Chapter of FLAG (Front Line Appreciation Group) was started to join the efforts of restaurant owners, Headwaters RC&D/SBDC, the St. James Foundation, Butte businesses, and some very enthusiastic community members. This program is a consolidated effort dedicated to helping provide meals for Butte’s front line health care workers…while also supporting our local restaurants during this difficult time.
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