Dear SW Oregon Economic Development & Business Services Professionals:
Financial support for child care providers. The Oregon Early Learning Division has set-up a portal to apply for the emergency funds. The below link is ELD’s press release from last week that explains who is eligible and the application process. Anyone with an approved emergency child care application from the ELD should be eligible. The portal for applications went live last Friday (May 1) and will be open until next Monday (May 11). Your early learning hub can provide assistance: https://oregonearlylearning.com/administration/early-learning-hubs/
Fed Reserve “Main Street” Lending Program for small and medium businesses (forthcoming). The Federal Reserve designed Main Street to support small and medium-sized businesses that were unable to access the PPP or that require additional financial support after receiving a PPP loan. Main Street loans are not forgivable. The Program will operate through three facilities: the Main Street New Loan Facility (MSNLF), the Main Street Priority Loan Facility (MSPLF), and the Main Street Expanded Loan Facility (MSELF).
https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/mainstreetlending.htm
Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association’s educational foundation (Oregon Hospitality Foundation) is planning their first fundraiser: Takeout And A Movie on May 9th, which is raising money to benefit restaurants who are serving meals to frontline heroes as well as to those with food insecurity. Go to PhoenixOregonMovie.com/takeout to purchase your $6.50 ticket and access simple instructions for streaming on any device either on Saturday, May 9th at 5:00 pm, or anytime throughout the weekend.
If you know of a restaurant in the region who is doing philanthropic work they may be eligible to apply for funding . Please refer them to https://www.oregonrla.org/takeoutapp.html
100% of the movie ticket sales will be awarded to restaurants throughout the state who apply and meet established criteria of serving meals to those in need. About the movie: PHOENIX OREGON. Variety says “To put it simply–and, yes, gratefully–Phoenix, Oregon is the sort of movie a lot of us need right now.”
When: May 9th, 2020 at 5pm followed by a live Q&A with cast and crew at 7pm . Viewing is also available anytime from May 8th-May 12th
Employment and Economic Response to COVID-19
Daily Digest: Monday, May 4
This digest is a compilation of information and resources related to employment, commerce and economic development issues surrounding COVID-19. There are numerous online resources for those seeking health-related information, including daily COVID-19 updates from the Oregon Health Authority at https://govstatus.egov.com/OR-OHA-COVID-19.
The Office of Emergency Management issues updated statewide distribution guidelines for personal protective equipment (PPE): Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management issued updated guidelines to help ensure distribution of protective equipment across the state as needed. Anticipating increased demand for PPE, the state will funnel equipment once a week to counties and Oregon’s sovereign tribes, based on a priority matrix. Read the news release.
New eligibility for economic injury disaster loan and advance: Starting today, May 4, the Small Business Administration will begin accepting new Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance applications on a limited basis to provide relief to agricultural businesses. Learn more.
Temporary Oregon rule addresses COVID-19 in employer-provided housing, farm operations: Oregon OSHA has adopted a temporary rule to increase protections for workers against the spread of coronavirus in employer-provided housing and in labor-intensive farm operations. The rule, which takes effect May 11, 2020, addresses the COVID-19 emergency in housing and operations by strengthening requirements in three areas: field sanitation, labor housing, and transportation. Read more.
The state of Oregon has approved additional emergency funding to regional food banks due to the increased need for food assistance during the pandemic. There is also a new tool to serve as a way to both identify growers who have lost sales due to the COVID-19 health crisis and also identify growers that would be interested in selling to Regional Food Banks beyond this crisis. Find more information.
Employment and Economic Response to COVID-19
Weekly Summary: Sunday, May 3
This digest is a compilation of information and resources related to employment, commerce and economic development issues surrounding COVID-19. There are numerous online resources for those seeking health-related information, including daily COVID-19 updates from the Oregon Health Authority at https://govstatus.egov.com/OR-OHA-COVID-19.
Business Resources
The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Economic Development is offering forgivable loans to Native-owned small businesses operating in Oregon with five or fewer employees. Learn more.
Revenue eases CAT requirements: At the direction of Governor Kate Brown, the Oregon Department of Revenue is adjusting requirements of businesses making estimated payments of the Corporate Activity Tax. Beginning immediately, Revenue has changed the threshold for making estimated tax payments from $5,000 of annual tax liability to $10,000 of annual tax liability for the first year of the tax. This means businesses that will owe less than $10,000 are not required to make quarterly estimated tax payments during 2020. Read the news release.
USDA and Rural Development have provided guidance to rural communities and the agricultural industry about recently passed funding relief contained in the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster program. Read the announcement.
USDA Invites Applications for Funding to Help Rural Families and Small Businesses Reduce Energy Costs and Make Energy Efficiency Improvements: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking applications from utilities and energy efficiency entities to help rural families and small businesses reduce energy costs through energy efficiency improvements. Funding is available through the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP).
Worker and Unemployment Resources
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis looks at the unemployment claims and breaks down the data by sector and job type. Read the blog post from May 1.
The Oregon Employment Department received 28,500 initial claims for unemployment benefits during the week of April 19 to April 25. has received more than 362,200 initial claims in the past six weeks. Read the news release.
Revenue alerts taxpayers with a filing requirement that they must file a tax return to get an Economic Impact Payment: The Oregon Department of Revenue is alerting taxpayers that while most eligible taxpayers don’t need to take any action to receive an Economic Impact Payment, some people will. This includes those who are required to file and haven’t filed a tax return for either 2018 or 2019. Read the news release.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Available in Oregon: Starting today, the Oregon Employment Department is providing unemployment benefits through the CARES Act Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. The program is aimed at Oregonians who do do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance claims, including the self-employed, independent contractors, agricultural workers and others. Read the news release.
Cities and Counties
The Oregon Department of Education and Oregon Health Authority have guidelines for safe graduation and year-end school celebrations, as well as creative options being considered by districts throughout Oregon. Read the guidance.
OHA Expands Testing Guidelines: The Oregon Health Authority has broadened guidelines for COVID-19 testing to prioritize impacted populations and all symptomatic frontline workers, including grocery store workers. Under the newly revised guidelines, clinicians are urged to potentially increase testing for those who may be particularly at risk for COVID-19, including those living in congregate care facilities, underserved and marginalized populations and essential frontline workers. Read the expanded guidelines in English and Spanish.
COVID-19: No Known Transmission Through Food or Food Packaging: Given the recent plant closures across the U.S. and some in Oregon, the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Agriculture want to assure Oregonians there is no evidence that human or animal food or food packaging is associated with the transmission of COVID-19. Read the news release.
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has a new blogpost linking to a video presentation that state economists recently gave to the Bend Chamber of Commerce on the statewide economic shock posed by COVID-19 and projections moving forward.
Travel Oregon will host a ‘State of the Industry’ webinar on Wednesday, April 29 at 1:30pm. Register here. The webinar will focus on efforts to address the needs of travelers, partners, stakeholders and residents in a time when up-to-date information is crucial. Takeaways include a look at overall economic outlook, recovery strategies and opportunities that will guide us in preparing for the next phase of this crisis.
DEQ extends vehicle inspection station closures to at least May 17, continues to offer other inspection options: The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, which closed vehicle inspection stations March 17, extended those closures through at least May 17 to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19 among staff and customers. Read more.
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis looks at how the concept of forced savings brought upon by the stay-at-home order could impact economic recovery in Oregon. Read the blog post.
Policy and Legislation
Governor Kate Brown Announces COVID-19 Testing and Contact Tracing Plans for Reopening Oregon: Governor Kate Brown today introduced new plans for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, two foundational elements of her framework for reopening Oregon safely. Ensuring adequate testing capacity and contact tracing will allow Oregon’s health care system to effectively identify and treat new cases of COVID-19, trace contacts with new cases to identify those at risk for infection, and contain new outbreaks before community spread can occur. Read the news release.
Governor Kate Brown Statement on Coronavirus Relief Fund Guidelines: Governor Brown issued a statement late last week on the economic challenge states are facing due to COVID-19 and argued for additional state relief through federal CARES ACT funding. Read the full statement.
Governor Kate Brown Announces First Oregon Walgreens Rapid COVID-19 Testing Location: Governor Kate Brown announced Friday that Walgreens has opened one of its first COVID-19 testing sites in Oregon. Drive-through testing, overseen by Walgreens pharmacists, will be available in Hillsboro by appointment only for patients who have completed an online health assessment and meet federal and state eligibility standards. Read the news release.
Colorado and Nevada Join California, Oregon, and Washington in Western States Pact: Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak today announced their respective states are joining California, Oregon and Washington in the Western States Pact––a working group of Western state governors with a shared vision for modifying stay at home and fighting COVID-19. Read the news release.
Temporary Oregon rule addresses COVID-19 in employer-provided housing, farm operations: Oregon OSHA has adopted a temporary rule to increase protections for workers against the spread of coronavirus in employer-provided housing and in labor-intensive farm operations. The rule, which takes effect May 11, 2020, addresses the COVID-19 emergency in such housing and operations by strengthening requirements in three areas: field sanitation, labor housing, and transportation. Read more in English. Read more in Spanish.
