Author: Jodi Hartley

Take the PLEDGE LOCAL CHALLENGE! Show your support for our local businesses who support our community all year!

1. Take the Pledge to be a PLEDGE LOCAL CHAMPION – Purchase and redeem at least $50 in Chamber Bucks between June 15 and July 31. You can take the pledge and order Chamber Bucks online or in person at the Chamber Office, 24 S. Main St.
2. Issue the Challenge – Challenge at least 2 of your friends, family, co-workers, businesses to “Join me in becoming a Pledge Local Champion!”

Chamber Bucks ordered online will be available within 2 business days. Pick up Chamber Bucks at the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce Office at 24 S. Main St., Sheridan, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Curbside pick up and limited delivery are available. Please call us at 672-2485 to make arrangements.

All Pledge Local Champions will be entered into weekly drawings for $100 in Chamber Bucks and a grand prize drawing for $500 in Chamber Bucks!

The Wyoming Business Council will open applications for the Wyoming Business Interruption Stipend at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 8. 
The program offers grants of up to $50,000 to independent Wyoming businesses who, as of March 31, 2020, employed 50 or fewer full-time employees.

Visit wyobizrelief.org Monday after 10 a.m. to apply. The web page includes Wyoming Business Interruption Stipend eligibility requirements, an FAQ, a grant amount calculator worksheet and a link to register to receive Business Council media releases to keep up on the latest information about this and two future programs.

Business owners are also encouraged to follow the Business Council on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. 

Governor Mark Gordon signed the emergency rules on June 2. The rules were adopted May 29 by the Business Council Board of Directors during a special meeting.  The Business Interruption Stipend rules can also be found at rules.wyo.gov. They create a simple, secure way for the Business Council to put federal CARES Act money directly into the hands of eligible Wyoming small-business owners.

Governor Gordon signed a bill on May 20 that created three grant programs to distribute $325 million of Wyoming’s $1.25 billion allocation from the CARES Act to Wyoming small-business owners who have experienced hardship related to the coronavirus pandemic. 

A grant program for businesses with 100 or fewer employees, as well as a reimbursement program for health and safety expenses incurred by businesses of all sizes are expected to launch in early July. Eligible businesses will be allowed to apply for more than one grant program. 
Business owners who have not received money from the Paycheck Protection Program, or who were specifically named in the state public health orders, will receive priority in the Business Interruption Stipend program; however, businesses who have received federal funding are still eligible to apply. 

The Business Council has prepared a simple application and secure process to distribute Business Interruption Stipend funds as quickly as possible to Wyoming business owners whose operations have been negatively affected by the novel coronavirus. Applicants will receive submittal confirmation right away, and should expect to receive grant funds within 21 business days after submitting an application. 

“The coronavirus created a storm that no one could have predicted or planned for, and which left many businesses drowning,” Business Council CEO Josh Dorrell said. “These grants offer a lifeline; they are a hand up. Wyoming needs its small businesses to survive this storm today for the state to thrive into the future. Businesses that apply for these grants and continue to operate will contribute greatly to Wyoming’s recovery from the pandemic.” 

The Business Council will host business informational webinars regarding the first program at 7 a.m. and noon on June 5 and 8 a.m. on June 8. Links to register for one of the webinars can be found at wyobizrelief.org. The web page also has a link to a webinar recorded earlier this week if you are unable to attend a live webinar.

Governor Mark Gordon will hold a media briefing at 3 p.m. Thursday, June 4, in the Governor’s Ceremonial Conference room in the State Capitol Building. The Governor will provide an update on the COVID-19 pandemic and the state budget.

The Governor will be joined by Josh Dorrell, chief executive officer of the Wyoming Business Council to review the Business Interruption Stipend Program. State Public Health Officer Alexia Harrist will be present to answer questions.

The briefing will be streamed live on Wyoming PBS television, Wyoming PBS Facebook page and Wyoming PBS YouTube channel.

The Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors have adopted the emergency rules created by the Wyoming Business Council for the first of three Wyoming Business Relief programs – the Wyoming Business Interruption Stipend.

The rules now go to the attorney general and Governor Mark Gordon for final approval.

It is expected that Wyoming small business owners can begin applying sometime this week for the Business Interruption Stipend.

Business owners are encouraged to have their W-9 form handy, as it will make filling out the simple grant application even easier.

The program is for:

• For-profit businesses, including sole proprietors;
• Headquartered or primarily operating in Wyoming;
• Who employ 50 or fewer full-time employees;
• Were established on or before the enactment of any applicable public health orders;
• and can show losses caused by government-mandated public health orders.
• Businesses who have not received federal funding and businesses who were required to close will be prioritized.

Informational Webinars Begin Today

The Business Council will hold a series of Business Interruption Stipend program webinars for small business owners starting today to explain the application process and answer questions.

Click on the link to register for a webinar:

June 1 – 4 p.m.
June 2 – 7 a.m.
June 2 – 4 p.m.
June 4 – 7 a.m.
June 4 – 4 p.m.

The other two relief grant programs are expected to launch in early July and will be preceded by informational webinar opportunities.

Subscribe to the Business Council’s news releases at tinyurl.com/wbcpress for updates on webinars and program launches. The Wyoming Business Relief programs were created by the Wyoming Legislature and are funded by federal CARES Act money to mitigate financial losses caused by public health orders in reaction to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

View the program FAQ for more information. Once finalized, the application and a worksheet for calculating the stipend amount as well as additional program information will be available at www.wyobizrelief.org.

The Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Sheridan Association (DSA) will host “Build an E-commerce Presence for Your Brick and Mortar Store,” an interactive training via Zoom, on Tuesday, May 19, at 8:30 a.m.

The training session will feature a panel of local business owners who have set up an online store. They’ll discuss which platform they use, provide tips for setting up an online store and explain how the platform integrates with their point of service system.

Panelists include Stephen Mullins, Red Bison Studio; Kendra Barney, The Paint Post, LLC; Jason and Shanna White, This Joyful Home; and Adam Bunker, Papa Joe’s Produce. Platforms that will be reviewed include Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, Big Commerce and more.

This training is provided at no cost to DSA and Chamber members. Registration is required. Click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Call the Chamber for more information at (307) 672-2485.

The Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce Foundation has set up a Sheridan Area Employee Relief Fund (SAERF) to help those who work in Sheridan County suffering loss from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dixie Johnson, CEO of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce, said, “100% of donations will be used to provide emergency cash to people who have experienced hardship.”

The program’s purpose is to provide gap funding for households to purchase necessities like food, gas, rent, utilities and other expenses during the COVID-19 crisis.

Initial donations to the fund have been granted from local foundations, businesses and individuals. Additional donations are requested to provide funds to as many families as possible.

“Everyone who donates to this fund will immediately be helping our friends and neighbors in Sheridan County,” Johnson added. “No donation is too small, and all are tax deductible.”

Beginning the week of April 6, Sheridan area employees may apply for a grant at www.sheridanwyomingchamber.org.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old and be recently employed by a business in Sheridan County. To make the funds last as long as possible, only one person per household is asked to apply.

Approved applicants are eligible for $250 and may apply every 30 days.

“We are working to increase awareness and financial support to grow the fund. For now, it doesn’t have an unlimited budget,” Johnson said.

A committee will award grants based on the following criteria:
• Must be a resident of Sheridan County
• Must have been or are currently employed by a Sheridan County business
• Must have experienced some sort of hardship due to COVID-19
• Special consideration will be given to employees with children under the age of 18 living at home

Donations can be made via PayPal at www.sheridanwyomingchamber.org or checks made payable to the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce Foundation, ATTN: SAERF may be mailed to P.O. Box 707, Sheridan, WY, 82801.