Information & Resources Regarding COVID-19 in the Berkshires

Berkshire Resources

• Berkshire Health Systems Coronavirus Information Kiosk – This resource collects information from Berkshire Health Systems related to COVID-19.
• Emergency Food Access Map – This map displays locations and information about emergency food access sites throughout the Berkshires.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Resources

• Governor Baker’s Emergency Order (3/15/20) – Limit gatherings to 25 individuals (subsequently reduced to 10), prohibit on-premises consumption of food/drink at bars/restaurants, beginning March 17.
  • As of May 18, 2020, the Department of Public Health has issued a Safer-At-Home Advisory. People over 65 and those with underlying health conditions are advised to stay home except for essential errands. All residents are advised to leave home only for healthcare, worship, permitted work, shopping, and outdoor activities. Visit the link above for additional information and restrictions.
  • This order has subsequently been amended by the introduction of Reopening Massachusetts, the Commonwealth’s plan for phased reopening of the economy. As of 7/6/20, Massachusetts is in Phase III Step 1 of reopening, which allows indoor and outdoor dining in restaurants and in bars that also have seated service of food prepared on site. Bars that do not serve food are not permitted to reopen until Phase 4, which will occur at a later date depending on ongoing progress against key public health metrics; bars are not permitted to masquerade as restaurants per a clarification to the restaurant safety protocols issued 8/7/20. See our Reopening Guidance section for additional information.
• Governor Baker’s May 1 Order requiring the wearing of masks or face coverings in public places where six feet of distance between people cannot be achieved. Read the order for additional directives. Directions are available from the Centers for Disease Control for construction of a cloth mask or face covering (including sewn and no-sew options).
  • Subsequently, the Commonwealth’s Department of Public Health has launched the Mask Up MA! initiative, further encouraging use of masks or face coverings in public to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Check out this page for information about and tips for the proper use of masks and face coverings.
• On August 11, 2020, the Commonwealth released the first map of average daily cases per 100,000 residents over the last two weeks, indicating community transmission risk levels for COVID-19. This map will continue to be updated on a weekly basis, and can be accessed as part of the COVID-19 Response Reporting page.
• Self-Quarantine Instructions for Travelers to Massachusetts – All travelers to Massachusetts – including Massachusetts residents returning home – are instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days, except (as of October 5) travelers from California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, and Washington arriving in Massachusetts do not need to self-quarantine for 14 days.
• Mass.gov COVID-19 Updates and Information page (updated daily).
• MassGovernor on YouTube – this channel carries live and recorded streams of Governor Baker’s COVID-19 response press updates.
• Office of the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  • FrontlineMA.org, an initiative of the Office of the Attorney General, aggregates helpful information and links for frontline workers, including free or discounted meals, PPE access and guidance, self-care resources, and more.
  • Frequently Asked Questions about Electric, Gas, and Water Utilities during COVID-19, from the Office of the Attorney General. If you are are residential customer struggling to pay your utility to bills, take a look at this page to learn about your rights.
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health
  • Department of Public Health COVID-19 Community Impact Survey – Take this Massachusetts Department of Public Health survey to anonymously share how COVID-19 has impacted you; the data will be used to help create new solutions. This survey is open to anyone who lives in Massachusetts and is over the age of 14.
• Mass.Gov Flu Facts
  • Learn about flu prevention and vaccination with FAQs.
  • Check out HealthMap’s Vaccinefinder.org to find out where you can receive vaccines nearby for the flu and other diseases.

Federal and International Resources

• Centers for Disease Control
  • CDC Information
  • CDC Business Pandemic Checklist 
  • CDC Guidance for Fall Holidays 
• World Health Organization information
• State Department Travel Advisories
• US Attorney and Homeland Security Investigations “Think Before You Click” poster

• Text Alerts – Text COVIDMA to 888-777 to receive COVID-19 text message alerts straight to your phone and stay up to date with the latest news + updates from the Commonwealth. Para recibir alertas de mensajes de texto de la Mancomunidad de Massachusetts, envíe un mensaje de texto con COVIDMAESP al 888-777.
• MEMA’s Emergency Operations Center’s Private Sector Hotline: 508-820-2094  (M–F, 8AM – 4PM)
• Berkshire Medical Center toll-free hotline for questions/concerns: 855-BMC-LINK – or – 855-262-5465  (7 days/week, 7AM – 7PM)
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health: 617-983-6800  (24-hour emergency hotline)

Note: As of July 11, the EIDL Emergency Advance program has allocated the funding appropriated by Congress, and is no longer being issued. 

Note: As of August 8, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program ceased accepting applications. It had previously been extended from July 6 2020 to August 8.

Note: As of June 15, the SBA began once again accepting new EIDL and EIDL Advance applications from qualified small businesses. Between 5/5/20 and 6/15/20, new applications were open only to agricultural businesses.

• SBA – Coronavirus: Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources – Learn about the suite of programs and tools available to small businesses from the Small Business Administration.
• Coronavirus Relief Options – Learn about specific funding resources available through the Small Business Administration.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

Note: On October 9, 2020, the Small Business Administration and Treasury Department announced a simpler Paycheck Protection Program forgiveness option for borrowers of $50,000 or less. See the release here.

Note: As of August 8, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program ceased accepting applications. It had previously been extended from July 6 2020 to August 8. 

NOTE: On June 5, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act became law. Among other provisions to make forgiveness criteria easier to meet, this legislation reduces to 60% the percentage of PPP money that must be spent on payroll (previously 75%), allows borrowers 24 weeks to spend the funding (previously 8 weeks), and extends the repayment period to five years (previously two). Read about all of the provisions here. 

• The Paycheck Protection Program helps businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 outbreak by providing a low-interest loan that can be completely forgiven.
• Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Application If you received a PPP loan and hope to have it forgiven, this is the form you should utilize. The form contains the instructions you will need to complete your application.
• Paycheck Protection Program Simple Loan Forgiveness Application If your PPP loan was $50,000 or less, you can use this streamlined loan forgiveness application.
• Frequently Asked Questions on Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness
• Paycheck Protection Program Frequently Asked Questions from the Small Business Administration.
• Small Business Paycheck Protection Act Tools from the Department of the Treasury.
• Find eligible lenders for PPP
• PPP Interim Final Rule provides an overview of the program and guidance about eligibility, calculating borrowing amounts, loan forgiveness, and a variety of other considerations.
• PPP Interim Final Rule regarding self-employed individuals, which provides guidance for how to determine eligibility, calculate and document borrowing amount, how loans can be used, and how they can be forgiven.
• PPP Interim Final Rule, supplementing the previous rules from the Department of the Treasury, in order to help PPP borrowers prepare and submit loan forgiveness applications, help PPP lenders who will be making loan forgiveness decisions, inform borrowers and lenders of the SBA’s process for reviewing PPP loan applications, and requesting public comment.
• Paycheck Protection Program Information for Small Businesses from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
• National Development Council Webinar – Helping Entrepreneurs Complete Strong PPP Applications: An Overview of the PPP Application Requirements. (recording)
• PPP For Lenders: Application Form, Information Sheet

SBA Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program 

• Information about the SBA Express Bridge Loan
• SBA Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program Guide

Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)

Note: As of July 11, the EIDL Emergency Advance program has allocated the funding appropriated by Congress, and is no longer being issued. 

• Information about the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and EIDL Emergency Advance
• SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Application – Updated for a faster and easier application experience.

SBA Debt Relief

• Learn more about relief the Small Business Administration is offering for businesses with SBA loans.

• This updated guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance details information about implementation of unemployment programs in the CARES Act, including $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (discontinued as of 7/25/20), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for self-employed, independent, and gig economy workers, and 13 weeks of additional unemployment assistance provided by the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.
• Applying for Unemployment Benefits / Solicitud de Beneficios de Desempleo
• Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Returning to Work: Guide for Workers – This FAQ covers a variety of questions about returning to work for those who are presently receiving unemployment compensation.
• Massachusetts Health Connector

Guidance for Employers

• Employer Unemployment FAQ: COVID-19
• Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Returning to Work: Guide for Employers
• Massachusetts WorkShare Program for Employers

Massachusetts Resources

• As of May 18th, 2020, the Commonwealth has unveiled Reopening Massachusetts, its four-phase plan to reopen the economy. Please see our Reopening Guidance section for updated, detailed information about the reopening process.
• Small Business Association Massachusetts Resource Guide
• COVID-19 Essential Services FAQ – An evolving resource from the MA Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.
• EANE Q&A Regarding Essential and Non-Essential Businesses
• Manufacturing Emergency Response Team (M-ERT) – If your business is a manufacturer that believes it can pivot production to needed materials such as personal protective equipment (PPE), use this link to contact the M-ERT.
• AIM Covid 19 Voluntary Accrued Vacation Time & Essential Employee Model Documents
• Small Business Assistance – Info from Mass.gov
• MyLocalMA – If you own or work at a local business, you can help spread the word about the impact that local shops, restaurants, and attractions have on our way of life in Massachusetts. Download the toolkit to get started.

Federal and International Resources

• Small Business Owners’s Guide to the CARES Act – Learn about the CARES Act and the programs and initiatives that will soon be available to small businesses through the SBA.
• Department of Labor – Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employer Paid Leave Requirements. This page from the DOL explains the new requirements around employer paid leave in the FFCRA. For additional information, check out the Department of Labor’s FFCRA Questions and Answers page.
• OSHA COVID-19 Standards for Workplaces
• Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers from CDC
• COVID-19 Federal Resource Guide
• National Endowment for the Arts – Resources to Help Ensure Accessibility of Your Virtual Events for People with Disabilities

• Initial Analysis of the CARES Act – National Council of Nonprofits
• Coronavirus Emergency Loans Small Business Guide & Checklist
• Mass Cultural Council
• Covid-19 Relief Effort for Cultural Organizations – Learn about existing and upcoming resources for Cultural Investment Portfolio organizations as well as all cultural nonprofits.
• Commonwealth of Massachusetts – COVID-19 Resources Available to Immigrants and Refugees 

Municipalities:

• Adams
• Alford
• Becket
• Cheshire
• Clarksburg
• Dalton
• Egremont
• Florida
• Great Barrington
• Hancock
• Hinsdale
• Lanesborough
• Lee
• Lenox
• Monterey
• Mount Washington
• New Ashford
• New Marlborough
• North Adams
• Otis
• Peru
• Pittsfield
• Richmond
• Sandisfield
• Sheffield
• Stockbridge
• Tyringham
• Washington
• West Stockbridge
• Williamstown

Chambers of Commerce:

• Downtown Pittsfield, Inc.
• Lee Chamber of Commerce
• #LenoxLove Connection Hub
• North Adams Chamber of Commerce
• Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce
• Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce
• Williamstown Chamber of Commerce

• WesternMass List of Upcoming Webinars for Businesses – A Google doc of webinars
• A briefing on the CARES Act –  Ben Lamb, 1Berkshire’s Director of Economic Development, and Deborah Gallant, Executive Director of EforAll Berkshire County, interpret the recently-passed CARES Act. (recording)
• AIM Webinar – AIM Experts Answer Employer Question on COVID-19, focusing on topics like the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, paid employee leave, essential status, and more. (recording)

Reopening Massachusetts – The Baker-Polito Administration’s comprehensive plan to safely reopen the Massachusetts economy, get people back to work, and ease social restrictions while minimizing the health impacts of COVID-19.

• Reopening Massachusetts – the official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ reopening plan.
• Reopening Massachusetts Report – View and download the Commonwealth’s report on reopening the economy.
• Reopening Massachusetts – Overview of the Four-Phase Approach – Visit this link for additional information about the four phases of reopening the Massachusetts economy.
• Reopening: When Can My Business Open? – Visit this link to learn more from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts about the different phases of reopening, and which types of businesses can reopen during each phase. This resource will be updated from time to time as the situation allows.
• Reopening: General Business Guidance Documents and Translations – Visit this link to access Commonwealth resources required for self-certification as part of businesses reopening. Businesses must comply with these mandatory safety standards, and you can find direct links to the individual items below, translated into Arabic, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Khmer, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
  • COVID-19 Control Plan Template
  • Compliance Attestation Poster
  • Employer Reopening Poster
  • Worker Reopening Poster
• Purchasing Hygienic or Protective Supplies for the Workplace – This guide from the Commonwealth details supplies your business and employees need to have and contains guidance for masks and face coverings, and a spreadsheet of vendors of hygienic and protective supplies.
• Submit Questions and Comments About Reopening Massachusetts – Use this form to ask question or provide feedback to the Commonwealth regarding the Reopening Massachusetts effort.
• Guidance for industries on the reopening plan – Download this PDF for additional information on businesses and activities summarized in the Reopening Massachusetts report.
• Child and Youth Serving Programs Reopen Approach
  • Minimum Requirements for Health and Safety
  • Early Education and Care Reopen Approach Frequently Asked Questions
• Outdoor Recreational Activities: Guidance and directives related to the reopening of outdoor recreational activities and businesses in the Commonwealth.
• Reopening Health and Human Services in Massachusetts: Guidelines for hospitals and health care providers related to some non-emergency procedures or deferred care that may now need attention.

Federal Guidance

• Centers for Disease Control Workplace Decision Tool – This online resource helps employers make reopening decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• US Food and Drug Administration – Best Practices for Re-opening Retail Food Establishments During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Additional Resources

• MA Small Biz Reopening Guide – This online resource from the Mass Growth Capital Corp. and Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corps helps businesses navigate available guidance and tools that will help them reopen safely and successfully.

Phase II, Step Two – Effective Monday, June 22

On Friday, June 19, Governor Baker announced that Phase II, Step Two would begin on Monday, June 22. Below is a summary of businesses permitted to reopen and operational modifications already-open businesses will be permitted to make. The Commonwealth entered Step One of Phase III on Monday, July 6, 2020.

• Restaurants
  • Indoor table service permitted as of June 22. See the Safety Standards and Checklist for Restaurants for implementation guidance.
• Close Contact Personal Services
  • In addition to barber shops and hair salons (which were permitted to reopen in Phase 2, Step 1), close contact personal services are now permitted to reopen in accordance with state guidance. Close contact personal services are defined as any personal service delivered through close physical contact with the customer, including but not limited to the following: hair removal services; massage and body treatments; nail care services; skin care services; other hair services; makeup salons and makeup application services; personal trainers (by appointment only, with only one customer allowed in the facility at a time); and tanning salons.  See the Workplace Safety Standards guidance and summary checklist for additional information about the standards with which Close Contact Personal services must comply in order to reopen.
• Offices
  • May resume occupancy of up to 50% (previously 25% as of June 8), but employers are still encouraged to allow employees to work from home. See Office Space Safety Standards.
• Retail
  • Dressing rooms are permitted to reopen by appointment. See Retail Safety Standards.
  • Note: As of 9/28,  self-serve beverage stations are permitted, as long as appropriate guidelines are followed. See the retail safety standards page for details. Other communal serving areas (such as salad bars) must remain closed.

Phase 2, Step 1 – Restaurants, Lodging, and Retail

• Restaurants
  • Restaurants MA Safety Standards: These workplace safety standards for restaurants are posted in advance of the Governor’s initiation of Phase 2 to allow restaurants time to prepare to operate in compliance with these mandatory health and safety standards.
  • Restaurants MA COVID-19 Checklist
  • As of Monday 9/28, restaurants are permitted to seat up to 10 people at one table, and restaurants with bars are permitted to use them for seated food service, provided that other social distancing protocols are followed. Specific details are outlined in the checklist and safety standard documents.
• Lodging
  • Operators of Lodgings MA Safety Standards: These workplace safety standards for lodging are posted in advance to the Governor’s initiation of Phase 2 to allow operators of lodging time to prepare for reopening in compliance with these mandatory standards.
  • Operators of Lodgings MA COVID-19 Checklist
• Retail Businesses
  • Retail Businesses Safety Standards: These workplace safety standards for retail businesses are posted in advance of the Governor’s initiation of Phase 2 to allow businesses time to prepare to operate in compliance with these mandatory health and safety standards.
  • Retail Businesses MA COVID-19 Checklist

Phase III, Step One – Began Monday, July 6 (July 13 in the City of Boston)

Phase III, Step Two – Beginning Monday, October 5 in lower-risk communities (defined as communities that have not been a “red” community in any of the last three weekly Department of Public Health weekly reports – hereafter referred to as “step two communities”). All other communities remain in Phase III Step One.

Below are links to sector-specific guidance. Where changes have been made, the date of these updates will denote these changes.

• Movie Theaters and Outdoor Performance Venues
  • Outdoor theater and performance venues and indoor movie theaters may reopen. Large capacity event venues must continue to remain closed until Phase IV. This includes venues used for group or spectator sports, entertainment, business, and cultural events, including stadiums, arenas, and ballparks as well as exhibition and convention halls.
  • As of 10/5/20, indoor performance venues in Step Two communities will be permitted to open at 50% capacity (maximum 250 people). Outdoor performance venue capacity will increase to 50% (maximum 250 people).
    • Theaters and Performance Venues Safety Standards Summary
    • Theaters and Performance Venues MA COVID-19 Checklist
• Museums and Cultural Facilities and Guided Tours
  • Facilities addressed under the term “museum” include museums, aquariums, and indoor and outdoor historic spaces and sites, and guided tours.
  • As of 10/5, museums located in Step Two communities will be permitted to expand their capacity to 50%.
    • Museums and Cultural Facilities and Guided Tours Workplace Safety Standards Summary
    • Museums and Cultural Facilities and Guided Tours MA COVID-19 Checklist
• Fitness Centers and Health Clubs
  • Fitness Centers and Health Clubs are defined as a fitness facility that provides access to and/or instruction of personal fitness training, including but not limited to: weight and resistance training, cross training, yoga, martial arts, spin classes, boot camp training.
  • As of 10/5, gyms located in Step Two communities will be permitted to expand capacity to 50%.
    • Fitness Centers and Health Clubs Workplace Safety Standards Summary
    • Fitness Centers and Health Clubs MA COVID-19 Checklist
• Certain Indoor Recreational Activities
  • Indoor recreational activities permitted in Phase III Step One include: batting cages, driving ranges, bowling alleys, go karts, and rock-climbing facilities.
    • Indoor Recreation Workplace Safety Standards Summary
    • Indoor Recreation MA COVID-19 Checklist
  • As of September 17, Gaming Arcades (Indoor and Outdoor) were permitted to open by executive order. Arcade games permitted to open at that time include: video games, skeeball, basketball shot and similar ball-throwing games, ping pong, pool and billiards, air hockey, and coin-operated games of skill and chance.
    • Arcades and Other Indoor and Outdoor Game and Recreation Businesses Workplace Safety Standards Summary
    • Arcades and Other Indoor and Outdoor Game and Recreation Businesses MA COVID-19 Checklist
  • As of 10/5, additional activities at indoor and outdoor recreation businesses in Step Two communities are authorized. These include trampolines, obstacle courses, roller rinks, and laser tag. Additionally, capacity in indoor recreational businesses will increase to 50%.  “Ball pits” must continue to remain closed until Phase 4.
• Professional Sports Teams
  • Under the authority of league-wide rules, may hold games without spectators.
• Libraries
  • As of 10/5, libraries in Step Two communities will be permitted to increase capacity to 50%.
    • Libraries Workplace Safety Standards Summary 
    • Libraries MA COVID-19 Checklist
• Driving and Flight Schools
  • As of 10/5, driving and flight schools in Step Two communities will be permitted to increase capacity to 50%.
    • Driving and Flight Schools Workplace Safety Standards Summary
    • Drives and Flight Schools MA COVID-19 Checklist

Phase III also offers revisions to the governor’s Gatherings Order:

• Indoor gatherings are limited to eight people per 1,000 square feet, but should not exceed 25 people in a single enclosed, indoor space.
• Outdoor gatherings in enclosed spaces are limited to 25 percent of the facility’s maximum permitted occupancy, with a maximum of 100 people in a single enclosed outdoor space. This includes community events, civic events, sporting events, concerts, conventions, and more. This does no apply to outdoor, unenclosed gatherings if proper social distancing measures are possible.
• This revised order does not supersede previously-issued sector guidance, and is effective beginning Monday, July 6 (Monday, July 13 in the City of Boston).
  • Note: As of Tuesday, 8/7, the order has been revised to reflect a maximum of 50 people at outdoor gatherings (previously 100) on both public and private property. All attendees are required to wear face coverings and observe 6ft social distancing standards.
  • Note: As of Monday 10/5, indoor gatherings remain limited to 25 people. Outdoor gatherings at private residents and in private backyards remain at a maximum of 50 people for all communities. Outdoor gatherings at event venues and in public settings will have a limit of 50 people in Step I communities and a limit of 100 people in lower-risk Step 2 communities.

Phase III also saw the revision of Public Health Guidance:

• New guidance has been issued allowing additional health care services and visitation guidelines with the onset of Phase III. Read the updated public health guidance here.

Phase III also saw a revision to the Governor’s travel order:

• As of August 1: All visitors and returning residents entering Massachusetts, who do not meet an exemption, must follow new travel orders including: completing a travel form, producing a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to arrival, or quarantining for 14 days. Failure to comply may result in a $500 fine per day. Learn more here. 

• Upcoming Webinars:

• Recorded Webinars:
  • MassMEP – The ABCs of Returning Safely to Work – Navigating the Alphabet Soup of Regulations As We Get Back To Work (recording). Tune in to learn about areas of your business where you will need to make changes and considerations for new rules, new equipment, new processes and adapt the factors you consider in decision making.
  • MassMEP – The ABCs of Returning Safely to Work – Who Will Be Your COVID-19 Safety & Health Coordinator? (recording) Tune in to learn about what you need to consider in establishing a staff member or team to manage COVID-19 best practices in your workplace.
  • MassMEP – The ABCs of Returning Safely to Work – New Rules. New Procedures. Which Ones Should I Apply To My Business? (recording) Tune in to learn about new practices and procedures you can apply to improve safety in your business, including signage and communications, updating sick policies, PPE implementation, and more.
  • MassMEP – The ABCs of Returning Safely to Work – Two OSHA Documents You Already Have to Help with COVID-19 Requirements (recording). Tune in to learn about two key OSHA documents you will need to update, as well as steps your organization should take to prepare for emergencies in the workplace.
  • MassMEP – The ABCs of Returning Safely to Work – I Didn’t Know I Needed To Do All That To Disinfect and Clean Safely! (recording).Tune in to learn the answers to some common questions about what you can to do to keep your workplace clean and disinfected.
  • The Brookings Institution – Reopening Schools in the Fall Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall – Reopening the Berkshire Economy This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall featured Senator Adam Hinds, Ben Sosne (Executive Director, Berkshire Innovation Center), and Jennifer Trainer Thompson (Executive Director, Hancock Shaker Village). The panel discussed the numbers that matter, budgetary impacts, and tactics and approaches needed to ensure a safe and sustainable reopening of the economic cornerstones of the region.
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall – Reopening the Economy – Phase 3 This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall features Senator Adam Hinds, John Lewis (Chief Executive Storyteller, SP3AK EASY Studio), Eric Kerns (Partner, TOURISTS), Jennifer Trainer Thompson (President and CEO, Hancock Shaker Village) discussing the steps, logistics, and potential impacts of Phase 3 reopening here in the Berkshires.

• Small Business Strong – This public-private partnership was established to help women- and minority-owned small businesses in Massachusetts navigate the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It offers an online portal with curated resources, access to generalized business advisors, and referrals to functional specialists who can assist with specific support and deliverables.
• Grow with Google – Tips for working, managing, teaching, and learning remotely.
• Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) Small Business Resource Center features links to national resources for small businesses, and to Massachusetts resources as well.
• Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires – COVID-19 Resources for Berkshire Nonprofits
• Resource Guide – Running A Food Business in the Face of COVID-19 (CommonWealth Kitchen)
• AIM COVID-19 Resource Page for Employers
• List of Arts Resources During the COVID-19 Outbreak from Creative Capital
• Capacity Interactive Podcast: How Arts Organizations Can Survive a Pandemic
• Seated’s Restaurant Support Hotline connects restaurants to legal experts to help get your questions answered – for free.
• A Guide to Reopening Restaurants from Nation’s Restaurant News.

Grants and Relief Funds

• WBUR – Grants and Resources for Artists and Nonprofits
• Facebook Small Business Grants
• LISC Small Business Relief Grants – Grants of $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, and $20,000 for small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to keep them functioning and remaining vital facets of their local economies. Priority will be given to entrepreneurs of color, women- and veteran-owned businesses and other enterprises in historically under-served places. Applications are presently closed. Stay tuned for the next round of applications.

Webinars

• Upcoming Webinars
  • Center for Women & Enterprise – Decision, Decisions: Making Tough Decisions During COVID Mon 10/26 1:00PM.
  • Mass. Small Business Development Center – Use YouTube to Grow Your Business (Marketing Toolbox) Thu 10/29 1:00PM.
  • Entrepreneur – 6 Tips for Hiring Freelance Talent Thu 10/29 3:00PM.
  • Center for Women & Enterprise – All About Your Business’ Financial Statements Fri 10/30 11:00AM.
  • Mass. Small Business Development Center – Basics of Starting a Business Mon 11/2 1:00PM.
  • AIM – Thirty on Thursday: Global Supply Chain Disruption & Resilience Thu 11/19 11:00AM.

• 1Berkshire Virtual Town Halls
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall: The Visitor Economy This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall featured Adam Davis (Managing Director, Shakespeare & Co.), Babara Vacarr (CEO, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health), Joe Thompson (Director, MASS MoCA) and Sarah Eustis (CEO, Main Street Hospitality). Panelists discussed the current state of affairs, the outlook, and the actionable opportunities their organizations are taking in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic event. (recorded 4/17/10)
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall : Banking During Covid-19 This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall featured Bob Fraser (President and CEO, MountainOne), Jodi Rathbun-Briggs (Senior Vice President & Chief Lending Officer, Greylock Federal Credit Union), Gary Moynihan (Managing Director, Adelson & Company PC), Dennis Egan, Partner, Cohen Kinne Valicenti & Cook). Panelists discussed available resources and steps that businesses should be taking to successfully navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. (recorded 5/1/20)
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall: Food and Agriculture in the Era of COVID-19 This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall featured Orion Howard (Co-founder and Owner, Bright Ideas Brewing), Nick Martinelli (Founder and Owner of Marty’s Local), Cynthia Pansing (Executive Director, Berkshire Agricultural Ventures), and Jessica Vecchia (Co-Director, Roots Rising). Panelist discussed the local food system is operating during COVID-19, how they have pivoted to meet the needs of the moment, and what the future of food might look like in a post-COVID economy. (recorded 5/8/20)
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall: Reopening the Berkshire Economy This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall featured Senator Adam Hinds, Ben Sosne (Executive Director, Berkshire Innovation Center), and Jennifer Trainer Thompson (Executive Director, Hancock Shaker Village). The panel discussed the numbers that matter, budgetary impacts, and tactics and approaches needed to ensure a safe and sustainable reopening of the economic cornerstones of the region. (recorded 5/15/20)
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall: Higher Education During COVID-19 This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall featured Dr. Jamie Birge (President, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts), Dr. Ellen Kennedy (President, Berkshire Community College), Dr. Maud Mandel (President of Williams College), and Dr. John Weinstein (Provost-Elect, Bard College at Simon’s Rock). The panel discussed the decisions their institutions are making, the challenges they are facing, and the landscape they face going forward. (recorded 5/22/20)
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall: Summer in the Berkshires – Happening! But How? This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall featured Brian Cruey (Director of Southern Berkshires, The Trustees of Reservations), Laurie Norton Moffat (Director & CEO, Norman Rockwell Museum), Mindi Morin (Managing Director, Canyon Ranch Lenox), and Lindsey Schmid (Vice President of Tourism and Marketing, 1Berkshire). (recorded 5/29/20)
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall: The Deeper Strains on Community This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall featured Janis Broderick (Executive Director of the Elizabeth Freeman Center), Dr. Barbara Malkas (Superintendent of North Adams Public Schools), Kelly Marion (CEO of the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center), and Candace Winkler (President and CEO of Berkshire United Way). The panel discussed impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on organizations the address food insecurity, early childhood care, domestic violence, and K-12 education, and on the populations they serve. (recorded 6/5/20)
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall: New Updates to Paid Family Medical Leave This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall featured William Alpine (Director, Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave), Kevin Kinne (Partner, Cohen Kinne, Valicenti and Cook), and Michele Morin (Vice President of Human Resources and Workforce Development, Hillcrest Educational Centers). The panel discussed changes to the Paid Family Medical Leave Act and how it could impact businesses in the Berkshires as the Act goes into effect. (recorded 6/19/20)
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall: Census 2020 This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall featured State Representative Paul Mark (Second Berkshire District), Michelle Lopez (Executive Director, Berkshire Immigrant Center), Mark Maloy (GIS, Data, and IT Manager, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission), Erica Girgenti (Director, Adams Council on Aging), and Mark Sebastino (Partnership Specialist, U.S. Census Bureau). The panel discussed why the 2020 Census is conducted, why counting every person is critical for the Berkshires, and how viewers can get involved in ensuring a complete count. (recorded 7/1/20)
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall – Reopening the Economy – Phase 3 This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall featured Senator Adam Hinds, John Lewis (Chief Executive Storyteller, SP3AK EASY Studio), Eric Kerns (Partner, TOURISTS), Jennifer Trainer Thompson (President and CEO, Hancock Shaker Village) discussing the steps, logistics, and potential impacts of Phase 3 reopening here in the Berkshires. (recorded 7/10/20)
  • 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall – Reopening  Higher Education This panel conversation and Q&A-style town hall featured Gina Puc (Dean of Enrollment Management and Community Relations, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts), Matthew Sheehy (Associate Vice President for Finance and Administration, Williams College), Adam Klepetar (Interim Provost, Berkshire Community College), and John B. Weinstein (Provost and Vice President, Bard College at Simon’s Rock) discussing the logistics, outlook, and peripheral impacts of the reopening plan for higher education institutions.

• Recorded Webinars 
  • Kindful – Turning Your Canceled Event into a Successful Virtual Fundraising Opportunity (recording)
  • AIM HR Solutions – Suddenly Remote: Distance Leadership (recording)
  • EANE – Furloughs, Layoffs, & Workshare – Oh My! (recording)
  • Entrepreneur Crisis Management Series – How to Adapt Your Messaging to the Sudden Change in the Marketplace (recording)
  • ICIC Webinar: Commercial Leases and Negotiating Rent During COVID-19 (recording)
  • Entrepreneur Crisis Management Series – Take the First Step: Creating a Great Name is Your Starting Point  (recording)
  • Entrepreneur Crisis Management Series – Overcoming A Setback: Come Back Stronger (recording)
  • EforAll Berkshire County – Resilience, Optimism & Leadership (recording)
  • EforAll Berkshire County – Sales and Marketing Right Now (recording)
  • EforAll Berkshire County, 1Berkshire, Berkshire Community College – How We’re Coping In The Berkshires Panel Discussion (recording)
  • Entrepreneur Crisis Management Series – How Businesses Can Create Their Crisis Communication Plan (recording)
  • TechSoup – Nonprofit Workforce Transition and Planning in Response to COVID-19 (recording)
  • Entrepreneur Crisis Management Series – How A Business Can Optimize Cash Flow During A Crisis (recording)
  • Entrepreneur – Understanding The Small Business Relief Package (recording)
  • Entrepreneur Crisis Management Series – How Entrepreneur & ESNP Host Jay Williams Envisions Tomorrow’s Normal for Business, Sports and Beyond (recording)
  • Entrepreneur Crisis Management Series – Managing People in a Distributed Workforce (recording)
  • Entrepreneur Crisis Management Series – Leading With Integrity During Times of Crisis (recording)
  • Initiative for a Competitive Inner City – Innovating Through Crisis: Strategies for Small Businesses to Survive and Thrive (recording)
  • AIM – Thirty on Thursday: Reimagining Your Business (recording)
  • Kindful – Nonprofit Fundraising Trends During COVID-19 (recording)
  • Restaurants Rise – The Power of Partnerships
  • Restaurants Rise – Three Ways to Meet New Customer Demands in Food Service
  • Restaurants Rise – How to Reach Guests the Right Way in a Changed World
  • Restaurants Rise – The Meat of the Matter: Revealing Value Beyond Price 
  • Restaurants Rise – Restaurant Strategies to Create Consumer Confidence for Restaurant Re-Opens
  • Restaurants Rise – How to Enable Touch-Free Guest Experiences in Restaurants
  • Restaurants Rise – Rethinking & Readjusting Human Capital Management for COVID-19
  • Restaurants Rise – With Caution and Care: Meeting Customers’ New Needs
  • TribalVision – Marketing in the Post-COVID Economy 
  • ICIC – Cash Resilience Webinar: 25 Ways to Find, Preserve, and Improve Your Cash to Get to the Other Side
  • Entrepreneur – How to Market a New Business
  • Entrepreneur – How to Adapt Your Brick and Mortar Business to Thrive and Make Money
  • Restaurants Rise – How to Build a Flexible Workforce 

• The Massachusetts Broadband Institute and KCST have launched public hotspots in several Massachusetts towns still waiting on completion of broadband networks to provide free access to students, teachers, entrepreneurs, and others. Towns in the Berkshires with these hotspots, or with municipally-launched hotspots are: Becket, Egremont, Florida, Monterey, New Marlborough, Sandisfield, Savoy, Washington, and Windsor.
• The Support Network’s Virtual Support Group for Parents: Schedule & Referral Form
• Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) – Provides food supports to help families with children who were receiving free and reduced-price school meals pay for food. See additional information here and here.
  • More P-EBT benefits were added in September 2020 to cover the days that school buildings are closed due to delayed start and/or students that are at home learning remotely for at least five days in a row. Click here to learn about September P-EBT.
• Berkshire Regional Transit Authority is resuming full bus service beginning 8/31/20. Read the press release here, and view the BRTA schedules here.
• buoy Symptom Checker. Massachusetts residents can use this tool to get advice from an online health assistant safely at home, for free.
• 413cares.org is an innovative community portal providing online access for residents of Western Massachusetts to available resources like housing, healthcare, early education, and more. If you need help and aren’t sure where to start, type in your zip code and take a look.
• Elizabeth Freeman Center – free and confidential counseling, shelter, legal advocacy, safety planning, teen dating violence prevention education, a 24/7 hotline, and much more
• Massachusetts Health Connector
• Neighbor-to-Neighbor Grant from Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
• Mobile Worker Toolkit 
• Resources for Freelance Artists
• Assets For Artists Webinars for a Post-COVID World – Assets for Artists has redesigned its business and financial education programming to provide artists with new, crisis-focused, distance learning opportunities.
• Coronavirus Tips: Frequently Asked Questions and Advice – easy to read and full of useful info and tips.

• Webinars
  • Entrepreneur Crisis Management Series – Staying Calm and Being Productive While Working From Home (recorded)

For Individuals:

• Artist Resources
  • Creative Capital – List of Arts Resources During the COVID-19 Outbreak
  • WBUR – Grants and Resources for Artists and Nonprofits
  • COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resource
  • Artist Relief – Apply for a grant of $5,000. Available to practicing artists experiencing dire financial emergencies due to COVID-19 who have lived and worked in the United States for the last two years.

• Food Security
  • Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) – Provides food supports to help families with children who were receiving free and reduced-price school meals pay for food. See additional information here and here.
  • Greylock Glass – Emergency Food Access Map

• Health Insurance
  • Massachusetts Health Connector

• Housing and Utility Assistance
  • Berkshire Community Action Council’s Fuel Assistance applications open 11/1/20. Call 413-445-4503 for assistance.
  • Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority is available to help those looking for housing and those struggling with past-due rent or mortgage payments. Call 413-443-7138 for assistance.
  • The Commonwealth’s Resources for Renters, Homeowners, and Landlords page.

• Unemployment Assistance – This updated guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance details information about implementation of unemployment programs in the CARES Act, including $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (discontinued as of 7/25/20), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for self-employed, independent, and gig economy workers, and 13 weeks of additional unemployment assistance provided by the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.
  • Applying for Unemployment Benefits / Solicitud de Beneficios de Desempleo
  • Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Returning to Work: Guide for Workers – This FAQ covers a variety of questions about returning to work for those who are presently receiving unemployment compensation.

• Other
  • Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation – Neighbor-to-Neighbor Grant Neighbor-to-Neighbor makes small grants (up to $1,000 during the response to COVID-19) to help those with overdue utilities, medical bills, short-term housing costs and transportation problems.
  • One Fair Wage – Tipped & Service Workers Support Fund Providing cash assistance to restaurant workers, car service drivers, delivery workers, personal service workers and more who need the money they aren’t getting to survive.
  • Southern Smoke Emergency Relief Program – Emergency funding to those employed by or owning restaurants or bars, or employed by a restaurant or bar supplier facing unforeseen expenses that cannot or will not be covered by insurance.

For Businesses and Organizations:

• Arts/Cultural Organization Resources
  • Massachusetts Cultural Council
    • COVID-19 Relief Effort for Organizations
    • Cultural Facilities Fund – Managed in collaboration with MassDevelopment, the Cultural Facilities Fund provides major improvement grants to nonprofit cultural organizations, in recognition of their profound economic impact on communities across Massachusetts. Click to learn more and apply by 11:59PM on January 15, 2021.
  • WBUR – Grants and Resources for Artists and Nonprofits

• General Business Support
  • Massachusetts Vacant Storefronts Program  – The purpose of the program is to help municipalities of the Commonwealth in their efforts to revitalize their downtowns and commercial areas.  Municipalities may apply to the Economic Assistance Coordinating Council (EACC) for certification to designate a defined downtown or other commercial area, as a Certified Vacant Storefront District.  After achieving such a designation, and achieving a commitment of local matching funds, businesses or individuals may apply to the EACC for refundable EDIP tax credits for leasing and occupying a vacant storefront in that district.
  • Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation – COVID-19 Grants for Massachusetts Small Businesses. Grants up to $75,000 available for small businesses in Massachusetts affected by the pandemic. Application deadline: 11/12/20.
  • Facebook – Small Business Grants
  • Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) LISC Small Business Relief Grants – Grants of $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, and $20,000 for small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to keep them functioning and remaining vital facets of their local economies. Priority will be given to entrepreneurs of color, women- and veteran-owned businesses and other enterprises in historically under-served places. Applications are presently closed. Stay tuned for the next round of applications.

• Innovation Challenges/RFPs
  • LEVER – Mohawk Trail Entrepreneur Challenge – LEVER seeks entrepreneurs who wish to build regional businesses that will create jobs in the
    Mohawk Trail region. Examples of qualifying businesses include woodland-related tourism, woodcraft, and woodland-derived natural products. Any entrepreneur seeking to establish and grow a sustainable, woodland-related business should apply. To participate, the entrepreneurs or their businesses must be located in a Mohawk Trail Woodland Partnership (MTWP) member town. Challenge participants will receive six months of no-cost business acceleration from Lever, a leading entrepreneurship center based in North Adams, Massachusetts. Space is limited. Apply here.

• Restaurants
  • The Massachusetts Restaurant Association and Massachusetts Conference for Women have joined to offer 50 $5,000 grants to women-owned restaurants in Massachusetts. Apply here by October 22.

• Small Business Administration Debt Relief
  • Learn more about relief the Small Business Administration is offering for businesses with SBA loans.

• Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Note: As of July 11, the EIDL Emergency Advance program has allocated the funding appropriated by Congress, and is no longer being issued. 
  • Information about the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and EIDL Emergency Advance
  • SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Application – Updated for a faster and easier application experience.

• WorkShare
  • • Massachusetts WorkShare for Employers
• Other

• MyLocalMA – Our Main Streets need our love, more than ever. Now is the time to find your local.
• Emergency Childcare by 18 Degrees
• Gift Card Shop – Support the Berkshires and Downtown Pittsfield by purchasing a gift card.
• Mass.gov – Online portal for PPE & volunteers to support COVID-19 response
• Massachusetts Disaster Volunteers – designed to connect unaffiliated volunteers to agencies in need.
• Doorstep Deliverers – Request a volunteer delivery of an order at a local business. Currently serving housebound community members across Berkshire County and Columbia County, MA.
• Elizabeth Freeman Center Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services
• How to Support Restaurants and Their Workers Right Now – Article from bon appetit
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Berkshire County’s Warm Line: (413) 445-1136 – – Call to talk to either a NAMI BC staff or a community trained volunteer having lived experience with mental health issues, trauma, and/or to assist individuals through a difficult time, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Clinical & Support Options’ Great Barrington Family Resource Center at 141 West Avenue in Great Barrington, offering multi-cultural parenting resources, support groups, early childhood services, information, and other education and referral programs for families whose children range in age from birth to 18, free and available to any child or family.
• Emergency Food Access Map courtesy of The Greylock Glass.
• List of Food Pantries and Sites in Berkshire County Compiled by Janie Pellish, Community Volunteer/Member of the Food Pantry Collaborative. (updated October 19, 2020)
• Applications (english, spanish) for Berkshire Community Action Council’s Elf Warm Clothing Program are open. This program provides children ages 0-12 of income-eligible families with brand new warm clothing, including a coat and boots. Application deadline: Thursday, 10/29.
• Free masks are available through the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition (413-663-7588) and Berkshire Helping Hands for children, youth, and adults.

Grants and Relief Funds

• Artist Relief – Apply for a grant of $5,000. Available to practicing artists experiencing dire financial emergencies due to COVID-19 who have lived and worked in the United States for the last two years.
• Tipped & Service Workers Support Fund
• Southern Smoke Emergency Relief Program – Emergency funding to those employed by or owning restaurants or bars, or employed by a restaurant or bar supplier facing unforeseen expenses that cannot or will not be covered by insurance.

• 1Berkshire Homebound Fun & Cabin Fever Survival – Check out this regularly-updated webpage that collects fun and interesting links gathered by our staff to keep you and yours entertained while you practice social distancing.
• Virtual Berkshires – Digitally visit our dynamic region.
• Berkshire BINGO
• 1Berkshire Zoom Backgrounds
• Collaborative for Educational Services – Youth Mental Health First Aid. This free training will help parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent who is experiencing a mental health or addiction challenge or crisis. Participants will spend 2 hours in a self-paced online training program and then participate in a Zoom virtual class for 4.5 hours. Two sessions are scheduled: Mon 10/18 9:30AM – 2:00PM and Tue 12/8 12:30PM – 5:00PM.
• Free Activities for Children During School Closings
• Berkshire Artists Coloring Book, Volume 1 (PDF)
• EANE tips for self care and combating stress
• Kindful – Zoom Fatigue: What It Is, Why You’re Feeling It, and How You Can Fight It 
• Entrepreneur Crisis Management Webinar Series – How to Manage Your Mental Stress (recording).
• American Psychological Association – Coping in the Era of Coronavirus: A Webinar for Students (recording)