SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND EMPLOYEES ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET AS RESTRICTIONS IN THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 ARE LIMITING ACTIVITY.

FINANCIAL HELP IS ON THE WAY.

THEY AGREED $460 MILLION IN SPENDING INCLUDING $55 MILLION FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSMAN.

WELCOMED RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS BUT IS IT TOO LITTLE TOO LATE?

WE TALK WITH A SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE A LOCAL BUINESS OWNERS ON WEST MICHIGAN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON WEST MICHIGAN WEEK AS 2020 CAME TO AN END AT NINE MONTHS AFTER CONGRESS AGREED TO THE RELEASE OF 2.$2 TRILLION IN THE ECONOMIC STIMULUS THROUGH THE CARE'S ACTS IN THE SECOND ROUND WAS AGREED TO AND RELEASED IN THE MOST RECENT BILL TOTALING MORE THAN $900 BILLION PROVIDES A $600 CHECK FOR EVERY AMERICAN MAKING UP TILL $75,000 ANNUALLY IN THE $300 PER WEEK IN FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR AN ADDITIONAL 11 WEEKS.

HOW WILL THIS HELP A STRUGGLING SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE CAN WE ASK IF IT IS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE, JOINING IS NOW PRESIDENT OF LOCAL FIRST AND GOOD FOR MICHIGAN AND MISSUS DAVIS IS COFOUNDER OF DADDY PETE'S BARBECUE AND BOB SCHOLZ IS ONE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT HELEN'S PARK THEATER THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

A LOT IS HAPPENING WHETHER IT IS PUBLIC HEALTH, ECONOMIC HEALTH, WE WILL GET INTO ALL OF THAT AND THAT THE DEBATE OVER WHICH COMES FIRST IS THERE A WAY TO HAVE BOTH OF THOSE TO MAKE BOTH OF THOSE RIGHTS IN THE SITUATION AND WE WILL GET TO THAT BUT WHAT IS THE REALITY OUT THERE, I DRIVE THE STREETS OF TOWN AND SEE LOCAL BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS AND IN MY MIND I ALWAYS ASK, HOW ARE THEY MAKING THIS WORK?

LET ME GO TO YOU FIRST, YOU ARE BLESSED IN SOME WAYS IN THIS SITUATION AS A RESTAURANT OWNER BUT TELL US ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS MODEL AND HOW THIS PANDEMIC HAS PLAYED OUT WITH YOU.

>> WELL WE STARTED EIGHT YEARS AGO AS A FOOD TRUCK AND TRANSITIONED OR ADDED TO OUR BUSINESS WE TOOK AT THIS LOCATION FOUR YEARS AGO AND THANKFULLY WHEN COVID HIT, WE WERE JUST A TAKEOUT SO WE WERE PERFECTLY POISED FOR WHAT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN IN THE WORLD.

AND OUR FOOD TRUCK WAS HEAVILY REQUESTED DURING COVID.

SO WE HAVE BEEN VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT LOCAL FIRST AND ALL OF THOSE INITIATIVES TO EAT LOCAL AND THEY HAVE REALLY HELPED US.

AND WE HAVE HAD ON OUR TO DO LATER AFFORD TO HAVE ONLINE ORDERING AND THE DATE COVID HIT WE GOT THAT DONE IN 24 HOURS.

SO IT IS ABOUT PIVOTING AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO TO GET CUSTOMERS IN AND STILL SURVIVE.

>> HOW MUCH OF THIS IS BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE FACING RESTRICTIONS BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND, BEING CREATIVE AND MAKING THINGS WORK WHEN YOU ARE ON A VERY TIGHT MARGIN?

>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION AND WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.

THE REASON-AMOUNT OF RESILIENCY AND CREATIVITY ACROSS OUR STATE HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE AND IT HAS BEEN PRETTY PHENOMENAL TO WATCH FOLKS MAKE THINGS HAPPEN AND INCREDIBLE TURNAROUND TIMES.

AT THE SAME TIME TAKING GOOD CARE OF THE PEOPLE THAT NOT ONLY WORK FOR THEM AND WITH THEM BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT PATRONIZE THEIR BUSINESSES.

ALL OF THIS IMPACTS CUSTOMER SERVICE COMPONENT OF EVERY SMALL BUSINESS.

HER AND HER TEAM ARE INCREDIBLY WARM AND WELCOMING IN ANY TIME SOMEONE WANTS TO COME IN AND TAKE THE TIME TO EXPLAIN HOW MUCH TIME AND ENERGY GOES INTO THAT PRODUCT AND THAT IS A HUGE BENEFIT AND PART OF THE EXPERIENCE OF SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES IS THAT KIND OF ACTIVITY.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE THAT TIME OR IT IS REALLY PUNCTUATED OR TRUNCATD I SHOULD SAVE THE EXPERIENCE CHANGES.

SO THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ATTENTION THERE.

AND, YOU KNOW THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF CREATIVITY BUT AN ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE THERE IS, BUSINESS OWNERS LIKE HER AND OTHERS WHO TYPICALLY WOULD BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS TYPE OF A CONVERSATION OR A BEHIND-THE-SCENES WORKING ON STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THEIR BUSINESS AND DOING THINGS LIKE DEVELOPING E-COMMERCE PLATFORMS AND NEW WEBSITES ARE NEEDED TO ACTUALLY BE BEHIND THE COUNTER SERVING THEIR CUSTOMER BECAUSE, THE WORKFORCE HAS BEEN UNSTABLE OR PEOPLE HAVE NEEDED TO QUARANTINE BECAUSE THEY NEED TO KEEP CUSTOMERS SAFE SO ALL OF THE SUDDEN THEY HAVE A TICKLE IN THEIR THROAT SO THEY STAY HOME THAT MEANS MOM AND DAD HAVE TO STEP UP AND TAKE THAT SPOT BECAUSE WHO ELSE DOES, SO THAT TAKES THEM THEN AWAY FROM THAT STRATEGY SO I THINK THAT IS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD OF BRINGING OUT THE CREATIVITY BUT ALSO INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING TO TAKE THAT TIME.

>> THE PSYCHOLOGY INVOLVED RIGHT HERE BECAUSE I KNOW IF YOU ARE IN -- SELF-EMPLOYED AND CREATED A BUSINESS YOU SAY I HAVE THE RIGHT TO EARN A LIVING WHICH, A NUMBER OF BUSINESS OWNERS THAT IS THEIR ARGUMENT I HAVE A RIGHT TO EARN A LIVING IN THE FLIP SIDE IS, YOU HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS OF TAKE ME THROUGH THE PSYCHOLOGY OF BEING A BUSINESS OWNER AND EXPLAINING ALL OF THE DYNAMICS THAT MAKE UP A PANDEMIC THAT IS A GLOBAL CRISIS.

>> IT IS A CONSTANT JUGGLE BECAUSE WE DID HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION ON WE ARE GOING TO STAY OPEN BUT THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE NOW BEING EXPOSED AND THAT MEANS OUR STAFF IS BEING EXPOSED AND IT MEANS WE DO NOT KNOW THE STAFF THAT ARE THERE WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING WHEN THEY LEAVE US AND ALL OF THIS, IN AN EFFORT NOT JUST SO THAT WE COULD PAD OUR BANKS BUT TO SUSTAIN EVERYONE'S LIVES, LIKE WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THESE PEOPLE.

SO, IT IS A NONSTOP JUGGLING ACT OF IF THIS IS THE RIGHT THING, BUT IF WE ARE NOT OPEN, THEN EVERYONE SUFFERS.

IT IS SO COMPLICATED AND HONESTLY WE MAKE THAT DECISION DAY BY DAY.

>> I HAVE BEEN SO IMPRESSED ON HOW SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE REINVENTED AND RETOOLED AND REIMAGINE THEIR BUSINESS TO KEEP THE SOCIAL ASPECT AND BUSINESS ASPECTS GOING.

FOR A VENUE IT IS ALL ABOUT BEING SOCIAL.

THAT IS TAKING TWO OR 300 PEOPLE IN A ROOM SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS AND THAT GOES AWAY.

SO WE HAVE TO RELY ON WHAT FUNDRAISING WE HAD DONE PREVIOUS TO THIS LIKELY AT THE THEATER WE HAD SOME FUNDS WE SET ASIDE FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS THAT WE CLAMPED DOWN ON WITH THINGS AND SAID OKAY NOW WE ARE IN COMPLETE STAGNATION FORM AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE WI-FI AND THAT IS AT 50 DEGREES AND WE HAD ONLY ONE EMPLOYEE TO FURLOUGH.

SO IF YOU ARE LEAN AND MEAN, YOU GOT A CHANCE I THINK THAT, IT CANNOT GO ON FOR VERY LONG AND WITH THE STIMULUS PACKAGE, YOU KNOW IT IS GREAT BUT WE HAVE APPLY FOR GRANTS AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO HEAR BACK AND LIKELY GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE JUST GOT A $10,000 GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL INDEPENDENT VENUE ASSOCIATION.

SO THAT MONEY WAS IN THE BANK BEFORE THE NEXT ONE IS PASSED BUT THE PROCESS IS STILL FILLING OUT THE GRANTS AND WAITING TO SEE IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET ONE AND WHEN YOU MIGHT GET ONE, IN THE MEANTIME YOUR BANK ACCOUNT DWINDLES AND UTILITIES ARE STILL NEEDING TO BE PAID AND SO DOES THE MORTGAGE.

WE CANNOT WAIT I AM SORRY.

>> NO.

I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU TO BE A PICTURE OF YOUR VENUE AND TALK ABOUT FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTION A THEATER THAT HOST EVENTS WHAT WERE YOU LOOKING LIKE FOR LAST YEAR AND HEADING INTO THIS YEAR, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE INSIDE WHAT DO YOU HOST WE DO HOPE THAT WE WILL HOST PARTIES AND AWARD CEREMONIES AND WE DO HAVE SOME MOVIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN THE OPEN MIC WHICH IS MOSTLY FOR MUSICIANS AND THINGS, THE CAPACITY AT THE PARK THEATRE IS 378 PEOPLE SO LITERALLY 40 FEET WIDE AND 100 FEET LONG AND TWO STORIES SO IT IS AN INTERESTING OLD STRUCTURE IN THE GREAT SOUND SYSTEM AND LIGHTING SYSTEM JUST SITTING THERE NOW.

BUT IT IS A QUAINT AND INTIMATE THEATER.

WE HAD TO CANCEL THE FALL PROGRAMMING, ACTUALLY EVERYTHING FROM THE FIRST OF MARCH ON BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY TO FIT IN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THERE AND BE SAFE.

SO WE ALMOST REOPENED FOR A HALLOWEEN SHOW AND THEY CHANGED THE, THE GOVERNOR CHANGED THE RULES BUT WE ARE HAPPY THAT SHE DID IS WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE SAFE BUT WE CUT THAT SHORT WHICH WOULD BE THE 75 PEOPLE SO THAT WAS 25% CAPACITY SO NOW WE ARE WAITING FOR JANUARY 15th WHEN THE NEXT ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE LIMITED BY THE CITY AND CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO COME IN BASED ON SQUARE FOOTAGE AND SOCIAL DISTANCING.

SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE SO CLOSE MAY BE ONE MONTH AWAY FROM BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING SO WE ARE PRETTY EXCITED IN A WAY.

>> ALRIGHT NOW SOMEBODY WALKED ME THROUGH, I THINK THIS WILL END WITH HANNA AND THAT IS LIKE YOUR FATHER JUST POINTED OUT, YOU KNOW APPLYING FOR THESE GRANTS IS NO SIMPLE TASK.

AND THEN IF APPROVED, THERE IS A WAITING GAME AND A LAG TIME.

WHICH I COULD ONLY IMAGINE THE DAMAGE THAT THAT COULD DO TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT WHILE YOU'RE STRUGGLING TO STAY ALIVE.

SO TAKE ME THROUGH THE REALITIES OF WHAT LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE DOING WITH EVEN THOUGH THIS MONEY IS THERE WHICH IS GREAT NEWS.

THERE IS THAT OPPORTUNITY BUT WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES.

>> OH, GOSH YOU KNOW, I THINK THE CHALLENGES ARE, THERE IS A MYRIAD OF CHALLENGES BUT I THINK WHAT WE LEARNED THE FIRST TIME, WITH THE FIRST THING WAS PACKAGE IN APRIL WAS THAT THE AMOUNT OF TIME TAKEN TO APPLY FOR A GRANT BEING OBVIOUSLY THE BEST CASE SCENARIO BECAUSE IT GRANTS MEANS YOU DO NOT PAY THAT MONEY BACK.

A LOAN YOU HAVE TO PAY BACK AND SO A LOT OF THIS MONEY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT 900 BILLION-DOLLAR PACKAGE, A LOT OF THAT MONEY WILL BE IN THE FORM OF SMALL BUSINESS LOANS, THEY WILL HAVE MONEY TO LEND TO BUSINESSES WHICH TAKING ON DEBT CAPITAL IN AT THESE UNSOCIAL MOMENTS IS NOT APPEALING TO A LOT OF OWNERS BECAUSE ONE WOULD YOU WANT TO TAKE ON DEBT CAPITAL.

SO MAYBE YOU TURN TO PAYROLL PROTECTION LOAN OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF GRANT WITHOUT LOAN COULD BE FORGIVEN IF USED FOR THE RIGHT QUOTE A COLD FRONT PURPOSES.

OBVIOUSLY THE APPLICATION PROCESSES ARE ARDUOUS AS SHE MENTIONED AND THERE IS NOT A TON OF TIME TO SIT BACK IN THE OFFICE AND APPLY FOR THESE GRANTS WHICH AGAIN, YOU DO NOT KNOW IF YOU TAKE THE PAYROLL PROTECTION INTO CONSIDERATION, YOU DO NOT KNOW IF YOU WILL RECEIVE THAT IN ONE MAJOR COMPONENT THAT WE SAW THE LAST TIME, AND I FORESEE IT BEING A BARRIER MOVING FORWARD IF YOU SAW THE REPORTS OF FOUR TYPES OF BUSINESSES RECEIVE THEIR LOANS, AND AGAIN THESE ARE FORGIVABLE LOANS IF YOU USE THAT FOR THE PROPER PURPOSES.

THERE WAS A HUGE NUMBER OF LARGE CORPORATIONS AND BUSINESSES THAT SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS, WILL HE WOULD NOT WAIVE ANY OF US WERE CONSIDERING WERE CONSIDERING SMALL BUSINESSES AND PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT IS MANY SMALL BUSINESSES DO NOT HAVE A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR BANK OR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

AND NOT HAVING THAT RELATIONSHIP, IF YOUR BANK AND WITH A MULTINATIONAL HUGE CORPORATE BANK AND YOU DO NOT KNOW WHO TO CALL AS A PERSONAL, HOPE TO SAY, AM I DOING THIS RIGHT, IS THIS THE BEST CHOICE FOR MY BUSINESS, WITH THIS MOMENT, THEN YOU END UP BEING QUEUED UP WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER SMALL BUSINESS LENDERS AND THE BUSINESSES THOSE LARGE BUSINESSES WITH A LARGE HOLDING ACCOUNT FUNDS THE ONES THAT GET PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT.

SO WE SAW BANKS EXCUSE ME SMALL BUSINESSES LOCALLY WITH LOCAL BANKS RIGHT HERE IN WEST MICHIGAN THEY HAVE RECEIVED THOSE IN COMMUNICATIONS MUCH MORE QUICKLY, SO HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE A SHIFT OF THEIR THIS TIME AROUND.

BUT STILL, IMAGINE THE CHALLENGE OF TAKING THE TIME TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND SOMETIMES LONGER YOU FIND THAT YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THAT MONEY.

IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND EVEN IF YOU KNOW IT MAY BE A LONGSHOT THAT YOU RECEIVE THIS GRANT, YOU STILL HAVE TO ORDER YOUR FOOD PERHAPS OVERPAID YOUR PAYROLL AHEAD OF TIME BECAUSE YOU ARE ACCOUNTING FOR THE TRAFFIC AND THE REVENUE AND THE GIVE AND TAKE THAT YOU ARE DOING AS A BUSINESS OWNER AND NOT BEING ABLE TO PLAN AHEAD EVEN IF IT IS 5,000 OR 10,000, EVEN THAT AMOUNT GOES REALLY QUICKLY.

IT IS DEFINIELY A BAND-AID AND NOT A SOLUTION.

SO I THINK, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THIS EVEN THE $600 PER AMERICAN WOULD BE DEPOSITED IN ALL OF OUR ACCOUNTS SOON I THINK OF IT MORE AS LIFE LIFE-SUPPORT RATHER THAN STIMULUS.

YOU'RE PARTICIPATING IN AN ECONOMY.

BUT $600 IS NOT A STIMULUS OF LIFE-SUPPORT IT ALLOWS THEM TO PAY RENT OR PART OF THEIR RENT OR BUY GROCERIES IT DOESN'T ALLOW THEM TO GO TO DADDY PETE'S AND I DIDN'T MULTIPLE TIMES IN A MONTH AMONG ALL THE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT FAMILIES ARE FACING.

SO I THINK THEY ARE CONTINUING TO HAVE MANY HURDLES WHICH SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE CLIMBING UP THE HILL.

AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE CHALLENGING.

>> $600 DOES NOT REALLY FIX THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES, MAYBE IT WILL ENERGIZE THE ECONOMY A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THAT MOST LIKELY CONTRACT BACK INTO THE ECONOMY.

BUT WHAT ARE THE BUSINESS OWNERS TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CONCERN AND MAYBE THIS IS FOR YOU, WHAT ARE OTHER RESTAURANT OWNERS IN YOUR CIRCLE, WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW?

>> ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS THAT WE ARE ALL TALKING ABOUT IS THE STAFFING EVEN FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE OPEN IT IS DIFFICULT TO FIND WORKERS.

SO EVEN FOR US, WE ARE GETTING QUITE A BIT OF TRAFFIC, BUT WE ARE BEING BROKEN DOWN PERSONALLY BECAUSE IT IS JUST A HANDFUL OF US AND WE ARE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO BE OPEN AS MUCH AS WE ARE ABLE TO SERVE REALLY FINDING GOOD STAFF HAS BEEN DIFFICULT NAVIGATING ALL OF THE GRANT AND LOAN OPPORTUNITIES IS ANOTHER THING WE ARE CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT.

BUT I WAS TOLD I COULDN'T GET THIS.

THERE ARE ALL THESE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING BY TEXT JUST TRYING TO ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER AND STAY HOPEFUL IN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE RESOURCES ARE THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN TRYING TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER.

>> WHAT IS THE PROBLEM OF THE STAFFING SHORTAGES.

>> THERE IS SO MUCH GOING INTO THAT.

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE, IT IS EASIER UP UNTIL THINGS SLOW DOWN AND THEN ABOUT CHANGE.

IT WAS BETTER FOR THEM TO STAY HOME ACTUALLY INFER THAT WE SAW THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET NEW STUFF BECAUSE OF THOSE APPLYING AND THOSE PEOPLE DESIRE TO WORK AND IN THE WAN TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE BUT WE WERE THINKING THIS WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO GET THE STAFF AND DURING COVID, MARCH TILL DECEMBER WE HAD A TOTAL OF THREE DAYS WHICH WE WERE FULLY STAFFED.

SHE AND THOSE THREE DAYS WERE LIKE YES, EVERYONE IS HERE AND THEN THE NEXT DAY EITHER SOMEONE WOULD HAVE JUST BEEN TO A PARTY AND HAS COVID SO NOW I CANNOT COMMENT WHERE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT DYNAMICS THAT CONTRIBUTE OVER SOMEONE WE HIGHER IN THE WORK THREE DAYS AND THEN THEY DO NOT SHOW UP EVER AGAIN.

IT WAS ALREADY A CHALLENGE PRE- COVID.

COVID JUST MAGNIFIED WHAT WAS ALREADY GOING ON.

AMONGST OTHER COMPLICATIONS.

>> A CONSTANT LEARNING PROCESS FROM WHEN I AM UNDERSTANDING WHETHER IT IS FIND NEW WAYS TO DEAL WITH THE DAY TO DAY OF YOUR STAFFING AND WE'VE HAD THAT FIRST ROUND OF STIMULUS THAT FIRST CARE IS ASKED IN JUNCTION, WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THAT NOW THAT WE HAVE THE SECOND ONE AND RETOUCH A LITTE BIT ON THAT $600 AND THERE IT GOES.

BUT WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

DID WE TARGET OR DID THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DO A BETTER JOB OF TARGETING AND IT DO THEY HAVE ITS OWN FRAMEWORK AND THE DELIVERY SYSTEM OR A MODEL WHICH IT USED THE SECOND TIME AROUND?

BOB OR HANNA FILL ME IN ON WHAT YOU ARE SEEING THIS TIME AROUND.

>> IN BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND BECAUSE, THAT GRANT I JUST MENTIONED WITH THE NATIONAL INDEPENDENT VENUE ASSOCIATION, THEY ARE IDENTIFYING AND DIRECTING THESE THINGS RATHER THAN SAYING EVERYONE IS A BUSINESS, AND THROWING MONEY OUT THERE WERE NOW THEY IDENTIFIED THAT THIS IS ONE TO BE SET FOR MAY BE RESTAURANTS.

I DO NOT KNOW IF YOU HAVE SEEN THAT WHERE IT IS LIKE OKAY, IT IS $900 BILLION OVER THAT IS FOR EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES, $40 MILLION FOR THIS, BUT IT GETS THEM TO THE STATE LEVEL, IT SEEMS LIKE, THAT COULD MAKE THAT GRANT PROCESS A LITTLE BIT EASIER.

BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT YOUR AGGREEANCE THAT ARE ONLY LOOKING AT THOSE VENUE GRANTS OR SPECIFIC AUTO BUSINESSES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO I AM HOPING IT WILL BE HANDLED BETTER TO WHERE THERE IS NOT THE BIG MISTAKES AND SOMEONE GOT WAY TOO BIG OF THE PIE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN ANYWHERE NEAR THAT SO THAT IS HOPEFULLY WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED.

>> THAT IS A REALLY GOOD POINT, AND I ALSO THINK THAT WITH THE FEDERAL DOLLARS IF THEY ARE ALLOCATING I BELIEVE 12 BILLION TOWARDS MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES AS WE LEARNED EARLIER IF YOU THINK OF THAT PAYROLL PROTECTION LOAN BECAUSE THAT WAS THE GOLDEN TICKET.

IT WAS THE LOAN AND IT GOES TO COVER YOUR DAY TO DAY EXPENSES.

SO, I THINK THAT THE END RESULT OF THAT WAS ABOUT 3% OF THE AMOUNT OF PAYROLL PROTECTION LOAN THAT WENT TO TRULY SMALL, LOCAL BUSINESSES AND A FRACTION OF THAT PERCENTAGE WENT TO BLACK AND LATINO OWNED BUSINESSES, AND I THINK THEY ALSO HAVE THE SYSTEMIC RACE IS A PLACE THOSE ISSUES WE TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH BANKING INSTITUTIONS WHICH SYSTEMIC RACISM AS WE KNOW, SO THIS NEW ROUND HAS 12 MILLION SET ASIDE TO GO TOWARDS THE BUSINESS.

THIS DEFINITION IS A LITTLE BIT FUZZY SO, I THINK IT WILL BE UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS AS BOB MENTIONED WHO ARE TASKED WITH DISSEMINATING THE STOLLERS WITH THAT AND THEY WILL NEED TO FILL IN THESE EQUITY METRICS AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS MONEY IS BEING TARGETED TOWARDS BUSINESSES OWNED BY PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT OTHER HAVE ACCESS OR INORDINATE BARRIERS, WE HAVE SEEN THIS WEST MICHIGAN HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF BUILDING THE CRITERIA INTO THE GRANTING PROCESS IN THE CHAMBER HAS DONE THE SAME IN THE NUMBER OF THOSE OTHER SMALL ORGANIZATIONS WHERE THAT MONEY FLOWS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO STATE GOVERNMENT FROM STATE, AND DIFFERENT POTS, THE STATE GOVERNMENT ALLOCATES THOSE DOLLARS SO THAT HOPEFULLY THAT ORGANIZATION WHICH WILL HELP EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNTY IS ABLE TO DIRECT THOSE DOLLARS.

BUT I THINK IT IS EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT FOR THOSE CONSUMERS OR FOLKS AND ADVOCATES, FOLKS IN THE MEDIA TO KEEP AN EYE ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE KNOW THAT AT THIS TIME IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SYSTEMIC ISSUES WHICH CAUSE FOLKS TO HAVE MORE CHALLENGING TIMES JUST WEATHERING THE STORM OF ANY TYPE OF KIND OF PUBLIC CRISIS WHETHER IT IS PUBLIC HEALTH OR ECONOMICS, WE SEE THAT DISEASE ITSELF IS AFFECTING POPULATION OF COLOR IN HIGHER PERCENTAGES THAN OTHERS AND I THINK THAT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE WHO ARE BEING TRUSTED WITH THESE GRANT DOLLARS IN THE LONG DOLLARS IN MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS ARE AWARE OF WHERE THEY COULD FIND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL.

>> THAT IS WHERE YOUR ORGANIZATION AND STAFF HAVE DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB, AND HELPING THESE PEOPLE WITH THESE GRANT APPLICATIONS OR SAYING THAT THIS IS WHERE YOU SHOLD BE PUTTING YOUR EFFORTS BECAUSE IT IS OVERWHELMING FOR A SMALL STAFF, A HUSBAND AND WIFE TO SAY OKAY, NOW I HAVE TO WRITE THIS GRANT MYSELF AND IT IS NO SMALL TASK, BUT YOU IDENTIFY WHICH GREENS AND YOU HELP THEM AND GIVE THEM THE RESOURCES WHERE THEY AT LEAST HAVE A CHANCE RATHER THAN JUST NOT EVEN A PLANE WHICH I THINK IN THE FIRST, I THINK THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED A LOT OF TIMES THEY SAY THAT THIS IS WAY OVER MY HEAD BY THE TIME TO FIGURE THIS OUT IT WILL BE GONE.

>> IDENTIFYING THOSE STRUGGLES, WHAT IS THE CURRENT OUTLOOK?

HOW MANY SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE ALREADY CALLED IT QUITS IN OUR ON THE EDGE, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM IF WE DO NOT SEE THIS VACCINE GET TO THE COMMUNITY FAST ENOUGH?

>> YOU KNOW, IT IS TOUGH TO SAY, I THINK THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE REPORTS ON PERCENTAGES OF BUSINESSES CLOSING AND IT IS HEARTBREAKING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE I MAKE IT MY BUSINESS TO KNOW I ALSO AS A COMMUNITY KNOW THE LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE WHAT CREATE THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITIES, THIS IS THE RELATIONSHIP -BASED ECONOMY THAT CRAZY RESILIENT CITIES AND IT IS THE SCORE DOORS AND THOSE DOWNTOWN OR EVEN IN RURAL SMALL TOWNS LIKE HELMAND AND SURROUNDING AREAS, IF THOSE ARE NOT VIBRANT IN THOSE BUSINESSES CLOSE, A FAMILY AND FRIENDS GO OUT OF BUSINESS, THEN SOME OF THE LARGER EMPLOYERS LIKE OUR INSTITUTIONAL EMPLOYERS IN UNIVERSITIES, THOSE EMPLOYERS ARE GOING TO SUFFER AS WELL BECAUSE, THAT ATTRACTION OF TALENT REALLY COMES DOWN TO, DO YOU WANT TO MOVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO GRAND RAPIDS BECAUSE, WE HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL VIBRANT CULTURE RIGHT HERE, WE HAVE INCREDIBLE NATIONALLY RENOWNED BARBECUE JOINTS AND INCREDIBLE INDEPENDENT MUSIC VENUES AND THIS KIND OF A SCENE THAT YOUNG FOLKS IN TALENTED FOLKS GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE OR COMING OUT OF TRAINING PROGRAMS, THEY WANTED THAT CULTURE, THEY ARE NOT JUST LOOKING FOR THAT JOB.

SO THOSE EFFECTS, WE ARE GOING TO SEE FOR A LONG TIME, SO THAT IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT OUR STATES STATE AND CITIES AND COMMUNITIES PRIORITIZE THE SURVIVAL OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY BECAUSE THAT IF X IS GOING TO BE LONG-TERM.

I THINK WITH THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PRIVILEGE AND YOU TALK ABOUT THE WEALTH GAP AND ALL OF THE SYSTEMIC CIRCUMSTANCES IN COMMUNITIES AND COUNTRIES I ALSO HEAR REPORTS THAT THERE ARE HUGE NUMBERS OF ADDITIONAL DOLLARS IN SAVINGS ACCOUNTS BECAUSE THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED ENOUGH TO CONTINUE TO HAVE JOBS HAVE NOT BEEN SPENDING THEIR MONEY IS GOING ON VACATIONS OR BUYING THE CLOSE THAT THEY TYPICALLY WOULD LIKE TO GO OUT OR THEY ARE NOT GOING OUT TO EAT.

SO, THERE IS MONEY AND SAVINGS ACCOUNTS AS WELL AS OF THAT WILL BE AN INTERESTING EFFECT THERE WHEN THE FOLKS ARE NOT ABLE TO GO OUT WHO DO HAVE THE MEANS TO DO SO SO WE ARE MAKING SURE THE DOLLARS ARE SPENT WITH LOCAL INSTITUTIONS SO THAT THAT MONEY COULD REINVIGORATE AND THAT THERE WILL LOSSES, THERE WILL BE LOSSES FOR THOSE BUSINESSES.

>> SO IF WE WANT TO HAVE EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO WEAR MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCE AND RESPECT EACH OTHER AND KEEP BUSINESSES UP AND RUNNING.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN SOON.

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