Here is a list of resources for businesses. We plan to regularly update with more information as it becomes available.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES)
Act
The CARES Act allocated $350 billion to help small businesses keep workers employed amid the pandemic and economic downturn. Known as the Paycheck Protection Program, the initiative provides 100% federally guaranteed loans to small businesses. Importantly, these loans may be forgiven if borrowers maintain their payrolls during the crisis or restore their
payrolls afterward.
Please visit the US Chamber of Commerce Coronavirus Small Business Survival Guide.
Other CARES Act Resources
The Small Business Owner’s Guide to the CARES Act
The Entrepreneur’s COVID19 Playbook:
A guide to stimulus money, tax breaks and legal tips to survive and thrive during the pandemic.
City of Dallas Updates
Dallas Residents Resource Guide
School District Updates
Local News Updates
Utilities
- If you need help paying your utility bills, contact your service provider immediately. Atmos, TXU and Dallas Water Utilities has suspended disconnections at this time.
- Spectrum is offering free WiFi hot spots, unlimited data, and no disconnects or late fees. Info on this here.
Reliant Energy
Additionally, Reliant is actively working to assist its customers in Dallas County during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The customer-assistance measures Reliant has taken thus far include: pausing payment-related disconnections for residential and small commercial customers; offering bill payment assistance (payment extensions, late fee waivers, and deferred payment plans); and encouraging social distancing through the use of online and telephone assistance. They are also suspending disconnections for non-payment until April 3. See the news release here.
City of Dallas Office of Economic Development
The City of Dallas Office of Economic Development has created a web page with information for small business.
Bank of America Information
For any Bank of America small business or banking (credit card, auto loans, mortgages, etc.) clients that are suffering from financial hardship resulting from COVID-19, please reach out to our board member Harsh Agarwal, Vice President at Bank of America, (harsh.agarwal@bofa.com) to seek ‘payment assistance’. All clients are being evaluated on a case-by-case basis for support in this volatile time. For more information, please visit Bank of America’s website.
WaFD Bank Information
If you are a business who has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 virus, WaFd Bank is here to help with emergency funding for your small business. Those who have seen a 10% or greater drop in revenues can apply to receive up to $200,000 on business lines of credit with 90 days interest-free. Info here.
Financial Assistance
The U.S. Department of Treasury has a list of financial resources for consumers.
Trouble Paying Rent or Mortgage
If you don’t have enough money to pay, contact your lender or landlord immediately. Help includes:
- If you are a Dallas Housing Authority client, please immediately report any loss of income in order to reduce your portion of rent and inspections will be restricted to health and safety only.
- Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs Foreclosure Prevention 1-888-995-HOPE (4673)
- Texas Attorney General Consumer Protection or call 800-621-0508
- Texas Health and Human Services Commission has resources available. There may be vouchers to assist those in need with paying their rent. Also get government assistance with other needs, including lease application fees, information on low income housing and security deposits. Dial 1-877-541-7905 to find additional ways to get rent help.
- Texas offers programs that can help you with paying your mortgage and also avoid foreclosure. Local resources, including government and non-profit assistance, can help qualified homeowners
- Homeowners have other resources too. Also click here for a listing of Texas HUD counseling agencies that provide free foreclosure counseling.
Message from State Representative Morgan Meyer
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SCORE Guidance for Small Businesses During Coronavirus
Remote mentoring is available.
Info for Employers
In preparation for the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, employers are making plans to put their teams back to work and/or back to their normal work locations. In response to soaring client demand, Ogletree Deakins has developed a detailed Return to Work Guide, representing hundreds of hours of work and the cumulative input from more than 30 lawyers with more than 600 years of combined labor and employment experience. The Guide is full of information and practical tools to help employers plan and implement a return-to-work (RTW) process that minimizes risk.
Coronavirus Toolkit
The U.S. Chamber created a toolkit to share recommendations for businesses and workers across the country from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). We continue to encourage American businesses to follow data-based guidance from the CDC and state and local officials.
The toolkit—which can be found at uschamber.com/coronavirus alongside additional COVID-19 resources—has sharable graphics based on the CDC’s latest guidance for businesses and employees for you and your members to share on social media, websites, and other channels.
Texas Education Agency Updates
COVID-19 Support & Guidance
Includes the latest info on school closings.
UT Southwestern Mental Health and Health Care Resources
UT Southwestern Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute clinicians and mental health experts Ahmad Raza, M.D., Ph.D. and Jenny Hughes, Ph.D., M.Ph. addressed mental health issues and the COVID-19 pandemic during a virtual meeting hosted by the North Dallas Chamber on Monday, April 6, 2020. Chamber leaders moderated a conversation with Drs. Raza and Hughes about strategies for grit, resilience and anxiety management during this unprecedented time. Download their list of resources here.
Dallas-Forth Worth Hospital Council: Supporting Families by Alleviating Concerns Through Education and Awareness
We are facing a global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and working to understand our new way of living and working. This includes adapting to restrictions on social interactions, including social distancing, and practicing higher standards of hygiene. To help understanding this change in our daily life, we want to share some suggestions and resources to remind our North Texas families to stay physically and mentally (emotionally) healthy.
Food Assistance and Donation
- Here is also a list of open food pantries inclusive of hours.
- Hero and HG SPLY Co have begun a service called “Family Meal To Go” –
Starting tonight at 6 pm they will be serving Family Meal To Go from the Valor St entrance of Hero. This will be free to all service industry and their families. Guests will stay in their car and staff will deliver meals to their cars. They will be utilizing food donated from their vendors as well as from their our own kitchens. This will be available Monday through Friday from 6 pm – 9 pm or until we run out of food. It is available for all service industry folks as well as any family affected by Covid. If you are interested in donating to this cause email BeatCovid@livinghg.com. They will take any and all donations of product. They have two 24,000 sq ft spaces they can utilize for dispersing items to impacted service industry and affected families safely. More information is available here.
Insurance Issues
The Texas Department of Insurance has resources and information available for consumers who have insurance related questions.
Science Spotlight: COVID-19
Steve Love of the DFWHC hosted a COVID19 online virtual presentation with the Perot Museum. Here’s a link to the presentation: https://youtu.be/8PVUbJ3vzzE