The next in a series of webinars hosted by the Chester County COVID-19 Business Task Force will focus on mortgage and rent relief for county residents.

The webinar covers the CARES Rent Relief program, created for Chester County renters financially impacted by the pandemic to pick up where assistance from the Commonwealth support program ends.

The webinar will feature Patrick Bokovitz, Director of the Chester County Department of Community Development, along with Dale Gravett, and Robin Senss, Director of Supportive Services and Special Programs for the Housing Authority of Chester County. Residents are encouraged to attend and ask questions. 

Thursday, July 9th at 3:30 PM
Webinar Link: https://bit.ly/31Np4ly​

​Slides and resources from previous webinars can be found at the recently launched Restore Chester County website. 

The Restore Chester County Webinar Series continues With “COVID-19: Avoiding Liability in the Workplace. The webinar, featuring Brian D. Boreman, head of Employment Law practice and co-chair of the litigation department at Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees, will focus on the necessary steps businesses must take in order to avert litigation and avoid liability during these unprecedented times.
Mr. Boreman will cover information relevant to reopening businesses of any scale and size. The information in the webinar will be a useful addition to any business currently navigating the many guidelines available. Understanding employment law will be crucial for businesses both during and long after the COVID-19 crisis. If you would like to discuss anything with Mr. Boreman after the webinar, contact him at 610-692-1371 or Bboreman@utbf.com. 

Thursday, July 2nd at 3:30 PMWebinar Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87490767265?pwd=eWRUQlNZRlFUNkRlQzhpSjNYNlh4Zz09 

Slides and resources from previous webinars can be found at the recently launched Restore Chester County website. 

The Chester County COVID-19 Business Task Force, in partnership with Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC) and Community First Fund, will host a webinar in the Restore Chester County Series on Friday, June 26 at 9:00am.This webinar will focus on accessing the $225 Million Grant Program for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19.

Gary W. Smith, President and CEO of the Chester County Economic Development Council will provide opening remarks and facilitate a Q&A session. Dan Betancourt, CEO of Community First Fund (CFF), will be the featured speaker and provide viewers with an overview of the grant program guidelines, the application process, and eligibility criteria. CFF is one of 17 Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFI) that will administer the $225 million program. The recently announced funding from the Commonwealth will be allocated to three main areas:

· $100 million for the Main Street Business Revitalization Program for small businesses that lost money due to the governor’s March 19 order that closed most firms or had to spend to alter their operations.
· $100 million for the Historically Disadvantaged Business Revitalization Program for small businesses owned by “socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.”
· $25 million for the Loan Payment Deferment and Loss Reserve Program, to allow the community-development lenders to give businesses hit hard by the virus more time or money to pay debts. Some money would go to help the community lenders themselves to cover loan losses.

Eligible businesses will be able to use the money to cover operating expenses during the shutdown and transition to reopening. The funds will also pay to train and advise business owners as they relaunch their businesses, the governor’s office said.
Any business with less than $1 million in sales and less than 25 employees can apply for help. Grants are expected to be $5,000 to $50,000 per business, which must be based in Pennsylvania and be current on all taxes at least through 2018.

The webinar is free and will be hosted by Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz and Michelle Kichline and is presented by the Chester County Economic Development Council. It is backed by the County’s nine chambers of commerce, and other economic, education, and government leaders—all members of the COVID-19 Business Task Force and its Restore Chester County initiative.

Participants will have the chance to ask questions after the speakers’ presentation. To join the webinar on Friday, June 26 at 9:00 AM, click here.

The Chester County Commissioners have brought together business, economic, education and government leaders to form the core team of the COVID-19 Business Task Force. The team is focusing on best practices for reopening and restoring Chester County’s quality of place. Working with state and local health departments, businesses, municipalities, schools, non-profits, places of worship and residents, they have created Restore Chester County as a toolkit to assist in the reopening process and beyond.

Click here to view the site

The Pennsylvania 30 Day Fund is a non-profit recently launched to provide forgivable loans of $3,000 to Pennsylvania small businesses struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility criteria is simple:

·        Employs between 3 and 30 people

·        Based in Pennsylvania and operating for at least a year

·        Owned and operated by a Pennsylvania resident

·        Operate as a forprofit business.

Eligible employers must complete a short application and submit a video detailing how they could benefit from the funding. The funds do not need to be repaid. However, business owners who are able may choose to “pay it forward” by paying the proceeds back to the Fund to be used by other small businesses.