ICYMI: Rep. Susie Lee Hosts Facebook Live with Nevada Small Business Officials to Discuss New Round of PPP Relief, Resources for Local Small Businesses

February 12, 2021

LAS VEGAS – Yesterday, U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (Nev.-03) hosted a Facebook Live to discuss pandemic relief resources for Nevada small businesses, including the disbursement of the second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) relief and Nevada's newly-launched small business resource centers, EmployNV Business Hubs. Rep. Lee was joined by Joe Amato, Nevada Small Business Administration District Director, and Jamie Cruz, Workforce Connections Executive Director.

Rep. Lee outlined the state of PPP relief after Congress passed a second round of funding in December 2020:

"Congress passed the Paycheck Protections Program through the CARES Act to help small businesses maintain their payroll, hire back employees who might've been laid off, and cover other overhead costs. Small businesses, nonprofit organizations, veterans' organizations, and tribal businesses, as well as independent contractors, are eligible if they meet the program standards. Just a couple months ago, Congress finally authorized a second round of PPP, extending the additional relief to thousands of small businesses in Nevada and across the country."

Joe Amato highlighted how businesses can apply for PPP relief, as well as the differences between the first and second round of PPP:

"With PPP everything is generated through the lending community. You don't go to SBA for PPP, you go through a lender - community banks, credit unions, CDFIs. PPP round two funds are now available. PPP round one ended on August 8^th. It has been reinstated, so an individual business that did not get PPP round one funds can now solicit PPP round one funds through their lender."

"For PPP round two, to get those funds you need certain qualifications. Number one, you will have to have had a PPP round one loan, you will have had to use or intend to use the funds from the PPP round one loan. For PPP round one, you need 500 employees or less. For PPP round two, you need to have 300 employees or less...(continued)."

Jamie Cruz explained what EmployNV Business Hubs can offer business owners and job seekers:

"These business hubs are unique because our one-stop centers are designed to serve the job-seeker. We have 15 locations here in our valley, but we never had a ‘showroom floor' for the businesses. That's what these EmployNV Business hubs are. They're at two fantastic locations, at the Sahara West Library and also at the Vegas Chamber in Symphony Park at the Smith Center for Performing Arts."

In December 2020, former President Trump signed a bipartisan $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress, which included over $300 billion for a second round of Paycheck Protection Program relief for small businesses.

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