“Entrepreneurs deserve all the credit – plain and simple. They’re the ones putting in the long hours, building their product, providing the services, and most importantly – taking the big chances,” said LaRose. “With great resolve, Ohioans have stood in the face of unpredictable headwinds and sent a loud and clear message to the nation – I want to do business in Ohio.”
Those looking to start a new business should take advantage of quick-and-easy online filing through Ohio Business Central by visiting OhioBusinessCentral.gov. You can also contact the CEP by visiting cepohio.com or calling (937)653-7200. Champaign County is OPEN for business! Ohio entrepreneurs can visit OhioSoS.gov/BusinessResources to discover the helpful opportunities available to them that can help them start and grow their business. NOTE: New business filings are classified as forms filed with the Ohio Secretary of State that declare the formation of a business entity, including for-profit, non-profit and professional corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships. Filing as a business in Ohio does not guarantee the company will begin operations, be profitable or create jobs. This grant provides emergency assistance for eligible venues affected by COVID-19. From US Small Business Administration The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, and amended by the American Rescue Plan Act. The program includes over $16 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance. Eligible applicants may qualify for grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees. Supplemental documents for applicants
Frequently Asked Questions: The list of FAQs answers common questions about the SVOG program, defines terms, and provides additional guidance. Please refer to and carefully review the FAQs for guidance as you complete the SVOG application. Application Checklist: The Application Checklist is provided to assist you with gathering and preparing the necessary materials (documentation, information, and technology) needed for the SVOG application. Some of these items will be required, and some are examples of items that can be submitted as supporting evidence. The Application Checklist lists materials needed by all applicants as well as applicant-specific information. The application will direct you as you go through the application portal for your specific applicant type. Applicant User Guide: The Applicant User Guide is a tool for technical assistance to guide applicants through the SVOG application portal with step-by-step instructions. Screenshots in the User Guide are for illustration purposes only. Content in the application portal will appear differently for different applicants.
SVOG-specific information about the IRS form 4506-T
Who can apply Eligible entities include:
Other requirements of note:
Grant amount Grant amounts will reflect either of the following instances:
How to apply Those who have suffered the greatest economic loss will be the first applications processed under the following schedule: Note: On January 20, 2021, SBA updated the proposed plan for issuing grants during the first and second priority periods. To clarify, priority awardees will not need to satisfy the small employer set-aside. During the first 59 days of opening SVOG, SBA will reserve no less than $2 billion of program funding for grants to entities that have no more than 50 employees. First priority First 14 days of grant awards Entities that suffered a 90% or greater gross revenue loss between April 2020 through December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Second priority Next 14 days of grant awards Entities that suffered a 70% or greater gross revenue loss between April 2020 through December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Third priority Beginning 28 days after first and second priority awards are made Entities that suffered a 25% or greater earned revenue loss between one quarter of 2019 and the corresponding quarter of 2020. Supplemental funding Available after all Priority Periods have passed Recipients of first, second, and third priority round awards who suffered a 70% or greater revenue loss for the most recent calendar quarter (as of April 1, 2021, or later). Allowable use of funds Funds may be used for specific expenses, which include:
Grantees may not use award funds to:
Grantee recordkeeping Grantees will be required to maintain documentation demonstrating their compliance with the eligibility and other requirements of the SVOG program. They must retain employment records for four years following their receipt of a grant and retain all other records for three years. Video tutorials Get technical support with the SVOG portal For Shuttered Venue Operators Grant application portal technical assistance such as a password reset, browser suggestions, or how to use the multi-factor authentication with an app and the QR code, applicants can call 1-800-659-2955 or, for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 1-800-877-8339 and follow the prompts to SVOG assistance. The call center is open from 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. ET, 7 days a week. What to expect after you have applied: -Post-application frequently asked questions -SVOG eligibility matrix, including:
How to clear a "Do Not Pay" hold on your application Visit the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Do Not Pay - Privacy Program, scroll down to “Data Correction Process,” find the row for the match source, and use the Contact Information on the corresponding row to clear any misinformation. The applicant will have 30 days to provide SBA with information that their name has been cleared from the match source. For more detail, see the Post-application FAQs. Information for awardees Program reports and data Those who are selling or renting to beginning farmers would be eligible for tax credits.
Senate, it passed with broad support, a 96-1 vote, in the House. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Susan Manchester, R-84, and Rep. Mary Lightbody, D-19.
HB 95, the Family Farm ReGeneration Act, will authorize tax credits for those who sell or rent farmland, livestock, buildings, or equipment to beginning farmers. It also provides a credit for beginning farmers who attend a financial management program. During her floor speech, Manchester noted that the average age of the U.S. farmer is 58. “By decreasing their tax burden, House Bill 95 incentivizes retiring farmers to recruit beginning farmers to take over their operations,” Manchester said. “This program also sets beginning farmers up for success by giving them an opportunity to learn more about the financial management of a farm operation.” Under the bill, the credit is limited to five years and allows up to $10 million for the total amount of tax credits awarded over those five years. A similar program was implemented in Minnesota in 2018, which has already enabled 162 established farmers to sell or rent land to beginning farmers and allocated $1.4 million in tax credits. During testimony, Bennett and Liza Musselman, part-owners and operators of Musselman Farms in Pickaway County, said, “Farm Service Agency provides opportunities for young and beginning farmers, but the time that it takes from application to loan closing is significantly longer than a traditional loan. “Young farmers have an added obstacle of finding a seller that is willing to wait additional days for a sale to be completed. The passage of HB 95 will give a financial incentive for sellers to work with a young beginning farmer, and thus help level the playing field.” To qualify To qualify, a beginning farmer would have to intend to farm in Ohio, or have been farming in Ohio for less than 10 years, have a household net worth of less than $800,000, provide the majority of the day-to-day labor for and management of the farm, have adequate farming experience or demonstrate adequate knowledge about farming, and participate in a financial management program approved by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. In a statement following the bill’s passage, Amalie Lipstreu, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association policy director, said, “Young farmers in Ohio are taking on the risks inherent in farming and working hard to build successful farm businesses. They are also facing significant obstacles that require creative policy solutions. “Access to — and securing tenure on — affordable, high-quality farmland is the No. 1 challenge young farmers are facing. At the same time, millions of acres of farmland are changing hands as older farmers consider retirement and sale of their land. House Bill 95 provides an important bridge between landowners and those seeking land.” The bill has support of the Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association, and Ohio Soybean Association. Lipstreu added, “The past year illustrated, in stark terms, the vulnerability of our food system. We must take the steps necessary to ensure that those interested in providing what is a paramount service to society — contributing to our food supply — are successful. We call upon the Senate to act by introducing and passing a companion bill in the coming weeks so that this bill is ready for the governor’s signature before the summer recess.” Funds aimed to help small business hit by pandemic  The Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP) and Champaign County Commissioners are announcing a 2nd round of CARES Act funds to Champaign County small businesses impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. Businesses could be awarded up to $10,000 if approved for the grant. Businesses that have received approval from the 1st round of the CARES Act Grant administered by the CEP will not be eligible for the 2nd grant. “Over 50 local small businesses applied for the 1st round of CARES Act funds and after discussion with the Champaign County Commissioners, we decided to offer another application period to assist other eligible businesses," CEP Economic Development Director Marcia Bailey said. “Our local economy has been negatively impacted with the Coronavirus and our small businesses are some of the hardest hit,” said Bailey. “These funds are an expense reimbursement grant and will help get the businesses through this difficult time." To qualify for the grant program, businesses must:
Businesses that have received funding for expenses arising from the pandemic cannot submit the same expenses for reimbursement under the CARES Grant for Champaign County Small Businesses. “We are so appreciative of our small businesses and although there is great uncertainty, Champaign County is hopeful that businesses receiving these grant funds will successfully persevere through the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bailey added. Applications and grant guidelines are available at www.champaignworks.com/CARESGrantChampaignCounty beginning November 24, 2020. Application deadline is December 1, 2020 at 5:00 pm. Due to the short application period, we recommend you apply as soon as possible. In order to assist you, please send your questions to info@cepohio.com. Businesses are also encouraged to visit https://businesshelp.ohio.gov for additional assistance. Governor DeWine announced CARES Act funding through the State of Ohio for small business and others that have been impacted financially by the pandemic.
 Recently, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced that the administration, in partnership with the General Assembly, developed a package of more than $419.5 million CARES Act funding to help Ohioans.
The package includes $125 million in CARES Act funding to provide grants to small businesses with no more than 25 employees. The grant funding will help businesses pay for a variety of expenses, including mortgage or rent payments; utility payments; salaries, wages, or compensation for employees and contractors; business supplies or equipment; and other costs. Each business that meets the criteria and submits a complete application will be eligible for a grant of $10,000 in accordance with the following guidelines:
Applications and grant guidelines are available here: www.champaignworks.com/CARESGrantChampaignCounty Application deadline is November 13, 2020 at 5:00 pm. Due to the short application period, we recommend you apply as soon as possible. In order to assist you, please send your questions to info@cepohio.com. Businesses are also encouraged to visit https://businesshelp.ohio.gov for additional assistance. Governor DeWine announced CARES Act funding through the State of Ohio for small business and others that have been impacted financially by the pandemic Funds aimed to help small business hit by pandemic
To qualify for the grant program, businesses must:
Businesses that have received funding for expenses arising from the pandemic cannot submit the same expenses for reimbursement under the CARES Grant for Champaign County Small Businesses. “We are so appreciative of our small businesses and although there is great uncertainty, Champaign County is hopeful that businesses receiving these grant funds will successfully persevere through the COVID-19 pandemic.” Bailey said. Applications and grant guidelines are available here: www.champaignworks.com/CARESGrantChampaignCounty beginning October 30, 2020. Application deadline is November 13, 2020 at 5:00 pm. Due to the short application period, we recommend you apply as soon as possible. In order to assist you, please send your questions to info@cepohio.com. Businesses are also encouraged to visit https://businesshelp.ohio.gov for additional assistance. Governor DeWine announced CARES Act funding through the State of Ohio for small business and others that have been impacted financially by the pandemic Small businesses in Champaign County have a new source of financial assistance to help them reopen and recover from the pandemic -- the COVID-19 Champaign County Small Business Emergency Grant Fund.
The Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP) established the local grant program with the support of the Champaign County Board of Commissioners, which allocated a portion of local tax dollars generated for economic development through conveyance fees collected on Champaign County real estate sales. “We are very thankful to the Champaign County Commissioners for funding this important initiative,” Kyle Hall, president of the CEP Board of Trustees, said. “The COVID-19 grant fund can really make a difference in our county. It will help small businesses bridge the gap in revenue during the shutdown and help them meet safety requirements for reopening, so that consumers will return to them with confidence.” Through 5 p.m. May 15, qualifying local businesses may complete and submit a simple application for $500 to $2,500 in grant funds, at www.champaignworks.com/PayItForwardGrant. Businesses may submit their applications directly from the website. But if they prefer, they may print out the application form, complete it, and drop it in the Champaign Economic Partnership mailbox (next to the CEP office door, inside the ATM lobby of Security National Bank, 3 Monument Square, Urbana), or email their completed, scanned application to the CEP at info@cepohio.com, by the 5 p.m. May 15 deadline. “The commissioners want to support the health and vitality of the Champaign County business community during the pandemic,” said County Commissioner Steve Hess, who serves on the CEP Board of Trustees. “Through this grant fund we want to help our local businesses get through this crisis by supplementing the support they’re getting from the state and federal government.” To be eligible for the grant program, commercial or retail businesses must have a storefront in Champaign County (cannot be home-based or nonprofit), have fewer than 50 employees, be current on local, state and federal obligations such as taxes and assessments, been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and, if a franchise, have no more than two storefronts in the county and not be corporate owned. CEP Director Marcia Bailey said the grants may be used for operating expenses such as rent, utilities, payroll, and the cost of supplies and modifications needed to comply with safety requirements for reopening. Grant money cannot be used for taxes or other assessments. Grant recipients will be required to report to the grant committee how they spent the money. “Our grant committee desires to make this a self-perpetuating fund so that money will be available to support future economic sustainability in our community,” Bailey said. “Through the Pay It Forward provision of the program, we will encourage grant recipients to contribute financially to the Champaign County Small Business Grant Fund once their businesses are back on their feet – in an amount equal to or greater than their grant.” She added, “Our small businesses are essential to the vitality of Champaign County. We want to do what we can to help get them back on track, to continue providing jobs and valuable products and services that make our county a better place to live and work.” For grant guidelines and the application, visit www.champaignworks.com/PayItForwardGrant. Governor DeWine announced beginning May 1, 2020, Ohio will begin a phased-in reopening of the state economy.
Below are some resources that the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce shared this week.
The new rules have been clarified for self-employed individuals, self-proprietors and partnerships to be eligible to apply for the PPP Federal Loan. Click below to download and read the new Eligibility Criteria and Requirements. 
Below are a trio of helpful PowerPoint presentations. The presentations are used by the Springfield Small Business Development Center, which serves Champaign County, to help figure out available loans and grants for small businesses. 
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