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.

News & Resources

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 (CARES 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 reviewing 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).

CALED COVID-19 Response Webinars

July 7, 2020

Click here to listen to CALED & League of California Cities webinar on CDBG-CV funding.
Click here to download the slides.

May 13, 2020

Click here to listen to the CALED “Hear it from the Source” EDA CARES Act NOFO & Application Tips webinar.

Thank you to our speakers:

Malinda Matson, US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration
Frank Wessbecher, US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration

If you have questions, contact your EDA representative:

Northern and Central Coastal CA

Email Malinda Matson, EDR
P: 916-235-0088

Southern and Central/Eastern CA

Email Wilfred Marshall
P: 310-348-5386

For RLF questions

Email Frank Wessbecher, RLF Specialist
P: 206-220-7689

April 28, 2020

Click here to listen to the CALED Rural Recovery Update webinar.

Thank you to our speakers:

Scott Adair, Humboldt County
Dawn Golik, U.S. Small Business Administration
Malinda Matson, US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration
Kaina Pereira, Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development
Kim Vann, USDA Rural Development

April 15, 2020

Click here to listen to CALED’s “Hear it from the Source” SBA Program Update webinar.

Thank you to our speakers, Heather Luzzi and Dawn Golik, from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

March 30, 2020

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.

Click here to see how to access some of the programs in the CARES Act.

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 (updated June 3, 2020) 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

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:

The Fed Announced a Main Street Lending Program to help small- to medium-sized businesses in good standing. Learn more with GO-Biz’s one-pager.
Click here to learn about SBA Disaster Assistance in response to COVID-19 and also check out the Three Step Process for Disaster Loans. SBA also released their Paycheck Protection Program Guidance. Find additional detail here. Click here to access the Loan Forgiveness Application.
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
Facebook is offering Small Business Grants
US Chamber of Commerce is offering Small Business Grants
LISC & Verizon have partnered to create a Small Business Recovery Fund
AHEAD Program accepting grant applications from bank members working with local community groups, to provide funding for targeted economic development projects and non-AHP-eligible housing initiatives that create benefits for low- and moderate-income communities
EDA NOFO for $1.5 billion in CARES Act funding has been released
US Chamber Releases PPP Loan Forgiveness Guide

California-Specific Resources:

Business Resources:

California released the “ShopSafeShopLocal” campaign, which has many tools available for communities to use as they re-open, this includes free technical assistance, a digital media toolkit, and more!
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
Check out GO-Biz’s weekly webinars & videos regarding COVID-19
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
Insurance Commissioner Lara provided input on a variety of COVID-19 related insurance topics
League of CA Cities webpage with resources for Cities
CAMEO’s webpage is offering updates and resources for small- and micro-businesses
During the shelter in place order, quality broadband is more important than ever, especially in rural communities. Let your businesses know that they should measure their local internet speeds by logging in on CalSPEED from their home or mobile devices. This mapping allows broadband consortia to accurately identify broadband gaps.
CA State Treasurer shares small business resources and other resources
GO-Biz shares list of free and discounted technology products for small businesses
Governor Newsom releases guidance for Immigrant Californians

Employer & Employee Resources:

OnwardCA.org is a resource for people who have lost their jobs
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