Information and Tips for Caldwell and Burleson County Businesses, amidst the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak.
As many folks are aware of the current COVID-19 outbreak affecting the world and the economy, our local small businesses in Caldwell and Burleson County are impacted as well. Community is at the heart of everything we do. As COVID-19 begins to have an increasingly significant impact on communities across the country. The City of Caldwell and Burleson County Chamber of Commerce are working closely to provide information and resources available to our businesses. The Main Street of America program is compiling existing resources, opportunities, and community response examples to help small businesses and Main Street districts during this unforeseen circumstance. We also encourage you to visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website as well as Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas DSHS) for information and tips.
The Chamber and the City support and understand the need for businesses and employers to operate and provide resources to our community members. It is important that precautionary measures are being taken by all to combat the COVID-19 virus. During this unprecedented time, the City of Caldwell urges everyone to participate in keeping our community healthy and safe by following the CDC and Texas DSHS guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses.
HEALTH & SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Restaurants are highly advised to close dining areas and provide other means of service, such as: call ahead take-out orders, drive-thru, curbside pick–up, or delivery.
- Business, bars, churches or similar establishments are highly recommended to limit the number of patrons gathering inside an establishment to 10 people or less.
- Employers should actively encourage sick employees to stay home.
- Establishments should perform routine cleaning and etiquette hygiene by all employees.
- Establishments are encouraged to share best practices with other businesses.
HEALTH & SAFETY INFORMATION:
Health & Safety (CDC & TDSHS)
- Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers
- Resources for Community – and Faith – Based Leaders
- Texas Department of State Health Serivces
State
- Texas Department of Health and Human Servies
- Office of the Texas Governor | Gregg Abbott
- Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM)
Federal
Other
IDEAS FOR YOUR BUSINESS:
Instagram has new stickers that are great for businesses! Here is a link to the details. https://wersm.com/new-instagram-stickers-to-help-small-businesses-survive-the-pandemic/
Restaurants:
- Take your menus and consolidate them, provide three to five different menu options each day.
- Promote new menus when customers call, post on social media pages and let your friends and neighbors know.
- Take flyers or call businesses that are still having employees work on site and offer lunch deliveries.
- Provide a coupon or gift certificate with purchases over a certain amount to be used for a future purchase or date night deal.
- Virtual Cocktail Hour! Start a Facebook live, or group skype/facetime event for your place to host a virtual cocktail hour “Corona Hour”. Have people participate virtually, maybe throw in a deal of the day for people who participate.
- Virtual live stream for musicians, obviously their audience would be virtual, but they could still have the opportunity to come and perform.
- Promote each other’s businesses and do combined menu options.
WORK TOGETHER! Communicate and work with other local restaurants and share/trade resources and stock. Some restaurants might be experiencing supply chain issues, talk with other local restaurants and establish trades or partnerships with each other for products, staffing, menus, etc.
Doing these small changes will allow you to save your stock and inventory to last for a longer amount of time.
Shops and Other Businesses:
- Offer call orders and on-line orders and have pictures and prices for curbside or local delivery service so people can shop without having to come into the store.
- Have a item of the day and do a Facebook live or virtual chat where people can participate to buy your items.
- Offer deals for families that have kids at home and may need something to do.
- Do a lesson of the day and create a live stream or video of how to do business or fun crafts, etc. Let people know they can purchase and then come by to pick up or have products delivered if they want to participate in a virtual activity.
- Virtual Cocktail Hour! Start a Facebook live, or group skype/facetime event for your place to host a virtual cocktail hour “Corona Hour”. Have people participate virtually, maybe throw in a deal of the day for people who participate.
- Virtual live stream for musicians, obviously their audience would be virtual, but they could still have the opportunity to come and perform.
- Have flexible business hours, close on the weekend and open during the week, etc.
- Turn off lights and unnecessary cooling of areas in buildings that are not being used, to save on bills.
- It doesn’t hurt to ask your building owner if they could work with you on decreasing rental rates for a few weeks.
- Promote each other’s businesses and sales.
How to increase your businesses online presence.
POSTERS & FLYERS FOR YOUR BUSINESS:
For more information or questions please contact:
Forrest Williams | Community Development Director
City of Caldwell | 979-567-3901
Susan Mott | Executive Director
Burleson County Chamber of Commerce | 979-567-0000
HELPFUL RESOURCES:
- Guidance for Employers, Employees, and Customers of Reopened Retail Services
- Texas Restaurant Association Relief Fund
- SBA-Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19: Learn About It and How to Apply
- Webinar held at 2:30 pm on the following Wednesdays: April 1, April 8, April 22, etc.
- Click here to Register
- Cares Act ( Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (attached document)
- Paycheck Protection Plan
- Emergency Economic Injury Grant
- Small Business Debt Relief Program
- Tx. Dept. of Agriculture: Resource Guide COVID-19 Resource Guide
- COVID Phase 3 Unemployment Insurance and Tax Provisions (attached document)
- Marketing Your Small Business or Community in This Time of the COVID-19 Coronavirus
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Resources to Help Your Small Business Survive the Coronavirus
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Main Street Resources
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources
- Facebook Small Business Grants
- Texas businesses should consider filling out the ESTIMATED DISASTER ECONOMIC INJURY WORKSHEET FOR BUSINESSES, so, you can begin tracking your ongoing or expected losses for future assistance needs.
- Governor Abbott Approves Emergency Designation for Small Business Disaster Loans from U.S. SBA
- SMALL BUSINESS PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM
- Main Street America COVID-19 Resources
- Texas Economic Development Council
- Update on Texas Resources & Other Services for Individuals and Small Businesses
- Economic Development & Tourism staff and community partners are closely monitoring the situation and following the advice of health officials and government agencies.
- https://gov.texas.gov/business/page/coronavirus
- House Sends $2 trillion Coronavirus Rescue Package to President
- A historic $2 trillion economic recovery package will be sent to the president’s desk for signature after House lawmakers passed the bipartisan bill Friday afternoon. The legislation, known as the CARES Act, is the third aid package from Congress during the growing coronavirus pandemic. This relief package includes direct payments to Americans, an aggressive expansion of unemployment insurance and billions in business loans and aid to hospitals.
- https://www.npr.org/2020/03/27/822062909/house-aims-to-send-2-trillion-rescue-package-to-president-to-stem-coronavirus-cr
- For more details on assistance to small businesses:
- Demand is ‘through the roof’ for farm-raised produce, meat, eggs and even backyard chickens amid coronavirus crisis
- North Texas farmers and ranchers are rushing to meet requests for produce boxes and delivery of local goods.
- https://www.dallasnews.com/food/2020/03/21/demand-is-through-the-roof-for-farm-raised-produce-meat-eggs-and-even-backyard-chickens-amid-coronavirus-crisis/
- $1 Million Grant Program to Aid Women’s Businesses Hurt by COVID-19 – News & Events – Texas Woman’s University
- Women-owned small businesses in Texas suffering financial losses associated with the coronavirus pandemic were thrown a lifeline today after the Center for Women Entrepreneurs at Texas Woman’s University announced a million-dollar grant program to help get them back on their feet.
- https://twu.edu/news-events/news/1-million-grant-program-to-aid-womens-businesses-hurt-by-covid-19/
- Facebook Provides Small Business Grants Program
- Facebook is offering $100 million in cash grants and ad credits to small businesses experiencing disruptions resulting from the global outbreak of COVID-19.
- https://www.facebook.com/business/boost/grants
- Verizon and LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) Come Together to Support Small Businesses with COVID-19 Recovery Fund
- An investment of $2.5 million from Verizon is making it possible for LISC to begin offering critical relief and resiliency-building support to small businesses facing immediate financial threat because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will go to make grants of up to $10,000, especially to entrepreneurs of color, women-owned businesses and other enterprises in historically under-served places who don’t have access to flexible, affordable capital.
- https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/verizon-and-lisc-fire-25-million-small-business-covid-19-recovery-fund
- Yelp’s COVID-19 Response and Support for Local Businesses
- Yelp announces $25 million in relief, primarily focused on supporting independent local restaurant and nightlife businesses, in the form of waived advertising fees, and free advertising, products and services, during this period.
- https://blog.yelp.com/2020/03/yelp-covid-19-response-and-support-for-local-businesses
- GoFundMe Launches Small Business Relief Initiative
- The GoFundMe.org Small Business Relief Fund will provide micro-grants to qualifying small businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- https://www.gofundme.com/f/smallbusinessrelieffund
- The James Beard Foundation launches the Food and Beverage Industry Relief Fund
- The James Beard Foundation is launching a fund that will be gathering support from corporate, foundation, and individual donors to provide micro-grants to independent food and beverage businesses in need.
- https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/relief-fund