...It’s Gonna Be May!


 

This one goes out to my ‘00s Music Fans.

 
Remember just a year ago when we were complaining that March was 300 days long and April didn’t seem to be going any quicker? Well friends, it’s gonna be May. Tomorrow. 

Life may not be back to normal yet, whatever ‘normal’ was, but it is moving just as fast as it was pre-pandemic. Given we keep moving forward, let’s move with intention and in a manner than gets our business community running as safely as possible.  

Vaccination Information: Vaccines in as many arms as possible is the quickest route there and they are now readily available. No longer are there two-to-four-hour lines. Vaccination sites at the Clark County Fairgrounds, Town Plaza on Mill Plain, Peace Health and other locations no longer require appointments. When you have 20-30 minutes free on your schedule, you can simply drive up and receive your dose.  Hear from the experts about the vaccine and the science behind it by watching our recorded Mind What Matters Webinar: Business Community Immunity.

Vaccination-Related Tax Credit for Employers: This week, the administration announced a tax credit for employers offering Covid vaccine-related paid leave. The tax credit for small- and medium-sized business will fully offset the cost of giving employees paid time off to get inoculated and recover from side effects. Additional details can be found, here. 

 
 

 

Grow The 360: Buy One Get One Promotion – Starting Monday, May 3 

Monday marks a big day for the Chamber, and for our community as we launch an entirely new effort behind the Chamber’s Community Currency Program, Grow The 360. With support from Visit Vancouver USA, the Ed & Dollie Lynch Fund, and ilani, $50,000 of funding will be added to match purchased certificates starting Monday, May 3. You know what that means? That’s an extra $100,000 in our community! 

Retailers, Service Providers, Restaurants: Sign Up Here, using the Invitation Code "VANCOUVER"

Local Shoppers & Gifters: Bookmark this page (VancouverUSA.com/GrowThe360) for purchasing your BOGO Gift Certificates on Monday! 

 
Promotion Details: BOGO Promotion will begin at 10 AM on Monday, May 3. Original buyer of a Grow The 360 Gift Certificate will receive their purchased value in a Gift Certificate over email, and will receive the matched value through email in increments of $10 Gift Certificates to gift or spend. A maximum of $100 will be matched per order (doubling your buying power to $200). BOGO Promotion will continue through August 31, 2021 unless funds have been met prior. Originally for Chamber Members only, any Clark County retailers, service providers, or restaurants may sign up at any time between now and August 31, 2021 with no additional fees or membership requirements. More information available on VancouverUSA.com/GrowThe360.

 
 

 

Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) - Applications Open on Monday, May 3 

The American Rescue Plan Act established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open. This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023. More info can be found here.

In preparation, the SBA recommends qualifying applicants familiarize themselves with the application process in advance to ensure a smooth and efficient application experience, specifically by:

• Registering for an account in advance at restaurants.sba.gov starting Friday, April 30, 2021.
• Reviewing the official guidance, including program guide, frequently asked questions, and application sample.
• Preparing the required documentation.
• Working with a point-of-sale vendor or visiting restaurants.sba.gov to submit an application when the application portal opens. Note: If an applicant is working with a point-of-sale vendor, they do not need to register beforehand on the site.

And with that, may you have a wonderful weekend,

John McDonagh
President/CEO
Greater Vancouver Chamber
VancouverUSA.com