This page will be continuously updated. Because of the nature of the COVID-19 situation some information may become outdated before it’s removed or updated on this page.
Call the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services 24-hour hotline at 877-435-8411, if you are need of immediate help.
If you have specific COVID-19 questions for Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services email [email protected].
Consult your financial and legal advisers before taking advantage of any relief programs.
January 11:
The Missouri Chamber has created a guide for employers to the new COVID-19 relief bill. Watch the full video below.
January 11:
The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (CRRSAA), which was signed into law on December 27, 2020, provides more assistance to individuals and businesses harmed by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will re-open the week of January 11 for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers. To promote access to capital, initially only community financial institutions will be able to make First Draw PPP Loans on Monday, January 11, and Second Draw PPP Loans on Wednesday, January 13. The PPP will open to all participating lenders shortly thereafter. Check this page for more details or watch the explainer video below.
September 3:
The City of Columbia Housing Programs Division is excited to announce the availability of grant funding for locally owned small businesses with 5 or fewer employees. The Microenterprise Recovery Loan Program application portal will be open and available to applicants on September 15, 2020 from 8am to 5pm. Eligible businesses may receive a $5,000 forgivable loan to cover business interruption, adaptation and resiliency expenses in response to the impact of COVID-19. A list of program guidelines and required application materials can be found on the City’s webpage here.
An employee income certification form included as a requirement within the application can also be downloaded and completed prior to the opening of the application portal. A link to the portal can be found here.
The City of Columbia’s nonprofit community partner, Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA) Women’s Business Center, is also available to assist in providing technical support to businesses navigating the application process. Contact info can be found on their website here.
Look for an additional funding announcement for business with more than 5 employees in early October.
July 29: The City of Columbia Housing Programs Division invites local business owners to learn how to submit an application for funds for the Microenterprise Recovery Loan Program and Small Business Recovery Loan Program. The meeting will be held via Zoom on August 6, 2020, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Please, refer to the informational flyer linked below and here for meeting and applicant requirement details.
July 14: Missouri Department of Economic Development announces up to $30 million in grant funds for small businesses.
Late this afternoon, the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) announced a new Small Business Grant Program that could provide up to $30 million for Missouri small businesses.
Organizations eligible for this grant must employ 50 or fewer employees, including the owner(s). Grant amounts are initially limited to $50,000, and organizations applying must incur or have incurred costs due to COVID-19 between March 1, 2020 and November 15, 2020. The U.S. Treasury guidance on eligible costs is updated regularly; therefore, eligible costs are subject to change. Applications will consider industry, timely use of funds, and availability of funds.
DED will begin accepting applications for this grant today, July 14, until August 31, 2020.
July 9: Ameren Missouri has announced a $500,000 energy assistance fund for small businesses and nonprofits affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to a release, the program is open to Missouri small businesses and nonprofits with 50 or fewer employees that meet other eligibility requirements. If approved, organizations will receive a one-time $250 bill credit. Small business owners and nonprofit leaders can visit amerenmissouri.com/smallbusinessrelief for more information and to apply.
June 16: SBA has reopened applications for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program to all businesses & non-profits that meet the eligibility requirements. See below for additional information or visit https://covid19relief.sba.gov to apply. This is the SBA program that you apply for directly with SBA, so no bank is involved.
Trying to keep track of financial resources? Use this chart from the Missouri SBDC to compare available small business loans.
Missouri Department of Economic Development Small Business Disaster Loan Program
The Missouri Department of Economic Development Small Business Disaster Loan Program (https://ded.mo.gov/programs/business/small-business-disaster-loan-program) is available as a funding source for small businesses impacted by COVID-19.
See the website above for details, but a few highlights are:
- Interest rate of 3% with a 2-year deferral period or 1% without deferral period (borrower’s option)
- Terms are typically 10 years or less
- Repayment is quarterly payments of principal & interest
- Minimum loan amount is $2,500 and maximum is $50,000
- Companies must be 100% Missouri owned & 100% Missouri located
- Companies cannot have more than 15 employees total (full & part time combined)
- Proceeds may be used for working capital, inventory, equipment purchase, real property improvements (if owned by the borrower), but cannot be used for refinancing of existing debt or for outstanding debt payments.
CARES Act
What is included:
Unemployment Benefits: While the previous phase of relief extended unemployment benefits and fast tracked the process, this Act makes it so that those receiving unemployment benefits as a result of COVID-19 will get an extra $600 per week for up to four months. The additional benefit will be on top of whatever state benefits they may already receive. Congress’ goal here is to have unemployment benefits make up for 100 percent of lost wages.
Direct Cash Infusion: All U.S. residents with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 ($150,000 for married couples) will get a $1,200 ($2,400 for couples) one time “rebate” payment.
Business Tax Credit: Businesses will get a tax credit for keeping workers on their payrolls during the coronavirus pandemic. To qualify, businesses have to prove they took a 50 percent loss compared to the same quarter in years past. They would get a refund for half of what they spend on wages, up to $5,000 per worker. Employers won’t be able to get special SBA loans if they opt for the tax credit.
Social Security Payroll Tax: Employers and self-employed individuals will get to defer the 6.2 percent tax they pay on wages that is used to fund Social Security. The deferred tax would have to be paid over the following two years: half by Dec. 31, 2021, and the other half by Dec. 31, 2022.
Retail Tax Fix: Retailers, restaurateurs and hotels will be able to immediately deduct from their taxes what they spend on property improvements. This write-off ability was supposed to occur in the 2017 tax overhaul. The fix will help by letting businesses file amended refunds from prior years.
Paycheck Protection Program: This new loan program, known as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), is based on the SBA’s existing 7(a) loan program and will make forgivable loans of up to $10 million available to qualifying small businesses. Unlike other 7(a) loans, applicants are not required to show that credit is unavailable elsewhere or demonstrate repayment ability. PPP loans are backed by a 100% guaranty from SBA. The PPP is an attempt to avoid mass unemployment, the effort includes funding to cover payroll, rent and utilities. The program aims to cover eight weeks of these costs. A business can receive up to 250 percent of its average monthly payroll. This program is open to businesses with fewer than 500 workers, including nonprofits and those who are self-employed. The money will initially be a loan, but portions may be forgiven and become a grant if the company uses the loan solely for payroll, rent or utility costs. This program is retroactive to February 15, 2020 and is available until June 30, 2020. If a business has received an Economic Injury Disaster Loan thru the SBA, they may still receive a PPP loan to the extent that the disaster loan was used for a purpose other than those permitted for PPP loans.