COVID-19 Business Resources

The Chamber is committed to sharing as much information with all of you as possible. While we realize that is a lot to absorb and consider, we’ll try to clear the fog and focus on what truly matters.

Our pledge to you is to continue to advocate on your behalf for the resources we'll all need to recover from this and to stay connected, support each other, and to rally around those hardest hit. Please check this page often as we will be updating it daily.

State Clarification: Essential Businesses

On Monday, March 23rd Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued an executive order for nonessential businesses and organizations to close in an aggressive attempt to quash the coronavirus pandemic. This has caused confusion among many of our businesses who have reached out for clarification. The State, in response to inquiries, has issued a clarification and additional guidance with regard to essential businesses.

Nonessential business clarification

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act Has Been Signed Into Law– What This Means for Employers

On March 18, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act was signed into law. This law makes sweeping changes to an employer’s legal obligations: (1) imposing a paid sick and safe leave (“PSL”) mandate for COVID-19-related reasons on most employers with fewer than 500 employees; (2) temporarily expanding coverage for school and child care closures associated with COVID-19 and imposing a paid leave requirement under the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) on these same employers; (3) encouraging states to extend unemployment benefits for reasons associated with COVID-19; and (4) giving a payroll tax credit to employers for the paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave mandates. Many of our members have requested a resource on this. Below is a SHRM Summary of HR 6201 - Families First Act 2020.

Families First SHRM Summary

MS Law Legal Review Resource

Maryland COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund Programs for Business

Maryland has authorized $130 million in loan and grant funding for small businesses and manufacturers that have been negatively impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). This emergency assistance provides interim relief and proceeds that can be used to pay cash operating expenses including payroll, suppliers, rent, fixed debt payments and other mission critical cash operating costs.

If you are a Maryland-based business impacted by the Coronavirus with under 50 full- and part-time employees, or a Maryland manufacturer there are a few options for you:

Find out more & Apply

COVID-19 Layoff Aversion Fund

Governor Larry Hogan and the Maryland Department of Labor have launched the new COVID-19 Layoff Aversion Fund, which is designed to support businesses undergoing economic stresses due to the pandemic by preventing or minimizing the duration of unemployment resulting from layoffs. The award (up to $50,000 per applicant), will be a quick deployable benefit and customizable to the specific needs of your business to minimize the need for layoffs.

Find Out More & Apply

Emergency SBA Loans

Frederick County businesses and nonprofits are now eligible to apply for emergency loans through the Small Business Administration (SBA). This program designation recognizes the catastrophic impact that shutdowns are having resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic.

This program, administered by the SBA, offers emergency loans at a deeply discounted interest rates for businesses and nonprofits covered by national declarations. Unlike other situations, a business does NOT need to have been turned down by a commercial lender in order to apply.

The process takes some patience and time, but for our members struggling with both short and long term financial issues through no fault of their own, this program could offer critical assistance. Time is of the essence, so the sooner you start, the faster the process.

Emergency Loan Application

Accompanying Documents

Nonprofit Grant Applications

The COVID Collaborative is administering a common grant application to support local eligible organizations impacted by COVID-19. The Phase I application is open through noon on April 3, 2020. At least $100,000 will be available to support grants during Phase I. Minimum grant request is $500. A maximum request has not been specified. Partial funding of requests will be considered. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Organizations can use this application to apply for emergency grants to support increases to demands in services and/or grants to support general operating expenses when revenues have been impacted by COVID-19-related closures.

Applications will be collected by the Community Foundation and evaluated for funding by the COVID Collaborative funders, including The Community Foundation of Frederick County, the Ausherman Family Foundation, Delaplaine Foundation, Inc., Helen J. Serini Foundation, Women’s Giving Circle of Frederick County, and United Way of Frederick County.

Grant Applications

United Way Community Relief Campaign

The economic fallout from Coronavirus is causing significant hardship for many Frederick County families. 39% of households in Frederick County already struggled to afford basic households.* Today, many of these families, known as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), face an even more uncertain future.

This COVID-19 Emergency Relief Campaign dollars will be used to support nonprofits who directly help those adversely affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Programmatic impacts may include, but are not limited to, emergency shelter, financial stability programs, transportation needs, prescriptions and medical supplies, food and food supplies for seniors, and suicide prevention and other mental health services.

Give to the Campaign

Maryland Coronavirus Information for Business

Maryland Department of Commerce in conjunction with the Maryland Department of Labor, the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, and several other state agencies have a webpage dedicated to business resources during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

On it you will find guidelines for employers, fair labor standards, information on insurance claims, opportunities for financial assistance, tax questions, and more.

Visit the Page