Resources for Small Businesses and Nonprofits

COVID-19 Relief Resources for Your Business or Nonprofit

This is a stressful and scary time for small business owners and nonprofit leaders. Fortunately, there are resources available to help your business or nonprofit weather this crisis. We're sharing a few below, focused on nationwide resources and the states where we or our sister credit union Self-Help Federal CU have branches.

Jump to state-specific resources: California / Illinois / North Carolina / South Carolina / Florida

Nationwide Resources

Federal Funding

• Paycheck Protection Program: This federal loan program (now expired) provided loan forgiveness for retaining employees.
• EIDL Loan Advance: Provides emergency loan advances up to $10,000 to businesses that are experiencing temporary difficulties. Learn more.
• SBA Express Bridge Loans: Enables small businesses who currently have a business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 quickly. Learn more.
• SBA Debt Relief: The SBA is providing a financial reprieve to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more.
• Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF): The RRF program will provide grant assistance for eligible restaurants, bars, food trucks, and other for-profit food service businesses impacted by COVID-19. Learn more and apply.
• Shuttered Venue Operators Grants (SVOG): The SVOG program will provide grant assistance for eligible venues. Learn more and apply. 

Funds Offered by Foundations and Corporations

Other Resource Lists

We do our best to keep this site updated with the best opportunities, but there may be other funds available to you. The folks below are keeping lists of all funding opportunities, and you should check them out. We recommend you start with the COVIDCAP.com site.

• COVIDCAP.com (start here)
• CRL's COVID-19 Resources - Policy resources from our sister organization the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL)
• Candid
• Giving Compass
• Community Foundations
• Sustainable Agriculture

California Resources

Technical Assistance

• CA Small Business Development Centers: SBDCs can help you navigate this unprecedented event. Contact your local SBDC for no-cost business consulting, and join their daily live webinar for answers to your questions.

Funding

• California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program: Provides grants up to $25,000. Learn more.
• Small Business Disaster Relief Loan Guarantee Program: Provides potential capital for individuals who do not qualify for federal funds. Learn more. 
• Emergency Loans Offered by Cities and Counties: Too numerous to list here, but Small Business Majority has a good list. 

Other CA Resource Lists

• Small Business Majority (includes emergency loans offered by cities)
• California COVID-19 Response
• CA Small Business and Technology Development Centers
• COVIDCAP.com (search for California)
• See the national lists above and search for California.

Illinois Resources

Technical Assistance

• Illinois Small Business Development Centers: SBDCs are located throughout the state and provide information, confidential business guidance, training and other resources to start-up and existing small businesses. Contact the SBDC near you for assistance.
• Resource Navigators: The City of Chicago has established Small Business Resource Navigators to provide one-to-one assistance to small businesses looking for support during this difficult time. Learn more.
• Business Education Webinars: Providing supportive resources to businesses and workers during the COVID-19 outbreak. Learn more.

Funding

• Business Interruption Grants (BIG): Grants of $5,000-$150,000 to help businesses with working capital expenses and other operational costs. Learn more.
• Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan Fund: This $60 million fund will support low-interest loans of up to $50,000 for small businesses in every industry. Learn more.
• Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program: This new $20 million program supports small businesses in suburban and rural counties across Illinois, providing grants of up to $25,000 to small businesses in communities served by DCEO's Office of Community Development. Learn more.
• Child Care Restoration Grants: Grants to support licensed child care providers who have had their capacity reduced by DCFS rule changes. Learn more. 

Other ILResource Lists

• IL Department of Commerce
• Illinois Coronavirus Response Site
• Chicago Coronavirus Response Site
• COVIDCAP.com (search for Illinois)
• See the national lists above and search for Illinois.

North Carolina Resources

Technical Assistance

• Reboot, Recover, Rebuild (R3) Program for Small Business: If your business has been affected by COVID-19, contact your local community college SBC by requesting free counseling (ask for CARES Act assistance counseling). Learn more.
• PPE Products: The Chamber of Commerce has partnered with NewDay to bring small businesses reliable access to personal protective equipment. Chamber members are eligible for a discount but anyone can purchase through the site. Learn more. 
• Business Link North Carolina: Experienced business counselors take your questions and guide you in the right direction (responses within three business days). Call (800) 228-8443.
• North Carolina Small Business and Technology Development Centers: SBTDCs can help you navigate this unprecedented event. Contact the North Carolina SBTDC near you for assistance in developing your overall COVID-19 recovery plan.

• NC Pro Bono Resource Center: Offers free 45-minute legal consultation to small businesses and nonprofits to help navigate the legal issues they are experiencing due to COVID-19. Phone and video options available. Learn More.

Funding

• RETOOLNC: Provides grant funds for small businesses adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to assist in a pivotal change in service offerings to meet the industry need during the pandemic. Eligible businesses are certified HUB and DBE firms with 50 employees or less and revenues under $1.5M.  Businesses that start with A-K learn more here. Businesses beginning with L-Z learn more here.  
• Duke-Durham Fund: (Durham, NC only.) The Fund currently provides grants up to $75,000 for nonprofits, and also provides support to small businesses in Durham. Learn more and apply.
• Small Diverse Business Emergency Relief Fund: Supports small minority owned businesses with microgrants of up to $1,000 each. Learn more. 
• Job Retention Grants: Grants up to $250,000 to support businesses or nonprofit organizations that have experienced interruption due to the pandemic. Learn more. 
• Mortgage, Utility and Rent Relief: Relief funding of up to $20,000 per business location to cover fixed costs of businesses that have not been able to open due to COVID-19. Learn more.

Other NC Resource Lists

• NC Small Business and Technology Development Centers
• NC Department of Commerce
• COVIDCAP.com (search for North Carolina)
• See the national lists above and search for North Carolina.

South Carolina Resources

Technical Assistance

• South Carolina Small Business Development Centers offer consulting preparations, response and recovery on financial and other business issues related to COVID-19. Sign up for consulting. 

Funding

• Nonprofit Relief Grant Program: Provides grants up to $50,000 to nonprofit organizations to reimburse qualifying expenditures for providing services or revenue loss due to COVID-19. Learn more.

Other SC Resource Lists

• SC Small Business Development Centers
• SC Association for Community Economic Development
• COVIDCAP.com (search for South Carolina)

Florida Resources

Technical Assistance

• Florida Small Business Development Centers: SBDCs provide no-cost, one-on-one confidential consulting to help you prepare disaster loan applications and assist with other post-disaster challenges you encounter. The best and quickest way to receive individual assistance is to contact your local SBDC office.

Other FL Resource Lists

• FL Small Business Development Centers
• COVIDCAP.com (search for Florida)
• See the national lists above and search for Florida.