Weekly Message from the Chair, May 4, 2020

Message #19- 5/4/20

Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce Members and Friends,

Summary: In this message, I highlight: events and resources; contract opportunities; funding opportunities; health care options; job opportunities; offers from Members and info you can use to make better business decisions. Please share this weekly message with 10 people who will benefit. Learn more about us at www.baltimorecitychamber.org.

First, new resources pop up every day and I share timely info on social media. Let’s make sure we stay connected in between weekly messages:

Facebook: Chamber | Me
LinkedIn: Chamber | Me

Second, speaking of resources, the Baltimore Development Corporation and the City of Baltimore have launched an initiative called Baltimore Together that provides technical assistance and grants to business owners affected by COVID-19. Click here to learn more. The grant application opens May 4th!

Third, as we all make adjustments, I invite you to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I am here to help whether you are a Member or not. So, please respond to this message or send me an email at willholmesconsulting@gmail.com. Or, if you prefer, you can go directly to our Chamber webpage for listed resources. We keep it updated.

Fourth, we added some great events for this week! Check out online events from Startup Grind, Visit Baltimore, Humanity in HR and Colson Enterprises. Scroll down to see the entire list and descriptions. Don’t forget to register for this week’s May General Membership Meeting and our training and resource session, Navigating During COVID-19. All are invited to attend!

Fifth, we are planning a free, 4 month virtual class for Chamber Members who would find value in a CEO Roundtable Mastermind focused on both revenue and personal growth. The sessions will be led by Chamber Member, Allan Hirsh. If you are interested in learning more, email Allan at allan@allanhirshadvisors.com.

Keep reading for this week’s Opportunities, Events and Information! 


OPPORTUNITIES

LOANS AND GRANTS

Baltimore Together
The Mayor’s Office recently announced the COVID-19 Small Business Assistance Initiative, which establishes the COVID-19 Small Business Task Force, a public-private partnership, and a $5.5 million fund to provide financial assistance to small businesses, as well as other resources and guidelines to help businesses reopen, without compromising public health, once the State of Emergency is lifted. Information about eligibility requirements and the application process will be available on May 4. More information about the initiative can be found here.

Department of Treasury
Read more about the process for getting loans and grants and all the Federal programs.

KIVA Loans 
KIVA has funding options for businesses. Click here to learn more. 

Short term commercial loans not based on credit…
If you have submitted an invoice for services and you are waiting to be paid, or if you have a purchase order to fill, but need funding to get started, learn more about WHC’s programs that can help.

CONTRACTS

Baltimore City Procurement Database 
Interested in doing business in Baltimore? Click here to learn how you can be a city contractor.

Anne Arundel County Procurement Database
Anne Arundel County has their new contractor database up and running. This database will be a resource to all the agencies when looking for small businesses for procurement opportunities. The Anne Arundel County eProcurement system will be known as P.O.R.T. (Procurement Operations Resource Technology). Click here to learn more. 

State of Maryland Procurement Database
EMMA is the new E Maryland Marketplace Advantage website for procurement opportunities. You can see contract opportunities and contact instructions to help you get connected to the right people. Click here to learn more.

JOBS

Jobs at the Small Business Administration 
The SBA has a variety of temporary jobs to assist with the COVID-19 response. Click here to learn more.

Jobs in Baltimore
The Mayor’s Office of Employment Development has compiled job openings in the area. Click here to learn more.

Department of Labor
The Department of Labor has compiled some job opportunities. Click here to learn more.

ASSISTANCE FROM AND FOR MEMBERS

Career Pivot
If you are looking for a career pivot or a new hire, Chamber Member, Steve Braun can help. With decades of experience recruiting and placing talented people, he knows what it takes to get the right people in the right positions. Plus, he has connections in a variety of industries across the country, including a new opportunity with Amazon. Contact Steve at sbraun@searchconsultants.org to discuss opportunities.

Business Support
Chamber Member, Moshe Pelberg CPA, in private practice in Baltimore is A+ rated by the BBB, and is an Angie’s List Super Service awardee year since 2014. His practice focuses on supporting individuals and small businesses with tax compliance and planning, as well as general business financial support. Moshe is providing free basic support to Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce members that need help during the coronavirus situation. Contact him at moshepelbergcpa.com or 410-963-1247 for full details.

Business Support
Gross Mendelsohn is a local CPA, technology consulting and wealth management firm. Our goal during the pandemic has been to keep business owners, nonprofit leaders and families informed of all of the economic relief programs and benefits. Our COVID-19 Resource Center has a library of information to help businesses, families and nonprofits stay up-to-date during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can find content about the benefits of the various financial programs as well as articles about how our own staff is handling working remotely. If you have any questions about COVID-19 resources, reach out to Lisa at lcarmichael@gma-cpa.com to be connected to one of our CPAs.

Need Health Care?
Chamber Member, Dr. Shawn Dhillon offers concierge medical care for $99 per month. Have a dedicated physician for less than you would pay for medical insurance. Learn more at https://www.anytimedrs.com.

Medical and Mental Health
FiveMedicine is a telehealth company that provides medical and mental health services to individuals in Maryland and DC. Given the current COVID-19 crisis, we have culturally competent mental health providers to address the psychological impact of this health pandemic, and we also offer medical services, and complementary therapies such as yoga and meditation. As our community begins to transition from social distancing to normal business operations, it will be crucial for widespread COVID-19 testing to occur. FiveMedicine also offers a Mobile Screening option that provides organizations with a convenient solution for ensuring the health and safety of its employees and clients. To learn more, please visit us at www.fivemedicine.com. If you know of an organization that could benefit from our services or you are a provider and would like to get involved, please email us at support@fivemedicine.com.

Need Medical Insurance?
Chamber Member, George Faber can help you find medical coverage. Send him a message at George.Faber@USHAdvisors.com.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Bachelor of Business
Looking for a new career? Take your Associate Degree to the Next Level! Bellevue University – a Baltimore City Community College partner, is offering a Bachelor of Business for $250 per credit hour! Do you have an Associate’s degree (in any discipline) or 60 college credits? Congratulations! You are able to pursue this amazing opportunity! 100% online curriculum starts in June 2020 and for only 49 credits, that’s less than $12,500 in tuition for a Bachelor’s degree! To learn more, contact Deborah Vines at debra.vines@bellevue.edu

Free Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program
Applications are now open for the last cohort of 2020. Are you a Business Owner who has been in business at least 2 years? Do you have at least 2 employees? Learn more about this free training program that has helped over 60% of its scholars increase revenue within 6 months of graduation at https://www.10ksbapply.com/Baltimore

If you are an active Baltimore City Chamber Member and you have a special offer for our Members, schedule a call with Will Holmes at https://whc.as.me/baltimorechamber


INVITATIONS TO EVENTS

5/5/20
Visit Baltimore Webinar 

On Tuesday, May 5, Visit Baltimore will offer a free training with leadership consultant Bryan Williams. This webinar will help you develop your service skills and prepare you to meet the needs of customers in a changing hospitality industry. Email Mia at mblom@baltimore.org to register.

5/5/20
Startup Grind Webinar
Startup Grind is hosting a “Survive and Thrive in Times of Change” 30 Minute Lunch and Learn. Click here to register.

5/6/20
Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce Webinar 

Get information to help you find capital, survive the economic downturn, and access resources during COVID-19. Many businesses are trying to figure out how to continue their businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. This workshop will help participants understand the resources available to small business and how to access them. The topics include: Federal Resources; State Resources; Unemployment Benefits; Accessing Retirement Funds; Health Insurance and Costs; and Paying Bills. Click here to register.

5/7/20 at 6pm
Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce General Membership Meeting 

May General Membership Meeting. Open to all. We’ll discuss resources, solutions and we’ll network. Click here to register.

5/7/20
Webinar for Real Estate Investors

If you are looking for a pivot in your career, Chamber Member, Eddie Colson is giving a free webinar on Real Estate Investing on May 7th. Click here to register.

5/8/20
Webinar for Those Seeking Employment 

On May 8th, Humanity in HR will host a webinar with tips on steps you can take to find work in this job market. Click here to learn more.

5/8/20
Webinar for Employers

On May 8th, Humanity in HR will host a webinar for employers with tips on steps you can take to support your team in this market. Click here to learn more.

5/14/20 at 6pm
Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce Virtual Happy Hour 

May Virtual Happy Hour! Open to all. Wear your logo and be ready to mingle and network. Click here to register!  


INFORMATION FOR YOUR BUSINESS

MDOT Certification– Ever consider doing business with the State of Maryland? If you have plans to grow, the certification process could open up new opportunities for new revenue. Click here to learn more.

Baltimore Demographics- Ever wonder where to find info on demographics in Baltimore? Click here to see this summary by the Census Bureau.

Maryland Wealth- Interested in seeing stats on Maryland’s wealth and its tax revenue for each city and county? Click here to view the report from the Department of Legislative Services Office of Policy Analysis.

Connect with City Leadership- Want to attend a Board of Estimates meeting or Baltimore City Council meeting to hear from our elected officials? Check out the schedule at: http://www.baltimorecitycouncil.com/complete-calendar

U.S. Economy- Interested in how the U.S. economy is doing? Here is the most current information from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: https://www.bea.gov/news/glance


Talk to you next week!
Sincerely,

Will Holmes
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce
Schedule a call with me: https://whc.as.me/baltimorechamber
Web: http://www.baltimorecitychamber.org