Leadership

COVID-19 Resources for Freelancers and Small Business Owners

COVID-19 Resources: Last updated June 8, 2020

If you’re a small business owner in North America, the past couple of weeks have certainly been anxiety-inducing.

According to a recent survey by the National Federation of Independent Business, 23% of U.S. small business owners are already feeling negative impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Another 43% of small business owners anticipate they will feel the impacts very soon, especially if the virus spreads.

Meanwhile, north of the border, of the small business owners surveyed by the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, 48% have seen a drop in sales.

No matter how your business is being affected, we want you to know that FreshBooks is here for you. It’s why we’ve curated this list of helpful resources specifically for American and Canadian small business owners affected by COVID-19.

Although we’ve created our own list of resources here and on our resource hub, there are also some amazing roundups already available from:

*Note: We will update our resources weekly to ensure they reflect the most accurate information and news available. Please feel free to add a comment if you have found a great resource we can share on this list.*

U.S.-Specific Information

Government Announcements

Federal Reserve Announcements

Funding, Grant, and Loan Sources

*IMPORTANT NOTE: As of April 27, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is accepting applications again, after $310 billion was made available for small business owners. If you had trouble getting funded when the PPP was last open, you may want to check with community banks and credit unions, as $60 billion of this funding is earmarked for small lenders. Some online lenders are also facilitating loans through the PPP. Furthermore, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program will be accepting applications again. Check their website here for the dates on when you can apply. This program is likely to run out of funding again, so if you want to apply, do so as soon as possible.

Canada-Specific Information

Government Announcements

Bank Announcements

Funding, Grant, and Loan Sources

Temporary Business Closures

Every Canadian province has proclaimed its own version of the Emergencies Act. This includes temporary closure of bars and restaurants (except for delivery or takeout) and banning public gatherings of more than 50 people. [Learn more]

UK-Specific Information

Government Announcements

Bank Announcements

Funding, Grant, and Loan Sources

Republic of Ireland-Specific Information

Government Announcements

Funding, Grant, and Loan Sources

Other Help & Resources

Many businesses are rallying behind their customers and communities. Here’s a list of businesses currently offering relief:

General Information

Working From Home

Mental Health and Support

Where to Find Freelance Jobs

The Power of Community

While we understand many of you are experiencing difficulties, it’s important to look to your own local community and support those who really need it by:

We are all in this together. Even as we practice social distancing, we can still be a strong community that supports and lifts each other up during these difficult times.

 

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Lisa Craymer

about the author

Former Senior Content Marketing Manager, FreshBooks Lisa is passionate about small business success, having managed funding programs for hundreds of Canadian start-ups and entrepreneurs.

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