SBA hosts aid and recovery webinar for Pacific Northwest and Midwest regions

From U.S. Small Business Administration

WASHINGTON — Thursday, July 15, the U.S. Small Business Administration and Public Private Strategies Institute hosted a Pacific Northwest and Midwest Regions — Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska — briefing for small business owners about COVID-19 economic aid and recovery as part of the “Getting Back on Track: Help is Here” webinar series.

More than 1,200 participants joined the livestream briefing featuring U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.

“Because of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s good work, hundreds of small business owners and entrepreneurs were able to get essential resources on how to build back better from this devastating pandemic,” Wyden said. “Here in Congress, I am going to fight tooth and nail to make sure underserved entrepreneurs and small businesses continue to get the support they need to grow their businesses and support good-paying jobs in communities across America.”

Participants joined an in-depth question and answer session with the SBA acting regional administrators from Regions 7 and 10, Martin Golden and Leon Milobar, respectively.

Golden and Milobar provided detailed updates on low-interest disaster relief aid and American Rescue Plan programs, such as the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant and Paycheck Protection Program forgiveness process. They also discussed technical assistance that SBA district offices could provide applicants.

Webinar guests also heard from Jennifer Shieh, chief scientist and program manager in the SBA Office of Investment & Innovation, about Small Business Innovation and Research Week, which is being held from July 19 to July 23. During SBIR week, SBA is conducting roundtable sessions, one-on-one meetings, and panel discussions to help startups and small businesses transform their high-risk, high-impact technologies into marketable products and services that solve problems. Shieh shared how SBA is helping entrepreneurs, stating that “connecting science funding agencies with innovators from all backgrounds and across the country can help turn scientific research into solutions to positively improve our lives.”

Rhett Buttle, president of Public Private Strategies Institute, said partnerships are helping small busineses.

“As we continue our Getting Back on Track Tour, we are proud to work with the U.S. Small Business Administration to help small business owners and entrepreneurs learn about resources to build back better.

SBA and PPSI organizers said they will continue sharing information on access to capital, digital tools, “and how small business owners can be vaccine leaders as we build toward a more equitable economy.’

SBA recommends applicants, interested parties, and qualified entities check the following additional resources for economic aid and vaccinations:

• SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center: 1-800-659-2955. Operation Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday; 1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard of hearing or [email protected].

• Local Resource Partners: https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance or www.sba.gov/asistencia-local

• SBA’s Guide to Federal Contracting: https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting

• SBA’s Guide to Small Business Innovation & Research: http://www.sbir.gov

• SBA’s National Small Business Week Virtual Summit, Sept. 13-15, http://www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week

• Getting Back on Track: Help is Here online webinar series: To join one of the regional webinars in this series, people can register at https://www.publicprivatestrategies.com/back-on-track

• Subscribe to the SBA’s e-newsletter at http://www.sba.gov/updates

• Follow the SBA on Twitter: @SBAgov

• Visit http://vaccines.gov and http://healthcare.gov for health care and vaccination resources.

The SBA’s participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products, or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.