COVID-19 Response Resources for Businesses & Employees

With new information being released regularly, the Economic Development Department provides these links and the resources below to assist businesses and employees seeking COVID-19 adaptation assistance. 

NEW! EXPANDED NH AGRICULTURE RELIEF PROGRAM 

The Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief & Recovery and the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food announce that the New Hampshire Agriculture COVID-19 Relief Program has been expanded to include farms that did not qualify initially, or missed the registration deadline (“Expanded Farm Program”). The Expanded Farm Program supports smaller farms with less than $50,000 of 2019 gross sales which were ineligible initially.  
 
Specifically, a farm is eligible to apply for relief funding, if, during the applicable time period, the farm had average COVID-19-related expenses of at least $500 per month, or average COVID-19-related lost sales of at least $1,000 per month (as compared to 2019). An eligible farm under the Expanded Farm Program, like registered specialty crop producer, can submit up to three applications, but without having to register ahead of time.
 
The Expanded Farm Program application period for COVID-19-related expenses and/or lost sales incurred during the period from March 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020 is NOW OPEN. To apply, click here. The deadline is August 31, 2020 at 11:59 PM.  
 
The next application deadlines for both registered specialty crop producers and expanded farms are:

  • October 15, 2020, for July 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020
  • December 10, 2020, for October 1, 2020 to November 30, 2020

For more information, click here or contact Gail McWilliam Jellie at gail.d.mcwilliamjellie@agr.nh.gov, or 603-271-3551.
 

NH EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM RELIEF FUND NOW OPEN  -- New Hampshire Emergency Healthcare System Relief Fund applications are now open for a third round of funding for all healthcare and long term care providers regardless of prior eligibility or grant awards.
Application Period: July 30 through August 13, 2020.

  • Healthcare Provider Program -- All New Hampshire Healthcare Providers, other than Long Term Care Providers, with COVID-19 related expenses and lost revenues from March 1, 2020, to December 30, 2020, are eligible and must complete a new application to be considered as part of the third round of funding. Eligible Providers include providers who received funding in the first round or following the supplemental application period or those who may have been ineligible for funding, as well as providers who did not apply when the program began in March, that have eligible losses or expenses. For the Healthcare Provider Program application click here.
  • Long Term Care Provider Program -- Long Term Care Providers with COVID-19 related expenses and losses from March 1, 2020, to December 30, 2020, are eligible to receive funding from the $30 million allocated to the Long Term Care Provider Program. To be eligible under the newly announced second round of the Long Term Care Provider Program, all applicants, including those who have previously received funding but have additional eligible losses or expenses, must complete the application. For the Long Term Care Provider Program application, click here.

For more information about the Healthcare System Relief Fund click here.

Quick links:

NH SBDC Business Resiliency Survey

For the Seacoast report, click here.

For the Statewide Report, click here. 

Governor Sununu Stay At Home 2.0 order expired June 15, 2020. "Safer At Home" now in place, click here.

For the Universal Guidelines for business making preparations to reopen, click here.

For the Business Re-opening Plan offering a phased reopening, by industry click here. 

For the City of Portsmouth Business Reopening Work Group action plans for restaurant indoor and outdoor dining, click here.

For the Citizen Response Task Force page, reports and background, click here.

For OSHA guidance on COVID-19 reopening compliance issues, click here.

SBA Reopens Disaster Loan Program to all Businesses (June 16, 2020)

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.

SBA’s EIDL program offers long-term, low interest assistance for a small business or non-profit. These loans can provide vital economic support to help alleviate temporary loss of revenue. EIDL assistance can be used to cover payroll and inventory, pay debt or fund other expenses.

For additional information, please visit the SBA disaster assistance website at SBA.gov/Disaster.  Local small businesses with questions about EIDL or any other SBA program should email NewHampshire_DO@sba.gov

SECOND ROUND OF PPP LOANS STILL AVAILABLE:

The Small Business Administration reports the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is up and running. To apply contact a bank that is a SBA lender. For more information from the Treasury Department on the current processes, click here.

The SBA has issued (May 15) the Loan Forgiveness Application that will be used by PPP borrowers to determine and report how much of their PPP loan will be forgiven. The Application and Instructions resolve a number of calculations and substantive questions. Forbes.com provided a summary (click here). 

  • NH Small Business Development Center resources:
    • COVID-19 page:
    • Financial Best Practices for Recovery - 5/12
    • Best Communications Practices for Recovery and Reopening - 5/1
    • Operational Planning for Recovery and Reopening - 5/19

US GOVERNMENT FEDERAL RESOURCES

NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE RESOURCES

  • NH Employment Security (NHES) Layoffs and business closures: If your business faces a potential layoff, the State of New Hampshire offers services through its Rapid Response program.
    • Employers facing potential layoffs or closures should contact Joe Doiron at Joseph.Doiron@livefree.nh.gov, 603-271-0146, to activate a Rapid Response team. More information can be found at NH Works.
    • Employees experiencing layoffs: The State of New Hampshire offers a number of services for employees who have been laid off.  Individuals will need to file for unemployment each week of temporary unemployment and this can and should be done online or by calling the hotline at 603-271-7700.
    • Filing for unemployment. You are assigned a day and time to file based on the first letter of your last name. The unemployment system hotline is 603-271-7700. Payments are made beginning eight days from when the claim is filed. Those filing claims must login again for each week of continued eligibility and file a continued claim.
    • If you’re Self Employed and have filed for unemployment benefits, ignore the Denial Message you receive. Your unemployment claim requires time to process as a result of your being Self Employed. You will receive a telephone call from NHES to obtain wage information to process and complete your unemployment claim.
    • File a Claim for Benefits

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