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To further meet the needs of U.S. small businesses and non-profits, the U.S. Small Business Administration reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance program portal to all eligible applicants experiencing economic impacts due to COVID-19 today.

“The SBA is strongly committed to working around the clock, providing dedicated emergency assistance to the small businesses and non-profits that are facing economic disruption due to the COVID-19 impact.  With the reopening of the EIDL assistance and EIDL Advance application portal to all new applicants, additional small businesses and non-profits will be able to receive these long-term, low interest loans and emergency grants – reducing the economic impacts for their businesses, employees and communities they support,” said SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza.  “Since EIDL assistance due to the pandemic first became available to small businesses located in every state and territory, SBA has worked to provide the greatest amount of emergency economic relief possible.  To meet the unprecedented need, the SBA has made numerous improvements to the application and loan closing process, including deploying new technology and automated tools.”

Learn more.

Updated public health orders that take effect June 15 will continue to ease restrictions on public gatherings in Wyoming, Governor Mark Gordon announced today. The updated orders allow indoor gatherings of up to 250 people with restrictions, permit parades to occur (with appropriate social distancing) and allow K-12 schools, community colleges, the University, and other educational institutions to reopen facilities and resume in-person instruction for all students.

The new orders are in effect through June 30 and allow gatherings up to 50 persons in a confined space to occur without restrictions and permit indoor events of up to 250 persons with social distancing and increased sanitization measures in place. Faith-based gatherings such as church services and funeral homes are exempted from the new orders and allowed to operate without restrictions, with appropriate social distancing encouraged.  

“Wyoming has made outstanding progress to date,” Governor Gordon said. “Folks need to remember that it is important to remain vigilant, but because we have been so successful, I am confident we can continue lifting the very few remaining public health restrictions.”

Wyoming’s COVID-19 dashboard has been updated to reflect the improvement in the statewide metrics used to ease restrictions. The number of new cases has changed from “concerning” to “stabilizing” and the percent of all tests that are positive is now rated as “improving.”  

Updates to Public Health Order No. 1 allow childcare facilities to resume normal operations without restrictions on class sizes and expands the permitted size of group fitness classes to 50 participants. Public Health Order No. 3 no longer requires personal care services to operate by appointment only. 

K-12 schools, colleges, the University and trade schools may resume in-person instruction for all students in groups of up to 50 persons with spacing guidelines. Governor Gordon has continued to urge educational institutions to prepare fully developed reopening plans for the fall that incorporate public safety precautions and ensure smooth transitions to remote learning should new outbreaks occur. 

As of June 10, Wyoming has recorded 768 lab-confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, 212 probable cases and 18 deaths. The COVID-19 dashboard and updated Public Health Orders are attached and can be found on Wyoming’s COVID-19 website.

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.