General Business Links and Overviews

NYC Small Business Services Overview of City Assistance

Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce

• Overview of COVID-19 programs

• Business webinar recordings of pass discussions

• Upcoming webinars

Pace Small Business Development Center

• Constantly updating with new grant and loan opportunities

Face Covering Executive Order for ALL Essential Businesses

• To prevent the spread of the virus, essential workers must have access to appropriate face coverings. Governor Cuomo issued an Executive Order directing employers to provide essential workers with cloth or surgical masks free of charge to wear when directly interacting with the public. 

Brooklyn EXCELerate Loan Fund

The $2.5MM Brooklyn EXCELerate Loan Fund supported by the Social Justice Fund of the Joe & Clara Tsai Foundation will target BIPOC-owned business owners in Brooklyn, providing "character-based" loans to help them get back on their feet post-pandemic and support equitable economic momentum in Brooklyn.

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Eligibility Criteria

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• Be a BIPOC-owned small business operating in Brooklyn.  (At least 51% of ownership must be BIPOC)

• Was operating as of January 1st, 2019.

• Must have been adversely impacted by COVID in one or more of the following ways:

  • Temporarily shut down due to COVID-19

  • Permanently shut down due to COVID-19

  • Showed a significant decline in revenue (33% or more) in 2020 compared to 2019

  • Need access to capital to restart, reopen, or remain open.

  • Are unable to raise/borrow capital from traditional sources on reasonable terms.  (Some exceptions apply - see loan products below.)

  • Have the potential to generate or retain incremental jobs in Brooklyn.

  • Agree to present and adhere to an updated business plan with three-year financial projections.

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Click Here to learn more and apply.

New York State Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant

The New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program was created to provide flexible grant assistance to currently viable small businesses, micro-businesses and for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations in the State of New York who have experienced economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

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Grant awards will be calculated based on a business’s annual gross receipts for 2019 (see below for more information). Grant amounts and calculations are subject to change by Empire State Development.

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Small businesses, Micro-businesses and For-profit independent arts and cultural organizations (collectively, “Eligible Applicants”) must be currently viable and have begun operation on or before March 1, 2019 and continue to be in operation as of the date of application (may be shuttered due to COVID restrictions). See FAQ section below for definitions of business categories above.

Eligible Applicants will be required to show loss of gross receipts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols which resulted in business modifications, interruptions, or closures.

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Click Here to learn more about the grant and how to apply.

Small Business Administration: Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)

In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, small business owners, including agricultural businesses, and nonprofit organizations in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories can apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. The EIDL program is designed to provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue due to COVID-19.

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SBA is currently accepting new Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications from all qualified small businesses, including agricultural businesses, and private nonprofit organizations.

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If you have already applied via the streamlined application portal, please do not resubmit your application.

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Economic Injury Disaster Loans (now taking applications)

Small Business Administration: Express Bridge Loan

Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program allows small businesses who currently have a business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 quickly. These loans can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing and can be a term loans or used to bridge the gap while applying for a direct SBA Economic Injury Disaster loan. If a small business has an urgent need for cash while waiting for decision and disbursement on an Economic Injury Disaster Loan, they may qualify for an SBA Express Disaster Bridge Loan.

Terms

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• Up to $25,000

• Fast turnaround

• Will be repaid in full or in part by proceeds from the EIDL loan

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Learn more here.

Small Business Administration: Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVO)

The Shuttered Venue Operators (SVO) Grant program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, signed into law on December 27, 2020. The program includes $15 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance.

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Eligible applicants may qualify for SVO Grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees.

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For additional details, see our Shuttered Venue Operators Grants Frequently Asked Questions (revised 03-22-21).

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Cross Program Eligibility on SBA Coronavirus Relief Options

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Eligible entities include:

• Live venue operators or promoters

• Theatrical producers

• Live performing arts organization operators

• Relevant museum operators, zoos and aquariums who meet specific criteria

• Motion picture theater operators

• Talent representatives, and

• Each business entity owned by an eligible entity that also meets the eligibility requirements

Other requirements of note:

• Must have been in operation as of February 29, 2020

• Venue or promoter must not have applied for or received a PPP loan on or after December 27, 2020

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Click here to learn more and apply.

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If you are eligible, please take a look at the SVOG Preliminary Application Checklist to find out what materials you will need to submit.

Small Business Administration: Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF)

The American Rescue Plan Act established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open. This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023.

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Applications are now open. See How to apply for more detail.

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Sign up to receive email alerts from SBA as additional information about the Restaurant Revitalization Fund becomes available.

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Eligible entities who have experienced pandemic-related revenue loss include:

• Restaurants

• Food stands, food trucks, food carts

• Caterers

• Bars, saloons, lounges, taverns

• Snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars

• Bakeries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)

• Brewpubs, tasting rooms, taprooms (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)

• Breweries and/or microbreweries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)

• Wineries and distilleries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)

• Inns (onsite sales of food and beverage to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)

• Licensed facilities or premises of a beverage alcohol producer where the public may taste, sample, or purchase products

Cross-program eligibility on SBA COVID-19 relief options

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Click here to learn more.

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You can apply through SBA-recognized Point of Sale (POS) vendors or directly via SBA in a forthcoming online application portal: https://restaurants.sba.gov. Participating POS providers include Square, Toast, Clover, NCR Corporation (Aloha), and Oracle. If you are working with Square or Toast, you do not need to register beforehand on the https://restaurants.sba.gov application portal.

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Registration with SAM.gov is not required. DUNS or CAGE identifiers are also not required.

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If you would like to prepare your application, view the sample application form. You will be able to complete this form online.

New York City Department of Finance

• The New York City Department of Finance offers several programs to assist property owners who face hardships making their property tax payments. Follow the links below for details:
   

• Property Tax and Interest Deferral Program (PT AID)

• Exemption Programs

Other Small Business Grant Opportunities

• Verizon Small Business Recovery Fund

• Facebook Small Business Grants

Program offers $100M in cash grants and credits for Facebook advertisements for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses worldwide.

• Business For All Grants

$250,000 in grants will be awarded to Business for All applicants, as a critical step towards tackling entrepreneurs’ single greatest barrier to growth: access to capital. Grantees will be selected by an esteemed council of leaders from across the business ecosystem, representing diverse organizations, industries, locations and demographics.​​

Reopening Planning Resources

• CDC Reopening Guidelines

• Target Retail SAFE Guidelines

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