COVID-19 Resources

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We know the current situation with COVID-19 is impacting many DMI members.  The following are links and resources that may be useful to you or your business during this time.  DMI is here to help our members and community in any way we can, so please let us know if there is anything we can do. If you have additional information that would be useful to add to this page, please contact us at info@downtownmadison.org.

Support our Community

Find ways to support local community organizations by visiting United Way of Dane County’s site volunteeryourtime.org.

Take advantage of mental health resources available to help cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic provided by NAMI Dane County. Weekly online support groups and family and friends seminars are available.

Visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services webpage, Resilient Wisconsin, which has a number of resources including tips for health coping and dealing with stress.

Use the Safe Communities 24/7 helpline for Dane County residents to reduce stress-related alcohol and drug use during the coronavirus epidemic (608) 228-1278.

Take advantage of resources developed by advocates from Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc. including information on the Wisconsin Eviction Moratorium, the federal CARES Act protections related to housing, unemployment insurance appeals, and public benefits related to COVID testing and care.

Check out the Covid-19 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources from the University of Wisconsin School of Nursing.

Relief Funds:

Donate to the Dane County COVID-19 Emergency and Recovery Fund.  The fund is a collaborative effort between the United Way of Dane County, Boys & Girls Club of Dane County, Selfless Ambition and other area organizations.

Support the healthcare community by donating to the UW Health COVID-19 Response Fund and helping in other ways listed here.

Give to the Madison Community Foundation COVID-19 Priority Fund setup to provide support for the unanticipated needs of organizations operating in the arts, environment and many other.

Donate to the MMSD Community Resource Fund and MSCR Community Resource Fund established by the Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools to help direct resources to the scholars, staff and families of the Madison Metropolitan School District.

Give to the Latinx Consortium for Action Relief Fund for COVID-19 established to provide emergency relief for undocumented Latinx workers and small immigrant-owned businesses.

Pay it Forward to our Health Care Heroes and support Madison restaurants while providing meals to healthcare workers.

A Downtown Madison Fund, a component fund at the Madison Community Foundation, has been created to promote the vitality of downtown and leverage opportunities within and immediately adjacent to Madison’s Central BID.

Support our Local Businesses

Stay up-to-date on local business specials including availability of take-out, delivery, curbside services, gift certificates, virtual experiences, and business reopening plans complied by Madison’s Central BID: visitdowntownmadison.com/2020-updates.

Check out the many restaurants and establishments in downtown Madison and throughout the City that are participating in the City of Madison Streatery Program.

Donate to the Madison Virtual Tip Jar.  Many of our friends and neighbors depend on tips to make ends meet. This virtual tip jar is for local service industry staff – employees at bars, restaurants, salons, etc – to post their Venmo or Paypal information so that customers, neighbors, and Madison community members can continue to support them.

Business Resources

Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) released Forward Dane, a phased reopening plan for Dane County during the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan is based on active monitoring of data-based metrics. To view the current phase and orders issued by PHMDC, click here.

The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce has a virtual portal for employers to submit questions relating to community response, best practices for businesses, guidance from local, state and federal authorities, available assistance for affected businesses, and more.  To submit your questions, visit Slido.com and enter the event code #ASK4BIZ (not case-sensitive). Responses will be posted at madisonbiz.com/covid19faq.

The Urban League of Greater Madison has launched a COVID-19 Workforce Recovery Initiative. Workers who have been hurt by furloughs, layoffs, reduced hours, or other impacts to their employment situation or employers in need of workers now can find more info at ulgm.org/employment.

Business Re-Opening Resources:

Virtual Events/Webinars:

Articles:

Small Business Resources:

The City of Madison recognizes the need to invest in supporting our small business community. Many small businesses face the real prospect of permanently closing. The Small Business Equity & Recovery Grant aims to focus on businesses owned by people of color. Independently owned businesses are eligible for funding. For additional details and a link to the grant application, click here.

Gov. Tony Evers announced with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) that restaurants and other targeted small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic will receive $45 million in assistance. The program, We’re All In For Restaurants, is aimed at businesses throughout Wisconsin that, as gathering places, have been challenged from the beginning of the pandemic, and are incredibly important employers and community members. The program will be administered by the Department of Revenue (DOR) in collaboration with WEDC. Unlike previous We’re All In grants, businesses will not have to apply for the grants, but will be identified and contacted directly by the DOR based on the businesses’ state tax records.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has established several new temporary programs to address the COVID-19 outbreak, such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant. The SBA recently reopened PPP, allowing certain existing PPP borrowers to apply for a Second Draw PPP Loan as well as First Draw PPP loans from participating community financial institutions. For additional information and status of the PPP, EIDL and other business relief options, click here.  For PPP FAQ’s, click here, information and links to the PPP Loan Forgiveness Application, click here, and the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, click here.

The state Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has made available a public information page for questions related to COVID-19 and unemployment insurance which can be viewed here.

The WWBIC COVID-19 Fast Track Loan Program is focused on existing businesses looking for business financing during COVID-19. Business owners have two options to pick from depending on their needs: a line of credit or a term loan. To learn more, click here.

The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Employee Relief Fund was created to help restaurant industry employees experiencing extraordinary hardship in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. To learn more and apply, click here.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Sites and Resources:

Dane County Mask Makers: Local volunteer organization making and donating cotton face masks to anyone who needs them in our community.

UW Health: Site with needs and ways to donate PPE

UW Health: List of potential sources of PPE compiled by UW Health

Wisconsin Suppliers Network: Site to identify manufacturers to supply PPE and other materials to businesses as they reopen.

PPE for Wisconsin: Site to donate to help acquire Personal Protective Gowns and bring them to the Wisconsin to be distributed to frontline responders.

Wisconsin Restaurant Association: List of suppliers offering coronavirus-related goods/services.

Wisconsin COVID-19 Supply & Resource Offers: Site to donate or sell large quantities of PPE to the State of Wisconsin.

FEMA PPE Exchange: Site where people can buy, sell and trade PPE to each other.

Thomas: Searchable database to find local WI supplies for various safety and cleaning items.

ACHANCAL: List of suppliers for ordering and obtaining PPE.

DMI Member COVID-19 Resources and Services

DMI Updates

June 15, 2020

Due to COVID-19, all in-person DMI events and committee meetings will be either rescheduled or held in a virtual capacity until further notice.  We continue to follow the guidelines and recommendations set forth by Public Health Madison & Dane County and the Forward Dane plan and will assess our plans regarding in-person activities as the situation evolves.

The DMI staff all continue to work remotely and are available during normal business hours via phone and email.  We are here to serve our members, so please call or email to reach us.  We greatly appreciate the flexibility and understanding of our members and hope you will join us for the many virtual opportunities we are offering to stay connected, engaged and informed during this time.  A full calendar of DMI activities can be found here.

Downtown Madison, Inc.