The Urbandale Chamber is closely monitoring the changing developments of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and its impact on our members and community. Please reference these gathered resources to aid in your decision making as you are preparing for the impact of COVID-19. For more advice and resources on planning and preparedness for organizations and illness prevention strategies, visit the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s COVID-19 Rapid Response Hub. This is an ever-evolving situation, and it is important for us to continue to support local businesses and each other especially during challenging times.
Resources
DSM Forward
DSM Forward is a compilation of playbooks devoted to helping businesses and industries prepare for next steps related to economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. DSM Forward includes industry-specific playbooks, assessments and recommendations — leveraging international, national, state and local sources, and following federal, state and local public health official recommendations — to help guide businesses and organizations as they determine pathways toward the future in an everchanging landscape.
Click your industry below to be linked to the related industry playbook.
- Agriculture
- Child Care
- Construction & Development
- Education
- Events, Arts & Culture
- Government
- Gyms
- Financial Services
- Hotels
- Manufacturing
- Nonprofits
- Personal Services
- Restaurant & Food Services
- Retail
- Utilities
Small Business Resources
Find helpful information for small businesses pertaining to financial assistance, employer and employee resources, strategies to maintain business continuity and more.
CentralIowa.ShopWhereILive.com
This Zoom webinar explains how to register and list items for sale on wwww.centraliowa.shopwhereilive.com, an online e-commerce website to bring small businesses together to sell their products and services virtually. The site is a fully functional e-commerce site that allows businesses, not only the opportunity to be listed but to actually receive orders to generate much-needed dollars during a time when cash flow is needed. Interested in setting up an online store? Submit a vendor registration.
Guides and Resources from the U.S. Chamber
The U.S. Chamber continues to create, update, and evolve its various guides and resources to continue bringing you and your members the information you need during this difficult time. We encourage you to continue utilizing and sharing the following items as you see fit:
- Guide to PPP Loan Forgiveness
- Reopening Business Digital Resources Center
- Reopening Business Digital Resources Center Toolkit
- Small Business Reopening Playbook
- Main Street Lending Program Guide
- UPDATED: State-Specific Guidance Map
- Backgrounder on Health Coverage Options
- Backgrounder on Unemployment Insurance Under the CARES Act
- Independent Contractor’s Guide to CARES Act Relief
- Coronavirus Emergency Loans Small Business Guide and Checklist
- Temporary Paid Leave and Family Medical Leave Guide
- Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program Guide
- Employee Retention Tax Credit Guide
- Coronavirus Small Business Guide
- Coronavirus Response Toolkit
- Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Crisis Management
Chambers and businesses need to prepare for the impacts of COVID-19 transmission in the United States. Learn more about implementing a series of actions that minimize the impact on local communities and support the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) containment strategy. Includes pandemic guidance, crisis communication templates, and other pandemic related resources.
Employment Resources
To best support employers and employees in Greater Des Moines (DSM), The Partnership has compiled employment resources information for both businesses in need of immediate temporary workers, as well as individuals actively seeking job assistance who have been impacted due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Employer Unemployment Insurance benefits during COVID-19 webinar
A webinar from Iowa Workforce Development specifically for employers explaining how to navigate unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. - How to file Unemployment if you are self-employed
- DOL.COVID-19 Fair Labor Standards Act Questions and Answers
A FAQ guide provided by the U.S. Department of Labor covering the impact of COVID-19 on the Fair Labor Standards Act. - Leave Policy for Employees Impacted by COVID-19 Layoffs
Iowa Workforce Development has implemented updates to its leave policy for filing unemployment insurance benefits following the enactment of the CARES Act. Effective immediately, employees who are or will be laid off, or are unable to work for reasons related to COVID-19, will no longer be required to use all paid leave prior to being eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. Find the IWD COVID-19 Information Page for more information. - Help! One of my workers may have been around someone who was COVID Positive! Now what? CDC Interim Guidance for Implementing Safety Practices for workers who may have been exposed to a person with COVID – 19
Virtual Events & Webinars
The Partnership continues to produce virtual events with the goal of supporting DSM businesses with tips, resources and subject matter experts during this time.
- Video: Virtual Employer Roundtable – Responding to the Impacts of COVID-19 on Summer Internships & New Grad Hiring
Watch fellow Des Moines metro employers and career development professionals from area universities for a round table discussion to share ideas and ask questions of one another. Discussion topics will include delivery of summer 2020 internships, hiring projections for new college graduates, and changes to recruitment and selection of new employees. - Video: Student Employer Panel – How COVID-19 is Impacting Summer Internships & New Grad Hiring
A panel of employers from the Des Moines metro shares with area college students how they are responding to the impacts of COVID-19. Discussion topics include delivery of summer 2020 internships, hiring projections for new college graduates, and changes to recruitment and selection of new employees. - Why is the Work of Diversity + Inclusion Important During COVID-19? – Claudia Schabel, President of Schabel Solutions, provides information on how to drive workplace inclusivity in the COVID-19 era in this article and in her webinar “How to Drive Inclusivity in the Workplace”. Claudia also talked about how to be a good leader during times of crisis and how leadership can stay accountable. For more information, find the full webinar here.
Government & Public Policy Information
Stay up-to-date with the essential public policy information for federal, state and local levels on the COVID-19 Policy Information page.
Related News Releases and other Resources
Small Business Guidance and Loan Resources from SBA
Treasury, IRS and Labor announce plan to implement Coronavirus-related paid leave for workers and tax credits for small and midsize businesses to recover cost of Coronavirus-related leave
U.S. Small Business Administration Issues Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration for Iowa
March 30 -Iowa Workforce Development updates leave policy for employees impacted by COVID-19 layoffs
May 19, 2020 – SBA clarifies PPP loans in 4-important ways
June 5, 2020 – Trump signs new law relaxing PPP rules
August 28, 2020 – Governor Reynold’s proclamation impacting bars/restaurants
November 10, 2020 – Governor Reynold’s proclamation continuing public health emergency
November 17, 2020 – Governor Reynold’s proclamation
January 6, 2021 – Eligible Paycheck Protection Program expenses now deductible
Free Counseling and Support
You’re not alone. Find support for coping with the effects of the pandemic. COVID Recovery Iowa provides free virtual counseling, virtual activities, referrals and help finding resources to any Iowan seeking assistance or a listening ear. Counselors are available 24/7. For more information, visit COVID Recovery Iowa.
Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Counseling
SBDC offers one-on-one counseling that can be done virtually, including help with loan application processes or other business issues that this crisis is causing, such as distribution, sales, buying, marketing, HR issues and more. Find a counselor on the SBDC website.