Assistance
The CARES Act
Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness information and application
Coronavirus Emergency Loans Small Business Guide and Checklist- Prepared by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Funding Opportunities Available to Childcare Programs- Iowa Department of Human Services
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program - USDA farmers.gov
Farmers or ranchers whose operations have been directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic can get direct relief.
Iowa Economic Development Authority
March 25, 2020
COVID-19 Targeted Small Business Sole Operator Fund
Financial assistance for targeted small businesses impacted by COVID-19
A fund has been created to support Targeted Small Businesses (TSB) with zero employees that have been economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program offers eligible small businesses grants ranging from $5,000-$10,000 to businesses that are sole proprietors or single-member LLCs that are also TSB certified, or have an application submitted to the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) by April 10, 2020 to become TSB certified.
How to Apply
March 24, 2020
Iowa Small Business Relief Grant Program and Tax Deferral (application now open)
On March 23, Governor Reynolds announced the launch of a new Iowa Small Business Relief Program to provide financial assistance to small businesses economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program offers grants ranging from $5,000-$25,000, in addition to offering a deferral of sales and use or withholding taxes due and waiver of penalty and interest to eligible businesses.
- Funds can be used to assist eligible businesses in maintaining operations or reopening business following the COVID-19 pandemic
- Funds may not be used to pay debts incurred prior to March 17, 2020
- Application deadline is Tuesday, March 31 at 12 p.m. (noon)
Visit the website for complete details and application (iowaeconomicdevelopment.com)
IEDA Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds
As public health professionals, you work within communities and can assist in identifying the infectious disease response necessary to support citizens.
Please use this guide to determine if the federally funded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) can be of assistance.
Funds Available
- $2,400,000
- No match funds required
Granting Agency
Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA)
Contact: Nichole Hansen
cdbg@iowaeda.com or 515.348.6215
Eligible Applicants
- All 99 counties
- All cities are eligible to apply EXCEPT Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Ames,
- Des Moines, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls, Iowa City, Dubuque,
- Davenport and West Des Moines. These cities receive their own CDBG
- funds and may also have funding available
Eligible Sub-Applicants
Non-profit organizations – letter application MUST come from city or county, but the money can be subgranted to a non-profit to carry out the activity.
Method of Application
- Letter on city or county letterhead
- Describe project
- Describe need
- Describe amount of funding requesting
- Describe why other funding is not available
- Include a statement that the proposed project is in response to the
- COVID-19 pandemic
Email completed letters of application to cdbg@iowaeda.com or mail to:
Iowa Economic Development Authority
1963 Bell Avenue, Suite 200
Des Moines, Iowa 50315
U.S. Small Business Administration
May 4
SBA to Make Economic Injury Disaster Loan Available to U.S. Agricultural Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic.
April 1
Treasury Issues Guidelines, Application Form for SBA Paycheck Protection Program
Applications begin April 3rd
Read the Information Sheet for Lenders
Read the Information Sheet for Borrowers
If you wish to begin preparing your application, you can download a sample form to see the information that will be requested from you.
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SBA Disaster Loan Assistance Portal
March 26th -
Apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan online through the SBA portal: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/
- When the online application portal is not available, business owners and private nonprofits can still apply for an EIDL loan by submitting their disaster loan forms to the SBA via email or by regular mail. Please go to https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/Home/OfflineApply for more instructions. Users can access the required forms (in English or Spanish) by clicking the link https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/Information/PaperForms. Applicants should complete the fillable PDF forms and save them on their computer, and then email the completed forms to disasterloans@sba.gov or mail physical copies to the SBA at this address:
- NOTE: After applicants have completed the PDF versions of application forms, people should double-check to see if the online Electronic Loan Application has been restored before sending the PDF forms to the SBA via email or regular mail.
U.S. Small Business Administration
Processing and Disbursement Center
14925 Kingsport Rd.
Ft. Worth, TX 76155-2243
(The SBA recommends online or email. Mailing the application will add 1-2 weeks to the application process)
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If it turns out that the applicant can log-in to the Electronic Loan Application at that point, they should transfer the information they typed into the PDF version of the forms and enter the information into the Disaster Loan Application Portal. While this may be duplicative work, the Disaster Loan applications submitted through the portal will take less time for the SBA to process.
Automatic Deferment on Existing SBA Disaster Loans Through End of 2020 (sba.gov, 3/23/20)
Today, U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza announced changes to help borrowers still paying back SBA loans from previous disasters. By making this change, deferments through December 31, 2020, will be automatic. Now, borrowers of home and business disaster loans do not have to contact SBA to request deferment.
USDA Rural Development
USDA Rural Development Implements Immediate Measures to Help Rural Residents, Businesses and Communities Affected by COVID-19
USDA Rural Development has taken a number of immediate actions to help rural residents, businesses and communities affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Rural Development will keep our customers, partners, and stakeholders continuously updated as more actions are taken to better serve rural America.
Read the full announcement to learn more about the opportunities USDA Rural Development is implementing to provide immediate relief to our customers, partners, and stakeholders.
Farm Bureau
What's in the CARES Act for Food and Agriculture
- The act provides a total of $24.6 billion for domestic food programs – representing 50% of the total agricultural program funding in the bill.
- $25 million for distance learning and telemedicine programs
- $185 million to support rural critical access hospitals, rural tribal health and telehealth programs, and poison control centers
Financial Empowerment Center
Iowa Small Business Relief Fund
Iowa organizations are joining ranks to uplift the small business community throughout the entire state, starting the Iowa Small Business Relief Fund; in response to COVID-19. This alliance includes: The Director’s Council, Immigrant Entrepreneurs Summit, League of United Latin American Citizens - Iowa (LULAC Iowa), One Voice, Iowa State Extension, DREAM Iowa, Iowa Community Capital, Ethnic Minorites of Burma Advocacy Center (EMBARC Iowa), Des Moines Branch of the NAACP, Latino Resources of Iowa, and Financial Empowerment Center (DMACC).
For small businesses disrupted by COVID-19 with 1-7 employees that are not recipients of Federal and State Small business relief dollars.
The Verizon Small Business Recovery Fund
One of the U.S.’s most popular cell phone companies, Verizon, has pledged to help small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The Verizon Small Business Recovery Fund is offering grants to business owners facing financial hardship, particularly focusing on business owners of color, women, and other marginalized groups. $10,000 grants will be offered to those who qualify. To fill out an application, visit their website.
The Red Backpack Fund by Spanx
Women’s undergarment company Spanx has announced that a donation of $5 million is going to support women business owners who have been negatively impacted in some way by COVID-19. 1,000 female business owners within the United States will receive $5,000 of funding. Applications will be open until August. To learn more about the relief fund and how to apply, click here.
The Doonie Fund
A social startup called digitalundivided is now providing relief for those impacted by COVID-19. Through a new fund called The Doonie Fund, named after the CEO’s grandmother, aid will be provided specifically for Black female entrepreneurs who have experienced hardships as a result of COVID-19. The fund, which was established on April 5th, 2020 has helped more than 93 entrepreneurs by providing micro-investments of $500 or less. Eligible entrepreneurs can apply through their website.
