*** updated as of march 20, 2022 ***

Please see below for a list of resources available to small businesses in response to covid-19. for additional HELP, please reach out to the many Harlem-based organizations that provide small business support.

BUSINESS Regulations:

EMPLOYEES: TWO DOSES OF VACCINE REQUIRED (effective December 27, 2021): All workers in New York City who perform in-person work or interact with the public in the course of business beyond a quick and limited purpose are required to show proof of their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Workers have up to 45 days to receive their second dose of a two-dose vaccine.

Covered businesses are required to exclude from the workplace all workers who have not met this requirement, with the exception of individuals who requested reasonable accommodations for medical or religious reasons by December 27. For a full list of covered businesses, requirements and exemptions, see nyc.gov/vaxtowork.

Businesess must also sign the NYC affirmation and place it in a clearly visible area of your business. You can download the affirmation form here.

POLICY CHANGES:

DELIVERY WORKER RIGHTS (as of January 24, 2022): Starting January 24, 2022, delivery apps must tell delivery workers how much the customer tips for each delivery. Apps also must tell workers their total pay and tips for the previous day. The city also requires food service establishments to provide toilet access to delivery workers. (This can be either the restroom used by customers, or a restroom used by employees. The only exception to the rule is when accessing the restroom would require a delivery worker to walk through the restaurant’s kitchen, food preparation or storage area or utensil washing area, OR where accessing the restroom would create an obvious health and safety risk to the food delivery worker or to the establishment.)

Starting April 22, 2022: Workers will be able to limit how far they will go from restaurants, and refuse to use bridges or tunnels. Apps will be required to tell workers the details of a route before they accept a delivery, including the address for pickup, estimated time and distance for trip, tip if known, and pay. Apps will be required to pay workers at least once a week, and cannot charge a fee to process a worker’s payment. Apps will be required to give workers a free insulated food delivery bag after 6 deliveries.

Starting January 1, 2023: Apps will be required to pay the new minimum pay rate that the City will set.

Click for more details, resources in multiple languages, and how to file complaints.

RESTAURANT RIGHTS FOR FOOD DELIVERY (as of January 24, 2022): Starting January 24, 2022, apps must have a written agreement with your business to list your business on their app. Apps cannot charge your restaurant more than the fee caps (delivery fees at 15%, transaction fees at 3%, and other fees capped at 5%). Apps must include a resturant’s direct phone number on their listing, and make it clear to customers that any additional listed phone number is for the app and not the restaurant. Apps cannot charge your restaurant for phone orders that do not end with a sale. In some cases, apps must give restaurant their customer data if you request it. Click for more details and how to file complaints.

TEMPORARY LIQUOR LICENSES (effective December 21, 2021): Governor Kathy Hochul signed a legislative package removing red tape and assisting new bars, restaurants and other alcoholic beverage businesses to open more quickly. The legislation allows for temporary retail permits to be issued for bars and restaurants opening in New York City, putting these businesses on the same footing as businesses in the rest of the state. The SLA is now able to grant certain New York City businesses temporary liquor licenses, which only take about 30 days to process, depending on the type of application. This will help the restaurant industry as well, which makes a third of its revenue from alcoholic beverage sales.

DRINKS TO GO (expired, but as of January 2022, may be coming back!): At the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the New York State Liquor Authority issued guidance that allowed bars and restaurants to sell alcohol to customers for pickup or delivery. The allowance was then extended several times, and expired in June 2021. In January 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in her State of the State address that she would support bringing back alcohol to-go, and a bill is now in the works in the New York State legislature.

OPEN RESTAURANTS TO BECOME PERMANENT (with modifications, Winter 2023): The city is now considering zoning changes to make the Open Restaurants program permanent. Most likely the permanent program will begin in Winter 2023.

EBT FOR HOT MEALS (not yet in place, while awaiting approval from the federal government): As of October 2021, New York State is now working to allow the use of food stamp (SNAP/EBT) benefits to purchase hot meals. The NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is now applying for USDA approval to authorize the program -- which would enable SNAP recipients who are elderly, disabled or homeless to use their benefits for prepared or hot food from participating restaurants. Currently, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits can be used only for grocery items. There is no announced timeline for when the USDA will approve this rule change. To accept benefits, businesses will need to apply to the USDA to become a SNAP-authorized retailer and have a point-of-sale device / third-party processor that can accept EBT (Electronics Benefits Transfer) cards.

COMMERCIAL EVICTION MORATORIUM (expired): The state moratorium on both commercial and residential evictions expired on January 15, 2022. This was after previous deadlines of August 31, May 1, March 16, February 22 and January 31, 2021, and January 1, October 20, September 20 and August 20, 2020. The ban prohibited landlords from seeking court-authorized removal of any tenant behind on their rent payments, including retail establishments and restaurants. It also prohibited loan holders from taking foreclosure actions against commercial property owners.

Note: See Pro-Bono Legal Resources below, if you would like to discuss your case with an attorney who can offer advice for free. Note that free legal services are available BEFORE litigation. Reach out as soon as possible for guidance.

PERSONAL LIABILITY PROTECTIONS (expired): At the end of March, The City Council voted to extend personal liability protections for small businesses until June 30, 2021. The previous personal liability protections were set to expire on March 30 and, prior to that, September 30. Small business leases often have provisions that hold a business owner personally liable if they are unable to pay rent. This bill protects business owners’ personal assets from being taken if their business has been affected by COVID-19. Read more here.

business loans:

This section focuses on loans from mission-driven institutions that offer low-interest capital. Many of these listed are Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), which have a purpose of promoting economic revitalization and community development in low-income communities through investment. CDFIs can be banks, credit unions, loan funds, microloan funds, or venture capital providers.

MANHATTAN SMALL BUSINESS BOOSTER LOAN: APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW. Sponsored by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine & the Hebrew Free Loan Society, the Booster Loan offers up to $50,000 in zero-interest loans that can be used toward things like equipment, rent, utilities, salaries and marketing. Watch this piece on NY1 featuring local small business Harlem Cycle for more information. Learn more and apply here, or you can contact Levine's office for assistance at 212-669-8300 or info@manhattanbp.nyc.gov. (The Hebrew Free Loan Society is a non-sectarian lender, so you don’t need to be affiliated with Judaism to participate.)

KIVA: APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW. Kiva is a nonprofit that loans amounts of up to $15,000 with 0% interest, with up to 36 months to pay it back. Kiva works something like crowdfunding, except you pay no fees. Unlike traditional bank loans, Kiva loans do not require a minimum credit score, years of cash flow documents or collateral. During COVID-19, Kiva has been expanded their eligibility requirements, added a grace period of up to 6 months, and raised the max amount of their loans to $15,000 from $10,000.

HEBREW FREE LOAN SOCIETY: APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW. The Coronavirus Financial Impact Loan Program provides 0% interest loans of $2,000-$5,000 to residents of New York City’s five boroughs, Westchester or Long Island who are facing financial challenges caused by the Coronavirus outbreak. These loans are intended to address lost wages due to being unable to go to work, child care costs due to school closures, small business losses and related medical costs. Loan applicants must have annual pre-tax household income at or below the income limits for their household size (example: $84,000 for a one-person household). Loans are repayable in 20 monthly installments, so your monthly repayment amount depends on the amount of your loan.

HARLEM ENTREPRENEURIAL FUND COVID-19 RECOVERY LOAN: APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW. Harlem Entrepreneurial Fund created this loan program via funding from Wells Fargo Open for Business Fund. This loan can cover up to $15,000 in working capital and equipment purchases, with an interest rate of 1%. The loan is open to all small businesses in New York City who have been in business for three months or more. It has a repayment time of up to 5 years, with a three-month deferment period.

ACCOMPANY CAPITAL (FORMERLY THE BUSINESS CENTER FOR NEW AMERICANS, OR BCNA): APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW. Founded in 1997 as the Business Center for New Americans, Accompany Capital was originally part of the New York Association for New Americans, an organization created in 1949 to resettle World War II refugees. They are a CDFI offering New York City businesses loans up to $50,000. Loans have a 3% interest rate, waived fees, repayment terms up to three years, and loan repayment forgiveness for 6 months. Click here for more information.

UPPER MANHATTAN EMPOWERMENT ZONE (UMEZ): APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW: UMEZ is a CDFI that is offering loans for independently owned storefront businesses north of 98th Street on the east side of Fifth Avenue, and north of 110th Street on the west side of Fifth Avenue. They offer a number of loan programs, including their Hybrid Microloan in amounts of $10,000-$50,000. The interest rate is 3%. Eligible businesses must have an annual gross revenue/operating budget of more than $100,000 and less than $750,000, been in operation for at least twenty-four (24) months as of the date of the application, and be current in their rent payments. The program is capitalized at $2 million and loans will be disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. Note: 25% of the loan may be converted into a grant.

TRUFUND: APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW. TruFund is a CDFI founded in 2005 whose mission is to help historically disadvantaged individuals and communities create thriving and resilient small businesses and entrepreneurial ecosystems in order to close racial and economic disparities and ensure an inclusive and equitable society. Their SBA Community Advantage Loan offers $20,000-$250,000 loans at rates of 2.75%-6%, with terms of 7-10 years for working capital, inventory, business acquisitions, tenant improvements, and start-up expenses.

PURSUIT: APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW. Pursuit is a CDFI that was founded in 1955 as New York Business Development Corporation, then known as The 504 Company and Excelsior Growth Fund. They focus on women, minority and veteran entrepreneurs in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. They also offer an SBA Community Advantage Loan offers $20,000-$250,000 loans at rates of 2.75%-6%, with terms of 7-10 years for working capital, inventory, business acquisitions, tenant improvements, and start-up expenses. They also offer the SBA Microloan of $10,000-$50,000 at rates capped at 9.125%, the Pursuit Impact Loan of up $100,000-$500,000 with rates of 8-11.9%, the Pursuit SmartLoan of $10,000-$100,000 loans at rates capped at 11.9%, the NYSERDA loan to help you make energy-saving improvements, and the Bridge to Success loan for minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs).

FUNDROCKET: APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW. Is offering capital in the average range of $3,000-$10,000. The application takes a few minutes, and Fundrocket will then analyze your business and give you one or more offers. If you accept, funds will be deposited into your business bank account, typically within one business day. You then pay back a percentage of your sales based on the capital offer you accept, based on your business performance.

NEW YORK FORWARD LOAN FUND: FIRST-ROUND FUNDS ARE SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYED; CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES. Offered by New York State, the NY Forward offers 60-month, no-fee loans of up to $100,000 with a 3% fixed interest rate. The $100 million fund opened in May and was timed to support small businesses, nonprofits and landlords as they reopened and had expenses related to New York Forward Plan guidelines — i.e., payroll, operating and emergency maintenance, property taxes, utilities and costs associated with refitting physical space to follow social distancing guidelines. As of mid-September 2020: Empire State Development (ESD) announced that small businesses and small residential landlords who received $50,000 or less in PPP assistance are now eligible to receive low-interest loans from the fund, and that NYFLF Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) would now contact previously ineligible applicants to determine if they are still interested in funding and begin the underwriting process. They are also accepting new applications.

SBA ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOAN (EIDL): NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS, BUT WILL ACCEPT REQUESTS FOR INCREASES, RECONSIDERATIONS & APPEALS. The U.S. SBA (Small Business Adminstration) has re-opened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) fund, for larger-sized loans with a 3.75% interest rate. Click here for a tip sheet on the difference between the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and EIDL. If your business is structured in a way that makes it hard for you to take the PPP -- i.e., a business with independent contractors such as a barbershop, salon or fitness studio -- the EIDL is a loan for up to six months of working capital, and is a great alternative source of funding. Step-by-step instructions (including videos, tools, etc). are  on the SBDC website (scroll down to EIDL). The fund closed for a while, but opened back up for applications starting June 15. Update as of February 2021: Check your e-mail, spam and trash boxes! The Small Business Administration (SBA) has been sending email invitations to selected businesses with invitations to apply for the new Targeted EIDL Advance. The EIDL is a loan, and the Advance is the first $10,000 of the loan that becomes a grant. The Targeted Advance funding is only being offered to businesses that previously applied for EIDL and received less than $10,000; however, the EIDL loan application is still open to all.

Grants for businesses:

SIMPLIFIED PPP FORGIVENESS (ongoing): The process of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgiveness turns your PPP loan into a grant from the federal government (i.e., so you don’t have to pay your PPP back).

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has established a simplified PPP forgiveness platform that allows you to apply for PPP forgiveness, rather than applying through the bank that gave you the loan. Click here for the list of banks participating in the portal. The portal is for PPP recipients who borrowed $150,000 or less, which is 93% of all PPP recipients. It has been accepting applications since August 4, and takes only about 10 minutes.

Note: Some banks that issued PPP loans are not participating in the direct forgiveness platform, and you must apply to the bank directly. Your bank will provide guidance on the forms you will need to complete.

You can start applying for loan forgiveness once you have spent the loan. You have up to 10 months after the last day of your “covered period” to apply for forgiveness, after which point you will have to start making loan payments to your PPP lender. The “covered period” is the 24-week period beginning on the loan disbursement date. Click for more details and Q&A.

NEW YORK STATE PANDEMIC RELIEF GRANT: APPLICATIONS OPEN: Offering grants of $5,000-$50,000 as part of the New York State $800 million COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program. The grants can be used for a number of different business operating expenses, including rent or mortgage payments, payroll, taxes, utilities, PPE or other business expenses incurred between March 1, 2020 and April 1, 2021. Eligible applicants must have begun operation on or before March 1, 2019. Busineses must also show a loss of gross receipts or other economic hardship as a result of the pandemic, and compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols which resulted in business modifications, interruptions or closures. You must not have received a grant from the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Grant awards will be calculated based on a business’ annual gross receipts for 2019: $25,000-$49,999: Award is $5,000/business, $50,000-$99,999: Award is $10,000/business, or $100,000-$500,000: Award is 10% of gross receipts (max grant is $50,000). The application portal opened on Thursday, June 10. To register for email updates, click here. For the FAQ, click here.

CITIZENS COMMITTEE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS GRANT 2022: APPLICATIONS OPEN. Offering grants of between $5,000-$10,000 that prioritize businesses owned by people of color, immigrant and women, including barber shops, restaurants, food carts, vegetable stands, and other small businesses. Proposals that focus on having a strong impact on their local neighborhood will be prioritized. Note that applications are rolling until funds run out, with the first applications to be reviewed on February 20.

APOLLO THEATER MICROGRANT: APPLICATIONS OPEN THROUGH MARCH 31. Offering grants of $10,000 to 10 Harlem-based small businesses and arts organizations that define the culture and the vitality of Harlem. Established in 2020 by the Apollo, BET and the 125th Street BID in response to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black communities, this third round of the microgrant initiative will continue to aid in small business recovery. View a list of past awardees here.

GO FUND ME: APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW. If your small business is operating a GoFundMe fundraiser, the GoFundMe Small Business Relief Fund will provide $500 matching grants if your fundraiser raises $500 or more. GoFundMe is partnering with Yelp, Intuit QuickBooks, GoDaddy & Bill.com on this initiative, and continues to fundraise here. Apply here.

NEW YORK STATE RESTAURANT RESILIENCY FUND: RAN OUT OF FUNDS AS OF WINTER 2022. After advocacy last year by many of our East Harlem business owners, the New York State Restaurant Resiliency Fund was signed into law in October 2021 by Gov. Kathy Hochul alongside our then-Assemblymember Robert Rodriguez. The $25 million fund allowed the state's network of food banks and emergency food providers to purchase prepared meals from New York restaurants, commercial kitchens and caterers and deliver them to families in need. About $10 million was allocated to the Food Bank for NYC and $1 million to City Harvest to deliver meals to all ZIP codes citywide. The NYS Department of Agriculture selected restaurants to participate in the program based on the restaurant's capacity to create meals aligning with MyPlate.gov standards, be up-to-date with licensing requirements, and have passed health inspections. Restaurants were encouraged to be cost effective in their meal planning, and to use New York ingredients wherever possible to support New York's farmers. Participation was first-come, first-served, for restaurants who meet the Agriculture Department's standards and are price-competitive. 

NEW YORK CITY BUSINESS RESILIENCE GRANT: APPLICATIONS PAUSED DUE TO OVERWHELMING RESPONSE: Offering grants of $10,000 grant to businesses in low- to moderate-income Census tracts that experienced a 25% reduction in gross receipts or revenue in either: (a) comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020, or (b) the 12-month 2019 calendar year and the 12-month 2020 calendar year. You must not have received a grant from the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Grant funds must be used to offset operational expenses incurred between March 3, 2021, and December 23, 2024, for expenses including payroll and benefits, mortgage, rent, utilities. The NYC Small Business Resilience Grant Program is funded by the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and administered by Lendistry.

Do you own a restaurant? The Restaurant Revitalization Fund closed on May 24, 2021, after running out of funding; however, many advocacy groups are lobbying Congress to allocate additional funds.

pro-bono legal assistance:

Please note that these organizations are able to offer advice pre-litigation, meaning that they can advise on how to structure legal documents and provide other legal counseling. However, currently there are no pro bono programs that provide assistance in the case you should have to go to court.

LEGAL AID SOCIETY: Has a Community Development Project that provides advice for small business owners. Rolando Gonzalez is Senior Staff Attorney and is able to offer one-on-one lease review. Contact him at rrgonzalez@legal-aid.org or 212-426-3054.

START SMALL THINK BIG: Has created the Rapid Response Program, a network of trusted top-tier law firms, corporations and other legal service providers across the country to provide remote legal and financial counseling. For this program, Start Small has waived its usual income requirements, so participation is open to all small businesses, and there is a 7-10 day turnaround time. Click here to apply in English and in Spanish.

SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE NETWORK: A new network of advisers offering legal counsel, as well as assistance with marketing, technology and financial guidance. Submit your business profile here, and then you will be assigned a Small Business Support Specialist through the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.

SMALL BUSINESS LEASE ASSISTANCE PARTNERSHIP: The New York Forward Small Business Lease Assistance Partnership (LAP) is a public-private partnership between Empire State Development, the nonprofit Start Small Think Big and the New York Bar Association, to help avoid business evictions. The initiative provides commercial tenants and small business landlords with pro bono legal services, and the information needed to reach a mutually agreeable lease renegotiation.

VOLUNTEERS OF LEGAL SERVICE (VOLS): Created the Small Business Legal Relief Alliance, a network of law firms and legal assistance organizations that can advise small businesses on various legal issues, including leases, employment, contracts, insurance and tax. Click here to apply in English, Spanish or Chinese.

CITY BAR JUSTICE CENTER: Has a Neighborhood Entrepreneur Law Project that provides free legal advice for small business owners during a 45-minute remote consultation with a volunteer attorney. Click here to apply.

NYC DEPARTMENT OF SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES: Has a Commercial Lease Assistance Program. Click here to apply.

GRANTS for employees:

CHILDREN OF RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES (CORE): APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW. Is providing support to food and beverage service employees with children, who have been medically diagnosed with COVID-19 or have someone living within their home who have been diagnosed. Documentation is require for those diagnosed with COVID-19.

ONE FAIR WAGE: APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW. Has created an emergency fund that will be making temporary cash gifts to workers as funding becomes available.

RESTAURANT WORKERS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW. Is providing support to restaurant industry workers who are in immediate financial crisis. Individuals are asked to not apply if they have insurance that can otherwise cover their costs. The foundation was founded in 2018 to advocate for gender equality, racial justice, fair wages and healthy work environments in the restaurant industry, and now has shifted focus to supporting workers, small business owners, and the industry as a whole through its Restaurant Workers COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund. The fund is being partly administered by the Southern Smoke Foundation.

Looking for a grant or loan program not shown ABOVE? The deadline may have passed, and if so, you can find it on our page of past opportunities here.