UPDATED 4/15/20 to reflect new State-by-State resources.
The Coronavirus crisis impacts all of us. To help support the comics business community that makes our mission possible, we’ve assembled this clearinghouse resource for financial aid, training tools, and other information. We’re continuing to monitor the situation surrounding the outbreak and will provide updates and resources for retailers here on an ongoing basis. If you see something we haven’t listed yet, please let us know by emailing info@cbldf.org. For updates on other Comics Businesses around the United States and the world, check out CBLDF’s Retailer Spotlight on COVID-19. To find resources that help your employees, friends, and loved ones impacted by the crisis, check out our resource for Comics Creators which offers tools for freelance and W2 employees who have experienced loss of income.
We’re going to get through this, together.
Immediate Steps to Take During the COVID-19 Outbreak
- Contact your landlord and ask for rent relief. This resource from the American Booksellers Association maps out best practices for considering and making your ask. Here is a CNBC article with additional advice.
- Most public utilities, phone and internet companies, are providing deferred billing and other measures to support communities during the crisis. This USA Today article outlines what major companies are doing. Find out what your providers are doing and factor that into your expense management strategy.
- Promote your e-commerce site. Offer free or inexpensive shipping, home delivery, or curb-side pickup to encourage shopping on your site.
- CBLDF is promoting the efforts of our retailer members here. Please share your information with us, and we’ll amplify your message. Email: siena.fallon@cbldf.org to add your update to our resource.
- If you don’t have an e-commerce site, there are several options to set one up quickly. ComicHub has waived its installation fee and reduced its cost for CBLDF and ComicsPRO members. American Booksellers Association offers an e-commerce platform for its members that is available free through May 31 that will get you up and running within a few days. Alternatively, bookstores can sign up as an affiliate and sell through Bookshop.
- Lobby your local government officials for loans, grants, and other support for small businesses; as a guide, see how San Francisco and New York City are offering support. We’ve assembled a state by state list of financial aid resources below. Please use that as a starting point and check your local city or town websites for information. Please notify us of any resources you find that we haven’t listed by emailing info@cbldf.org.
- Notify your sales reps if your store is closed and not accepting inventory.
Opportunities for Financial Assistance and Other Resources
This list is a work-in-progress aggregating national, state, and local resources providing aid for small businesses, including comics retailers. Some aid may also be applicable for other businesses including publishers and creators, depending on each individual agency’s requirements.
The best resources we’ve found so far are from SBDC Michigan and Greater Portland, who provide information, webinars, and tools applicable to all businesses managing the crisis. Check those out in addition to your state and city resources for ideas that may help you weather the crisis better.
Wherever possible, this list links to resources providing specific forms or procedures for applying for financial assistance, not announcements or public health resources. Please email us with any new resources you find – info@cbldf.org
National Programs
- U.S. Small Business Administration: https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/coronavirus-covid-19
- How to Apply Explainer (Zenefits)
- Fact Sheet (Washington State)
- Economic Injury Worksheets to help you apply for your loan:
Oregon: https://oeda.biz/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Economic-Injury-Worksheet-051410.pdf
Vermont: https://accd.vermont.gov/content/sba-worksheet
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce:
- Tax Relief Resources [NEW 3/20]: Avalara.com created this comprehensive round up of state and federal tax relief resources with links and detailed guidance. Read it here.
State Programs
- Alabama: https://altogetheralabama.org/ (Online hub for the state’s response)
- Alaska: https://www.alaskachamber.com/business-resources-for-coronavirus/
https://www.akml.org/covid-19-information/ (Resource list)
- Arizona: https://www.azcommerce.com/covid-19 (Commerce Authority)
https://arizonatogether.org/ (Arizona Together) - Arkansas: https://www.arkansasedc.com/covid19resources/business-resources Arkansas Economic Development
https://asbtdc.org/covid-19-resources/ (Small Business and Technology Business Center, includes free webinars) - California: https://business.ca.gov/coronavirus-2019/
- Los Angeles: Emergency Microloans https://ewddlacity.com/index.php/microloan-program
Small Business Resilience Workbook https://laedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/COVID19_BusinessResilienceToolkit_v3.pdf
- San Francisco: Hardship Emergency Loan https://mainstreetlaunch.org/contact-us/
Application for Small Business Resiliency Fund: https://oewd.org/covid-19-small-business-resiliency-fund - San Diego: Verizon Recovery Fund https://www.lisc.org/covid-19/verizon-small-business-recovery-fund/
- Los Angeles: Emergency Microloans https://ewddlacity.com/index.php/microloan-program
- Colorado: Colorado SBDC COVID-19 Small Business Response Resources https://www.coloradosbdc.org/covid/
- Denver: Survey for impacted businesses https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/environmental-health/news/coronavirus-info/support-services/small-business-emergency-relief-program-form.html
- Connecticut: State Business Resources https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/Information-For/Business-Resources
https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus - Delaware: Delaware Division of Small Business https://business.delaware.gov/coronavirus/
- Florida: Department of Economic Opportunity https://covid19.floridajobs.org
Emergency Bridge Loan http://floridajobs.org/rebuildflorida/businessrecovery
- Georgia: Georgia Business Resources https://georgia.gov/covid-19-state-services-georgia/covid-19-support-businesses
- Hawaii: Shop Small Hawaii Business Resources https://shopsmallhawaii.com/covid19resources
https://hawaiicovid19.com/ (Public Health Resources Only) - Idaho: https://commerce.idaho.gov/covid-19/
Unemployment FAQ: https://idahoatwork.com/2020/03/18/employer-faqs-about-unemployment-insurance-and-covid-19/ - Illinois: https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/SmallBizAssistance/Pages/Coronavirus-Disease-2019-%28COVID-19%29-Information-for-Small-Business.aspx (Resource Page)
- Chicago: Resiliency Fund https://www.connect2capital.com/partners/chicago-small-business-resiliency-fund/
- Indiana: https://www.response.indychamber.com/
- Iowa: Iowa Small Business Relief Fund https://www.empowermoney.org/smallbusinessrelief
- Kansas City: KC COVID-19 Relief Loan Fund https://www.alt-cap.org/covid-relief-fund (On hold but you can join a mailing list for updates)
- Kentucky: https://govstatus.egov.com/kycovid19 (Public Health Resources Only)
Southeast Kentucky Downtown Stimulus https://cedik.ca.uky.edu/seky-stim-fund - Louisville: https://www.lhomeky.org/
- Louisiana: https://www.opportunitylouisiana.com/covid-19-assistance
Small Business Small Loan Guaranty Program https://www.ledbizloan.com/
Creative Response Artists Fund https://creativeresponse.works/ - New Orleans
Disaster Response & Restoration Fund: https://www.gnof.org/
Gig Economy Relief Fund: https://www.nolaba.org/relief-fund/ - Maine: Loan Relief Programs through FAME https://www.famemaine.com/business/programs/covid-19-relief-loan-programs/
State Assistance Breakdown https://www.famemaine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DECD_COVID-19-Resource-Guide-for-ME-Businesses.pdf - Maryland: Maryland Resources https://govstatus.egov.com/md-coronavirus-business
Emergency Relief Fund for Businesses https://commerce.maryland.gov/fund/maryland-small-business-covid-19-emergency-relief-fund-programs - Massachusetts: http://massnonprofitnet.org/nonprofit-resources/coronavirus-massachusetts-nonprofits/
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-resources-and-guidance-for-businesses - Boston: Relief Fund (check back for re-opening) https://www.boston.gov/departments/economic-development/small-business-relief-fund
- Cambridge: Relief Grant https://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/News/2020/3/smallbusinesscovid19reliefgrant
- Michigan: https://sbdcmichigan.org/small-business-covid19/ (Recommended information resources for all users)
On Demand Support Webinars https://www.gotostage.com/channel/misbdc
https://www.michiganbusiness.org/about-medc/covid19/
Work Share Program https://www.michigan.gov/leo/0,5863,7-336-78421_97241_89981_90231_90233-352546–,00.html - Minnesota: Loan and Grant Breakdown https://www.mnchamber.com/blog/covid-19-business-toolkit
Small Business Loan Guarantee Program https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/loan-guarantee/
Small Business Emergency Loan https://mn.gov/deed/business/financing-business/deed-programs/peacetime/
- Mississippi: https://www.msema.org/news/sba-responds-to-covid-19/
- Missouri: https://labor.mo.gov/coronavirus
- Kansas City: KC COVID-19 Relief Loan Fund https://www.alt-cap.org/covid-relief-fund (On hold but you can join a mailing list for updates)
- Montana: https://montana.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=7c34f3412536439491adcc2103421d4b
- Nebraska: https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/nded-covid19/#1584561107387-9653b64d-71e9
- Nevada: http://business.nv.gov/News_Media/COVID-19_Announcements/
- New Hampshire: https://www.nheconomy.com/covid19
- New Jersey: https://www.nj.gov/labor/employer-services/business/covid.shtml
Emergency Assistance Loan (Currently closed but still accepting applcations) https://faq.business.nj.gov/en/articles/3835238-how-do-i-apply-to-the-njeda-small-business-emergency-assistance-loan-application-opens-april-13-2020-at-9-00-a-m
Application link https://forms.business.nj.gov/loan/
Eligibility Wizard (helps select what loans are right for your company) https://assistance.business.nj.gov/
Economic Development Authority (Helpful Fact Sheet) https://www.njeda.com/about/Public-Information/Coronavirus-Information
- New Mexico: https://gonm.biz/about-us/covid-19-response/
New Mexico Recovery Fund https://sunmountaincapital.com/new-mexico-recovery-fund/
New Mexico Resources https://gonm.biz/about-us/covid-19-response/
New Mexico Resource List https://www.cabq.gov/economicdevelopment/documents/cabq-coronavirus-small-business-guide.pdf
- New York: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home (Public Health Resources Only)
- NYC Small Business Services: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/sbs/businesses/covid19-business-outreach.page (Businesses with fewer than 100 employees who have seen sales decreases of 25% or more will be eligible for zero interest loans of up to $75,000 to help mitigate losses in profit.)
NYC Small Business Continuity Loan https://www1.nyc.gov/site/sbs/businesses/covid19-business-financial-assistance.page (paused for now but sign up for future assistance) https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/k4l47Hv
NYC Renaissance Small Business Emergency Loanhttps://renaissance-ny.org/emergency-small-business-relief-loan-fund/
- NYC Small Business Services: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/sbs/businesses/covid19-business-outreach.page (Businesses with fewer than 100 employees who have seen sales decreases of 25% or more will be eligible for zero interest loans of up to $75,000 to help mitigate losses in profit.)
- North Carolina: North Carolina Resources https://www.nccommerce.com/news/solutions-covid-19/business-resources
Rapid Recovery Loan (Oversubscribed but they have started a waiting list) https://www.ncifund.org/what-we-do/nc-covid-19-rapid-recovery-loan
Rapid Recovery for Small Businesshttps://ncrapidrecovery.org/ - North Dakota: https://www.business.nd.gov/resources/COVID19BusinessandEmployerResources/
North Dakota Opportunity Fund Procedures https://mcusercontent.com/2e8a236a5d1b717094f45789d/files/83c3ceaf-18f2-4ad9-b96c-6de03a18cddb/NDOF_Disaster_Loan_Program_March_26_2020_.pdf
North Dakota Opportunity Fund Application https://lcdgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/NDOF-Disaster-Assist-Loan-App.pdf
- Ohio: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/ (Public Health Resources Only)
Interest free loan ($1,500 max) https://interestfree.org/coronavirus-covid-19-emergency-fund-press-release/
Ohio Office of Small Business Reliefhttps://businesshelp.ohio.gov/ - Oklahoma: https://coronavirus.health.ok.gov/ (Public Health Resources Only)
Oklahoma Industry Webinars (Retail every Wednesday at 10am) https://www.okcommerce.gov/oklahoma-covid-19-weekly-industry-webinars-announced/
Oklahoma City: Small Business Continuity Program https://www.okcsmallbizhelp.com/ - Oregon: http://www.oregon4biz.com/Coronavirus-Information/COVID19-Resources.php
https://www.oregon.gov/employ/Pages/COVID-19.aspx - Portland: https://greaterportlandinc.com/covid-business-resources (Recommended information resources for all users)
- Pennsylvania: State Resources https://www.pachamber.org/coronavirus/
Working Capital Access Programhttps://dced.pa.gov/programs/covid-19-working-capital-access-program-cwca/
- Rhode Island: https://commerceri.com/covid-19/
Superior Court Business Recovery Plan https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/SuperiorCourt/Pages/BusinessRecoveryPlan.aspx
Remote online Notarization https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/SuperiorCourt/Pages/BusinessRecoveryPlan.aspx - South Carolina: https://www.scdhec.gov/infectious-diseases/viruses/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19#learnmore (Public Health Resources Only)
- South Dakota: https://doh.sd.gov/news/Coronavirus.aspx#business
Small Business Relief Fund https://sdreadytowork.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/COVID-Disaster-Loan-Application-4-8-20.pdf - Tennessee: https://www.tn.gov/governor/covid-19.html (Public Health Resources Only)
- Texas: https://twc.texas.gov/businesses/rapid-response
https://twc.texas.gov/news/covid-19-resources-employers - Austin: http://www.austintexas.gov/article/covid-19-information-businesses-events-and-venues
https://www.austinchamber.com/blog/covid-19-resources-for-businesses
RALLYAustin https://rallyaustin.com/ (Community support and information sharing) - Houston: https://www.houston.org/coronavirus
- Utah: https://coronavirus.utah.gov/business/
- Ogden: Emergency Loan Fund https://www.ogdencity.com/1458/Business-Information-Center
- Salt Lake City: Emergency Loan Program https://www.slc.gov/ed/elploan/
- Vermont: https://accd.vermont.gov/about-us/disaster-planning/covid-19-guidance-vermont-businesses
https://labor.vermont.gov/covid19
Vermont Rapid Response Artist Relief Fund https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/artists/rapid-response-artist-relief - Virginia: https://www.virginia.gov/coronavirus-updates/
https://www.nfib.com/content/news/virginia/the-latest-info-for-small-business-on-covid-19/ - Norfolk: Disaster Assistance Loan https://capitalaccessprogram.smapply.co/prog/city_of_norfolk_economic_disaster_assistance_loan_/
- Washington: https://www.business.wa.gov/site/alias__business/1561/covid-19.aspx
https://www.governor.wa.gov/issues/issues/covid-19-resources/covid-19-resources-businesses-and-workers
https://dor.wa.gov/about/business-relief-during-covid-19-pandemic
Working Washington Emergency Grant http://startup.choosewashingtonstate.com/covid-grants/ - Seattle: http://www.seattle.gov/office-of-economic-development/small-business/small-business-programs-/stabilization-fund-Small Business Stabilization Fund Application: https://seattle.surveymonkey.com/r/RJ57GQNBusiness Impact NW Loan Information: https://businessimpactnw.org/loan/
- Vancouver: https://greaterportlandinc.com/covid-business-resources (Recommended information resources for all users)
- Washington, D.C.: Business Resources https://coronavirus.dc.gov/recovery-business
- West Virginia: https://www.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx (Public Health Resources Only)
- Wisconsin: https://wedc.org/programs-and-resources/small-business-2020/
Brew City Match (Loan and Grant) https://brewcitymatch.com/COVID-19 - Wyoming: https://wyomingbusiness.org/covid19
Resources for employers https://wyomingbusiness.org/wyoemployerresources
Sheridan County Relief Fund https://www.sheridanwyomingchamber.org/sheridan-area-employee-relief-fund/ - Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation & the Forge Fund: Could potentially offer comics retailers and booksellers support during the coronavirus outbreak; fill out Binc’s new expedited COVID-19 application form.
- US Chamber of Commerce Corporate Aid Tracker: https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/aid-event/coronavirus-covid-19
- Amazon: https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/amazons-actions-to-help-employees-communities-and-customers-affected-by-covid-19
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/business/boost/grants
- Mad Cave Studios Comic Retailer Relief Fund (GoFundMe): https://www.gofundme.com/f/bdcy3-support-comic-shops-around-the-us?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet
- CapitalOne: https://www.capitalone.com/coronavirus/
- CitiBank: https://online.citi.com/US/JRS/pands/detail.do?ID=covid19
- Huntington Bank: https://www.huntington.com/coronavirus
- Bankrate.com round-up of bank responses to coronavirus: https://www.bankrate.com/banking/coronavirus-list-of-banks-offering-help-to-customers-financial-hardship/
- Navigating the Cash Flow Crunch – Watch On Demand
- eCommerce During COVID-19 – Friday, March 20 at 11 AM
- Navigating the Cash Flow Crunch – Monday, March 23 at 12 PM
- Human Resources Management During COVID-19 – Tuesday, March 24 at 12 PM
- American Booksellers Association: Coronavirus Resources for Booksellers
- World Health Organization: Basic protective measures against the new coronavirus
- American Chemistry Council: Products That Help Stop Spread of Coronavirus
- U.S. Small Business Administration: Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic
- National Retail Federation: Coronavirus Resources for Retailers
- WhizBang Retail Training: Retail Training Guide to Preparing Your Store for the Global Spread of Coronavirus
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- World Health Organization: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak
- Move from doing deep cleaning to performing deep disinfecting every night and during the day in restrooms, kitchens, and other surfaces where people may have placed their hands, sneezed, or coughed.
- Make hand sanitizer bottles available at key locations, including welcome or check-in desks, cash registers and counters, food pick-up stations, and doors and entryways.
- Ask users of items such as shopping baskets, cardio equipment, customer-operated machinery, etc. to use sanitizing wipes on handles and interfaces before using them.
- Encourage and support employees to stay home if they have flu-like symptoms of coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath, or a fever, and request that customers do the same.
- Actively encourage employees, customers, and others to adopt all of the anti-virus hygiene habits—including washing hands, not touching your face, covering your mouth when sneezing or couching, staying home if you have flu-like symptoms, and staying six feet away from someone with such symptoms. This may include training staff on methods to avoid spreading communicable diseases and posting materials such as the CDC poster “Stop the Spread of Germs” to promote healthy habits.
- Keep abreast of current developments and inform customers, staff, and community of locally relevant news and public health recommendations.
Private Funding
Assistance & Statements from Banking Institutions:
Leadership Resources
We’re all facing new challenges and learning how to manage them in real time. This section gathers resources like webinars, explainers, and presentations to provide business leadership tips, ideas, best practices and information that can be applied by comics industry businesses during the crisis. Please share any good tools you find and we’ll add them to this section.
Business Survival Tips During A Pandemic
This Business Oregon resource by Tom Schnell offers excellent guidance for crisis planning, including cash flow, insurance, and staffing, with additional resource links. A must read for all businesses.
Lead Your Business Through the Coronavirus Crisis
This Harvard Business Review article provides best practice fundamentals for all businesses weathering the crisis.
Tough Times Demand Smart Actions
This article from the American Booksellers Association provides fundamentals for reducing expenses and managing challenges during a crisis.
SDBC Michigan Crisis Management Webinars
These webinars provide guidance around common hurdles affecting businesses during the crisis.
Covid-19: Implications For Business
This report by McKinsey & Company analyzes the near and long-term macro impacts of coronavirus on the business climate.
National Federation of Independent Businesses
Useful reports, studies, and webinars providing guidance for independent businesses to respond to the crisis.
Resources For Retailers
General information about the outbreak:
What can independent businesses do to prevent the spread of the coronavirus? (Courtesy of the American Independent Business Alliance and American Booksellers Association)
Businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, and other organizations can adopt specific practices to help prevent the spread of this virus:
Grateful acknowledgment is made to Dave Grogan at American Booksellers Association who provided some of the information in this resource.
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For updates on other Comics Businesses around the United States and the world, check out CBLDF’s Retailer Spotlight on Covid – 19