Disasters/Relief

Any small business that is planning to seek an SBA forgivable loan or grant during the COVID-19 crisis should be gathering its financial documentation now.

Booksellers are asked to fill out a form to indicate whether their store is open or closed and what services the store is still offering.

The Business and Employees Continuity and Recovery Fund would look to distribute federal funds and liquidity to impacted businesses and their employees.

Since March 13, ABA has been sending critical information to booksellers several times per week. See all of the updates in the daily alert archive.

Binc has stepped up amidst the coronavirus outbreak to give a total of $50,000 in funds during the week of March 23; the foundation projects a total of $100,000 in funds to be out the door by next week.

On the morning of March 25, Republican and Democratic leadership in the U.S. Senate said they had reached a deal on a $2 trillion stimulus package that provides support to small businesses.

As readers practice social distancing amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, the IndieCommerce team reports that online sales revenue at IndieCommerce and IndieLite websites increased by 1,350 percent on March 23. 

The comment period allows employers and employees to play a role in shaping the development of the Department of Labor’s compliance assistance materials and outreach strategies related to the implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

As readers across the country practice social distancing and independent bookstores enter various states of closure, booksellers are finding new ways to stay connected with their customers and communities.

HarperCollins has donated $50,000 to Binc, as well as a full-page Wall Street Journal ad to ABA for its #SupportLocalNow campaign.