COVID-19 BUSINESS RESOURCES

SBA CORONAVIRUS RELIEF OPTIONS

The SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ended on May 31, 2021. If your loan is $150,000 or less, you may be eligible to apply for direct forgiveness through SBA using the online portal.

The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is open to small businesses and non profits experiencing economic impacts due to COVID-19. The deadline to apply for EIDL and the EIDL Advance program was Friday, December 31, 2021.

OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING

 

Dominion Energy is partnering with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Foundation to temporarily expand its EnergyShare program to assist those small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dominion Energy Virginia is pledging $500,000 to help provide energy bill relief for small businesses, nonprofits, and houses of worship in its Virginia service territory. The program funding will be covered by shareholders and will not impact customer rates. Qualified businesses may be eligible for one-time assistance with their Dominion Energy electric bill up to $1,000. If your business is a Dominion customer, check out this new opportunity for relief.

  • LISC Rural Relief Small Business Grants – The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is providing grants to small businesses, to help them keep functioning and remain vital facets of their local economies through this challenging period. LISC supports small businesses and enterprises affected the Covid-19 across the country, especially those in underserved communities, including entrepreneurs of color, women- and veteran-owned businesses that often lack access to flexible, affordable capital.

  • VIRGINIA 30 DAY FUND

The non-profit Virginia 30 Day Fund provides forgivable loans for Virginia-based small businesses. It is designed to be quick, easy, and free of red tape, as small business owners work to keep employees on board in the near term. LEARN MORE

BUSINESS REOPENING & RECOVERY

To get assistance from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) or Hampton Roads Chamber, email: recovery@hrchamber.com or call 757-664-2596.

HAMPTON ROADS WORKFORCE COUNCIL RESOURCES

  • VIRGINIA CAREER WORKS CENTERS – Virginia Career Works Centers in Franklin, Norfolk and Portsmouth are open by appointment only (mostly virtual).  Staff is still manning the Centers and continuing to stay in touch with its partners, employer customers and program participants via the telephone and internet communications.
  • BUSINESS SERVICES – The Business Services team is working with employers to assist with their needs as well. If you are a business owner, employer or HR representative who is considering work stoppages, layoffs or furloughs, we encourage you to contact the Business Services team. Also, if you know of a business that is actively hiring please pass that information along to Steve Cook at the workforce council so that they can repost on their social networks.

GENERAL ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY INFO (as of March 25, 2021)

  • COVID-19 HOTLINE: Due to the overwhelming demand of COVID-19 phone calls at local Health Districts, a regional Coronavirus Customer Call Center has been established: 757-683-2745. Hotline hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily.

 

  • COUNTY OFFICES: County offices are open for in-person service; however, online services still remain the safest option to do business. You can access online services via the County website at www.iwus.net. For added safety, you are also encouraged to use the drop-box located next to the sidewalk of the County Administration Building. It is advised that if you have business with the County to check in advance with the department on their status of reopening and other procedures that may be in place to replace in-person transactions. Click here for contact info for various County Offices or you can call 757-357-3191.

 

  • COUNTY MASKING POLICY: Isle of Wight County requires all staff and visitors to wear a facial mask while inside county governmental buildings.  This applies to all indoor common areas, customer interactions, and situations when appropriate social distancing cannot be maintained.

To contact a member of the Economic Development Department, please call (757) 356-1962 or email iwced@iwus.net.