Coronavirus Resources
Manatee Health Line for those that believe they may have COVID-19 – available 24/7 – 1 (866) 779-6121 or email [email protected] or 941-242-6649 8am – 5pm Mon-Fri
FACE MASKS – Available at no cost for the community, visitors, or any business in need of a mask(s). Visit the AMI Chamber of Commerce, 5313 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, Monday through Friday from 9am – 5pm. You may also contact the AMI Chamber at 941-778-1541 or [email protected] to arrange to get masks.
View Information about the coronavirus and Manatee County updates to include local closures, cancellations and county resolutions.
MyManatee.org
Update on Manatee County Mask Requirement as of 9/29/20 – On Sept. 29, Manatee County Commissioners repealed a mandatory face covering resolution, replacing it with a position by a unanimous proclamation that anyone in Manatee County should continue to wear masks if they’re unable to socially distance indoors.
Manatee County Mask Proclamation
Florida Department of Health Covid-19 Data Dashboard
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ COVID-19 Resource page. Includes links to all COVID-19 Executive Orders as well as links to numerous other executive and cabinet agencies’ information pages on coronavirus.
COVID-19 Executive Orders
Florida Phase 3 Information
The Department of Health in Manatee County will be offering vaccinations to seniors age 65 and older by appointment only beginning Wed., Dec. 30.
You must make an appointment, download and complete a consent form, and be age 65 or older and you must remain in Manatee County to receive your second round shot, 28 days after your first appointment. Complete details are available on the link below.
Covid-19 Vaccine Information – Manatee County
Recover Manatee: SAFETY FIRST SMALL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM – APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR ALL CATEGORIES – 5PM, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH
Small Business Grants –
Active, private for-profit businesses located in Manatee County that have 500 employees or less are eligible to apply for grants of up to $5,000 to cover expenses related to PPE and other health and safety procedures necessary to reopen and/or operate safely. The $5,000 PPE grants will be available to new applicants and businesses can reapply for a second time. They may also apply for up to $45,000 to reimburse documented business losses as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. In this round, home-based and mobile businesses as well as those that have received EIDL and/or PPP are eligible.
Non-Profit and Community Organization Grants –
FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP MANATEE COUNTY RESIDENTS FACING COVID-19 HARDSHIP PAY THEIR REMAINING 2020 ACA HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM
Health Insurance Assistance Inc. (HIA) a nonprofit, 501(c)3, Florida Corporation has been launched to help Suncoast area residents pay for health insurance.
HIA has been authorized through Manatee County’s Manatee Cares’s CARES Act Funding for Nonprofits and Community Organizations to provide health insurance premium assistance for Manatee County residents. Qualifying residents that have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19 and have health insurance through the Affordable Care Act may be eligible to have their remaining 2020 health insurance premiums paid for by HIA. Interested residents can apply or inquire at https://www.hia.health/
HIA (HEALTH INSURANCE ASSISTANCE INC) WILL HELP QUALIFYING SUNCOAST RESIDENTS PAY THEIR 2021 AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA) HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS
Open enrollment for 2021 health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act begins November 1, 2020. HIA is preparing to accept applications for health insurance premium assistance for the 2021 calendar year. Funds are available for a limited number of residents on the Florida Suncoast. Qualifying residents should visit Home | HIA Inc. to fill out an application or find out more information. Inquiries can also be submitted on the site.
Businesses impacted by COVID-19 are encouraged to participate in the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s business damage assessment survey. Gathering data on the impact caused by COVID-19 now will help ensure that Florida communities can recover as quickly as possible.
Business Damage Assessment Survey – Floridadisaster.biz
An excellent resource on what you can do to help your business stay afloat during these unprecedented times. The difference between closing your doors or surviving and thriving beyond COVID-19 could depend on what you do today. This Guide explains the SBA loans available as of April 10th in an easy to understand format and includes some great “Tips You Can Do Right Now”.
Small Business Guide to COVID-19
Enables small businesses who currently have a business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 quickly. These federal loans have a fast turnaround and will be paid in part or in full by the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (see more on EIDL below)
SBA Express Bridge Loans
The U.S. Small Business Administration resumed accepting Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications on June 15th to all qualified small businesses, private non-profits and agricultural businesses. These are longer term, low interest loans for economic assistance to help small businesses overcome the temporary loss of revenue resulting from the disaster. Under this federal program, these loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, continuation to health care benefits and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The deadline to apply for this loan is December 18,2020. All funds for the EIDL Advance program have been allocated and are no longer available. EIDL Loan applications are being processed even though the Advance is no longer available.
SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan
The Paycheck Protection Program resumed accepting applications July 6, 2020, in response to President signing the program’s extension legislation. The new deadline to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program loan is August 8, 2020. This loan is designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. SBA will forgive loans if certain criteria is met. The SBA, in conjunction with the U.S. Treasury, has issued updated guidance and rules, an updated loan application and an updated loan forgiveness application to address the changes made in the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act.
SBA Paycheck Protection Program Application Revised 6/24/20
Find a local PPP lender
More Info on PPP Program
PPP Loan Forgiveness Application Revised 6/16/20
Enterprise Florida is suspending initial fees (normally 2%) to assist small businesses with access to credit. Interested business must employ 25 or fewer people and apply through a local lender.
Microfinance Guarantee Program
Main Street Lending Program – 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.
Main Street Lending Program Information
The Debt Relief Program provides immediate relief for new and existing borrowers of SBA’s regular loan guarantee programs.For existing borrowers with a regular 7(a), 504 or micro-loan, SBA will automatically make payments on your behalf for a period of six months. For new borrowers, SBA will automatically cover payments due prior to September 27th, 2020.
SBA Debt Relief
The CARES Act allows employers to defer the deposit and payment of the employer’s share of social security taxes and self-employed individuals to defer payment of certain self-employment taxes through December 31, 2020. Read below to see if this business strategy will work for you.
Deferral of Employment Tax Deposits and Payments
Another feature of the CARES Act provides a fully refundable tax credit for employers equal to 50 percent of qualified wages (including allocable qualified health plan expenses) that Eligible Employers pay their employees.
Employee Retention Credit
Manasota SCORE is available to help you with your business problem solving and offers free mentors and education resources. SCORE has tackled the coronavirus pandemic and provided many resources to assist your business through these challenging times.
View April 8th Webinar and PDF Presentation “Coronavirus Financial Aid for Small Business”
View May 27th Websinar and PDF Presentation “Got My CARES Act Loan – NOW What?
View April 29th Webinar and PDF Presentation “Cares Act Update, What You Need to Know”
Manatee County Business Recovery Resource- Your Go To Business Information Kit Financial Aid for Small Businesses”.
Recover Manatee
Employees negatively impacted due to mitigation efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 may apply for unemployment benefits, now referred to as Reemployment Assistance. Use the link below as your go to resource for information on this program and to access a paper application.
Reemployment Assistance / Paper Application Link
Reemployment Assistance Resource Guide – COVID 19
The link below is a new mobile responsive link as of April 9th. If you do not already have a current open Reemployment Assistance claim open, please use the link below.
FloridaJobs.org/RAApplication
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC): This program, offered through the federal CARES Act and administered by DEO, provides up to 13 weeks of benefits to a claimant who has exhausted their Reemployment Assistance benefits.
PEUC Application Process
PEUC Frequently Asked Questions
Covid 19 Pandemic Scenarios and Benefits Chart
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) provides assistance to individuals whose employment has been either lost or interrupted as a direct result of COVID-19 and those not ordinarily eligible for state Reemployment Assistance. This includes individuals who are gig workers, self-employed or contract employees.
PUA Application Process
PUA Frequently Asked Questions
COVID-19 Pandemic Scenarios & Benefits Available
Bartender’s Emergency Assistance Program assists bartenders, bar backs, and bar servers in need of financial assistance due to COVI-19. Emergency financial assistance grants to qualified members of the hospitality industry which are meant to be a cushion, a supplement to federal/state relief programs, a modest intervention to help as you wait for more permanent financial assistance to become available.
Bartender Emergency Assistance Program Q & As
Program Dashboard and Application Link
Resources for restaurants and workers coping with COVID-19 includes links to relief funds.
Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund
Guidance for businesses on preparing your workplace for COVID-19 and protecting your workers.
OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplace
Business organizations in Manatee and Sarasota counties have joined forces to connect displaced workers with employers who need to fill staffing demands brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Employers can post jobs and workers can search for them at JobFocus.com, a service hosted by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.
JobFocus.com
Employment resource for employers and those seeking employment. See who’s hiring; employers post your jobs
CareerSource Suncoast
For additional employment opportunities, visit Employ Florida, to view new job postings.
Employ Florida
Manatee County Vacation Rentals Plan for Phased Opening
Updated and approved by state officials: 7/8/20
Resources to help with financial hardships during the crisis – Call 211 or visit United Way’s website
United Way Suncoast Coronavirus Assistance Center
Community Facebook Page – share your positivity or how you can help your community get through the trying times #ManateeStrong
Manatee Strong
Volunteer your time to help out in the community
VolunteerConnect
Donate to your local food bank
FeedingFlorida
Roser Food Bank – is in need of donations as well. Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave, Anna Maria, administers the pantry, supported by All Island Denominations. Call 941-778-0414 or visit online:
Roser Food Pantry