Economic Development Resources for COVID-19

CALED recognizes that as economic developers, you are the leaders in your communities and play an important role in providing good information to help your businesses withstand and recover. CALED has gathered federal, state, and local resources that provide guidance as well as examples of what communities are doing to help their local businesses.

Local Economic Development Provisions of The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)

CALED has created the Local Economic Development Provisions of The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARE Act) that provides you a thorough summary of the economic development and related provisions with references and links to the actual bill sections so that you may more quickly see how the Act can assist you during these challenging times.

Thank you to Dan Carrigg, CALED’s Strategic Legislative Advisor for review the bill and providing the overview.

Click here to access the Local Economic Development Provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

In Case You Missed It…

Click here to listen to CALED’s Statewide Economic Development Briefing webinar, which provided a briefing on the economy and what recovery looks like, as well as insights from federal and state partners on their economic development resources for COVID-19 response and recovery.

Thank you to all of our speakers from the March 30th briefing.

Christopher Thornberg, PhD., Founding Partner, Beacon Economics, LLC
Malinda Matson, Economic Development Representative, Coastal and Northern California, U.S. Economic Development Administration
- Email Malinda with your questions
Kim Vann, State Director, California, USDA Rural Development
- Email Dan Johnson, USDA Rep with your questions
Heather Luzzi, District Director, Sacramento District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration
- Email Heather with your questions
Maral Farsi, Deputy Director, Legislative Affairs , Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development
- Email Maral with your questions

Click here to see examples of what CA Communities are doing to help their businesses.

Check out tools and offers available to Communities and Businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Federal and Nationally Available Resources:

Business Resources:

Visit the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention website for public health information as well as Interim Guidance for Businesses & Employers and Resources for Managing Stress and Anxiety
For Private-Sector businesses working on COVID-19 response, equipment, and resources, check out FEMA’s Guidance.
USDA is offering opportunities for immediate relief to rural residents, businesses, and communities and has a COVID-19 Response page
See if your provider signed the FCC’s pledge to “Keep Americans Connected”
US Treasury Department Released details on the CARES Act programs they are administering
US Chamber of Commerce Resources and Toolkit for Businesses
See which banks are offering Coronavirus financial aid

Employer & Employee Resources:

Federal OSHA Guidance on preparing for COVID-19 in the workplace
Guidance for Businesses & Employers from the SBA
Federal IRS Guidelines on Tax Relief during the Coronavirus outbreak
SBDC Employer Resource Guide
10 Reasons to Stay Calm from The Conversation

Loans & Financial Assistance:

Click here to learn about SBA Disaster Assistance in response to COVID-19 and also check out the Three Step Process for Disaster Loans
SBDCs are actively working with businesses to put together their loan packages, which can result in a shortened approval time. Find your local SBDC here or click here for a CA map
American Farmland Trust is offering grants for small- and mid-size direct market producers
Facebook is offering Small Business Grants

California-Specific Resources:

Business Resources:

CA Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response page
Governor Newsom’s Executive Orders re: Coronavirus & COVID-19
The latest Coronavirus information from the CA Department of Public Health
GO-Biz website with State resources for employers & employees
Sign up for these listserves to see what state and federal funding and resources are available:
- Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
- COVID-19 Resources from GO-Biz
Information from VisitCA on impacts, talking points, and media statements
Will your insurance cover this as a “Business Interruption”? Click here to see an article about the data survey Insurance Commissioner Lara is requesting from providers in order to assess coverage and help businesses.
League of CA Cities webpage with resources for Cities
CAMEO’s webpage is offering updates and resources for small- and micro-businesses

Employer & Employee Resources:

CA Employment Development Department website with resources for workers & employers
CA Labor & Workforce Development Agency with information for Workers & Employers
CA Franchise Tax Board Information on tax relief during the Coronavirus outbreak

Loans & Financial Assistance:

CA Infrastructure & Economic Development Bank (IBank) Small Business Loan Guarantee, Disaster Loans, & Jump Start loan program
The CA Treasurer’s Office announced a supplemental contribution to the California Capital Access Program for businesses directly impacted by COVID 19