Dear Friends,

Like you, everyone at the Vermont Community Loan Fund is pulling together to adapt to our changing work (and life!) landscape this week. As our world community organizes to fight the spread of COVID-19, the Loan Fund will continue to work with our partners and stakeholders to ensure that we’re doing everything we can to help folks stay healthy and weather this unprecedented situation.

Of course, the health of our staff, partners and community is our highest priority today. To that end, many VCLF employees are currently working remotely. Staffing at our offices is limited. We are fully functional, making loans and working with our borrowers. Our response time may be slightly delayed, but we’ll get back to you.

You can always contact us at 802-223-1448, vclf@vclf.org, or go here for a list of individual staff with their contact info. Thank you for bearing with us.

TO OUR BORROWERS: We’re just a phone call or email away. PLEASE get in touch if there's anything we can do. We’re here to help. Here’s a list of local resources for businesses and organizations, but please reach out to us for more:

Agency of Commerce & Community Development
https://accd.vermont.gov/about-us/disaster-plannin...
ACCD wants to hear from businesses in Vermont impacted by COVID-19, and to help connect them with disaster recovery resources. Please call 802-461-5143 or email commerce.covid19@vermont.gov if you've experienced impacts in the following areas:

• Economic Injury
• Supply Chain
• Workforce
• Business Travel
• Visitor Travel and Tourism
• Remote Work Capabilities

If you are a business looking for clarity around essential businesses as it relates to childcare, please email commerce.covid19@vermont.gov with subject heading: "Childcare Essential Business Clarity: INSERT BUSINESS NAME." While this doesn’t ensure a business will be named essential, the SEOC is compiling and reviewing these inquiries daily.

Consumer Assistance Program of Vermont
https://ago.vermont.gov/cap/small-business-help/
(scroll down to COVID-19 Guidance and click on +)

Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA)
https://www.veda.org/newsevents/covid19updates

SCORE
How Small Businesses Can Prepare for COVID-19
https://www.score.org/blog/how-small-businesses-ca...
Small Business Disaster Preparedness (Resources)
https://www.score.org/content/small-business-disas...
Disaster Preparedness and Continuity of Your Business
https://www.score.org/event/disaster-preparedness-...

Small Business Administration
SBA Disaster Loan application process
https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/Documents/Three_S...
SBA Guidance for Business and Employers to Plan and Respond to COVID-19
https://www.sba.gov/page/guidance-businesses-emplo...
SBA Disaster Relief Loans for COVID-19
https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/coronaviru...

Vermont Department of Labor
COVID-19 Information
https://labor.vermont.gov/covid19
Unemployment Information
https://labor.vermont.gov/unemployment-insurance
For Employees who have been laid off: VDOL is suggesting people fill out the intake form online, where staff will enter a claim into the system from that form. This is to help manage the influx of calls they are currently getting from those seeking to file for unemployment benefits.
For Business Owners: The Legislature is looking at relieving the UI penalty for businesses that have to lay off a large portion of their workforce. Not yet a path forward on how to provide unemployment benefits to self-employed, but the State is aware of it and is actively looking for a way to help.

Department for Children and Families
CDD Blog posts regular updates, including those regarding COVID-19
https://dcf.vermont.gov/cdd-blog
Latest (3/20/20) updates on essential workers & child care
https://dcf.vermont.gov/cdd/covid-19?eType=EmailBl...

Stay in touch! And stay safe!
~Your friends at the Vermont Community Loan Fund