Small business owners are faced with financial uncertainty due to government restrictions handed down in the face of the coronavirus, but local communities and state and federal agencies say they’re doing what they can to help.
All Indiana restaurants on Monday were instructed to close their dining rooms and move to a carryout-only models, which left small business owners in Johnson County uncertain about how long their establishments could survive under the newly enforced restrictions, a response to growing concerns about the spread of the virus.
The state, along with local agencies and cities in Johnson County are rallying to do what they can to help the small businesses stay afloat during a public health emergency.
Emergency loans are available through the U.S. Small Business administration.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday said Indiana now qualifies for federal disaster assistance, which means small businesses and nonprofits can apply for low-interest loans of up to $2 million to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll and other bills during a public health emergency. The loan interest rates are 3.75% for small businesses, and 2.75% for nonprofits, for up to 30 years. Local businesses can apply on the SBA’s website.
For further assistance on where to turn for help, the Franklin Chamber of Commerce and Aspire Johnson County have provided lists of resources on their websites, including how to apply for an SBA loan.
Both organizations have webpages dedicated to COVID-19 assistance.
“Right now, we are just trying to be a reliable source of information for our local businesses,” said Rosie Chambers, executive director of the Franklin Chamber of Commerce.
Aspire is a newly merged county-wide organization focused on economic development and business success. Most of what Aspire’s staff is doing right now is giving local businesses guidance on how to change its operations, such as payroll management and adjusting time off, said Christian Maslowski, Aspire’s president and CEO.
“Businesses were not prepared, so they didn’t have a plan,” Maslowski said. “Our message is that it’s never too late to develop a plan.”
Aspire is also encouraging local restaurants to register with SavorandSip.info, a list of all the restaurants open for carryout by region in Indiana, he said.
Most of all, residents are encouraged to continue to shop local, whether it’s buying carryout food or a gift card that can be used later, Maslowski said.
“The key is to keep the cash flowing so we can keep small businesses open,” he said.
City leaders are also encouraging residents to buy local.
Both Franklin and Greenwood have compiled lists of all the restaurants in the area that are still open for carryout, to make people aware they can still go to these places, they just can’t dine in.
Local government financial assistance may be available, but businesses should apply for SBA loans first, Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers said.
“We’re encouraging people to shop local, order their takeout food,” Myers said. “We’re encouraging people to stay home. At the same time we worry about our local businesses, but we have to think about people’s health first.”
The state is also providing assistance for those faced with unemployment due to coronavirus-related closures, and the Department of Workforce Development has had a spike in unemployment applications.
More than 22,500 Hoosiers filed for unemployment since Monday, Holcomb said during a news conference Thursday. About 3,100 people filed at this time last year.
In response, the state’s workforce development suspended rules requiring people applying for unemployment to visit a Work One branch. Individuals also won’t have to prove they are actively seeking work, for the time being. Those who are unemployed are also being asked to fill out a benefits application online.
The state agency will host 30-minute webinars at 10 a.m. Tuesday, and 3 p.m. Wednesday for those who are seeking unemployment as a result of virus-related closures.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”A guide to applying for unemployment” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
If you are temporarily unemployed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, here is a how-to guide to applying for unemployment benefits.
For now, Hoosiers no longer have to make in-person visits to a WorkOne site to apply for unemployment. You also don’t have to prove you are actively looking for a job if you were temporarily laid off due to COVID-19.
How to apply
Apply for unemployment benefits online at: Unemployment.IN.gov
Where to get help
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development has suspended most in-person operations and workshops, but resources are available on the agency’s website.
The agency will host two 30-minute webinars for those who are unemployed during the COVID-19 outbreak. The webinars are scheduled for the following times:
10 a.m. Tuesday;
3 p.m. Wednesday.
To register for either webinar, visit: https://on.in.gov/UI2020
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