The Miami-Dade Beacon Council, the county’s official public-private economic development partnership, is working closely with Miami-Dade County and other community partners to alleviate economic stress on the community as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
Two resource sites, have been launched and will be updated continuously:
BizHelp.Miami is a one-stop online portal that streamlines information about the C.A.R.E.S. Act’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and facilitates the direct connection to an SBA-approved lender of choice. The portal will also highlight additional funding options, such as state and local bridge loans, economic injury disaster loans (EIDL), community foundation programs, and other local resources as they become available. Find the site here. (www.bizhelp.miami)
COVID-19 Resource Center on BeaconCouncil.com provides South Florida-specific information and solutions across industry sectors to address economic hardships driven by COVID-19. The resource center serves as an aggregator of the latest information. Find the site here.
Miami-Dade County’s business community is made up of more than 90,000 small businesses in industries deeply impacted by COVID-19, including aviation, tourism, and trade and logistics. The Miami-Dade Beacon Council launched the BizHelp.Miami in partnership with Miami-Dade County and Slalom, tapping into additional intelligence from Cyvent, McKinsey & Co. and other key community and technology partners throughout this process.
“The Beacon Council in partnership with Miami-Dade County and more than twenty other public and private organizations, are working diligently to develop solutions that mitigate the impact on our economy,” said Michael A. Finney, President & CEO of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council. “Miami-Dade County is a resilient community. Given our economic climate in the months prior to the global pandemic, with record-breaking unemployment numbers three months in a row, we are confident the community will emerge stronger than ever from this crisis.”
Below is a sampling of information listed on COVID-19 Resource Center on www.BeaconCouncil.com:
- Virtual Town Hall Series in Collaboration with Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce (GMCC): Weekly Town Hall Series that facilitates information on resources and assistance available to support businesses impacted by COVID-19. Different speakers and topics available every week. Speakers include civic leaders and key subject matter experts speaking to local, state and federal programs available to Miami’s small business community.
- Supply Chain & B2B Resources: We are surveying our local business community to find manufacturers or vendors that can produce, distribute or donate essential products or services including masks, gloves, ventilators, and other equipment for our frontline workers. The Supplies & Service Survey can be completed here
- Short Term Compensation Program (FDEO): The Short Time Compensation Program is a voluntary employer program designed to help employers maintain their staff by reducing the weekly working hours during temporary slowdowns instead of temporarily laying off employees. If an employer establishes a Short Time Compensation Plan, and an employee meets the qualifications to file a re-employment assistance claim in the state of Florida, the employee will receive a partial re-employment check to supplement their reduced paycheck.
Send COVID-19 related questions or concerns to BeaconHelp@beaconcouncil.com. The council wants to understand how COVID-19 is directly impacting businesses as this helps the staff better advocate for support.