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Thanks to the City of Minneapolis as well as donations from Target and our partners at the Longfellow Community Council, we have extra supplies of disposable masks and hand sanitizer. If your business is in need of either, please reach out to Kim to have some dropped off!
The City has moved Operation Safety Net into Phase 3. They were not expecting this phase to begin until the beginning of jury deliberation in the next week or so, but the tragic killing of Daunte Wright earlier this week accelerated the decision to move into this phase. Below you'll find information and resources about what you need to know heading into this uncertain time.
Law Enforcement Presence You will see the deployment of almost 3,000 additional law enforcement personnel of either National Guard and mutual aid officers throughout the city with at least 500 troops out now. MPD has stated that National Guard will always be accompanied by local law enforcement. 911 Response The Minneapolis Police Department has significantly increased their number of 911 responders and expects to be able to respond to emergencies quickly. They are encouraging businesses to call if the need arises. Preparing Your Business Many businesses are looking for guidance about preparing for the coming days and weeks. A few key tips are below and more detailed information is available here.
Report Damages & Losses The City of Minneapolis is asking for businesses to report any damages and losses to the City to understand the severity of the damages. Information will be used to assess if the City can find additional resources. Complete the form:
Communication and Information Sharing There are many avenues for getting up to date information during the trial from both the City and your fellow business owners:
Starting the week of April 6, 2021, the U.S. Small Business Administration is raising the loan limit for the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Applicants can now receive a maximum loan amount of $500,000. The lending limit increased from 6-months of economic injury with a maximum loan amount of $150,000 to up to 24-months of economic injury with a maximum loan amount of $500,000.
The Paycheck Protection Program has been extended an additional two months to May 31, 2021, with an additional 30-day period for the SBA to process applications that are still pending. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a loan designed to provide direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on payroll. Additionally, borrowers may be eligible for PPP loan forgiveness. Find more information on the Paycheck Protection Program at www.sba.gov/ppp and www.sba.gov/ppp-espanol
Amidst the pandemic and unrest, Ekta's mother also passed away. She describes the last year saying, "We are living in a time and moment that cannot be erased from our memories. There was no time to grieve in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the social unrest and murder of George Floyd. As a leader of a non-profit, I never got a chance to stop, reflect back, or revive myself. But, my grief became my power, and my power become my passion and this became my dream for my staff, team and everyone who was impacted."
Though things may feel chaotic, Ekta and her team at CAPI hope to offer hope and stability to their clients and those hit hardest by the consequences of COVID-19. Learn more about CAPI and opportunities to support their mission. You can request free saliva test kits for your employees from the Minneapolis Health Department. Fill out this easy online request for resources form. Be sure to include information such as:
Thanks for your interest in using the Discord app to communicate with fellow businesses in Longfellow. The Discord app will allow you all to communicate in real-time via text, voice, and video, in the event of any emergencies - riots, tornadoes, fires, or whatever may come our way. It works on smart-phones and computers, and you can also use it through a web browser, so this will allow for communication between businesses "on the ground” so to speak as well as those in other locations.
LBA will not be moderating this app - we really just hope it can be an effective tool for the business community to connect with one another in times of need. Businesses in Longfellow have widely varying views on politics, policing, safety, etc. This is not a forum for ideological views, venting or promoting your specific business. Please use the app responsibly and respectfully. Currently, there is a Discord group set up for Downtown Longfellow (Lake and Minnehaha area). We will also be adding other groups based on location. We hope there will be little use for this, but if there is, it will be helpful to have a tool in place. Everything will go easier if we aren't all using this for the first time when something goes wrong, so please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the app and how it works. Download the app and use this link to connect to the Downtown Longfellow Discord group: https://discord.gg/cyVryqZZDQ Use the top left menu bar to navigate
Check out these upcoming March workshops:
Unilever has committed to providing robust capacity-building support to 12 BIPOC-owned small businesses in the Twin Cities, in partnership with Genesys Works. Unilever has partnered with HandsOn Twin Cities to lead the development and implementation of this program.
They're looking to support:
Applications for these funds are due by Wednesday, March 17, 2021. Learn more and Apply Here. The Fund for Safe Communities was established in 2018 by the Minneapolis Foundation to support tangible, specific, and meaningful actions to address and prevent violence. This funding opportunity is designed to support gatherings and activities to address community trauma and promote wellness among Minneapolis youth and adults.
Funding will be awarded to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, schools, and religious organizations that support youth, adults, and families in Minneapolis neighborhoods. The Foundation plans to award a total of up to $250,000, with grants ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 and an average award of approximately $3,000. Here are some examples of activities they're interested in supporting:
Applications for these funds will begin on Monday, March 15, 2021. |
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