Applications for a second round of funding are now being accepted and can be found here. A total of $220 million will be made available for small businesses of all types in Illinois.  Grants will be awarded and funded on a rolling basis until funding is depleted.  The grant size will be equivalent to two months of expenses.
 
The BIG program is open to all eligible businesses (for profit and nonprofit) with $20 million or less in annual revenue in 2019 and experienced losses due to COVID-19.   Of the total funding, $70 million will be invested in Disproportionately Impacted Areas (DIAs) and $60 million in heavily impacted industries.  A map of the DIAs and the eligibility guidelines can be found on our website.  The heavily impacted industries are defined as having annual revenues of $10 million or less and have been close or operating at a very diminished capacity since mid-March and are likely to continue to do so until Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois Plan.   These industries include the following:
 
 
·       Event spaces                 
·       Music venues
·       Performing arts venues
·       Indoor recreation
·       Amusement parks
·       Movie theaters
·       Museums
·       Charter/shuttle buses
 
 
DCEO will be hosting numerous webinars regarding this program.  You can register for the webinars coming up this next week by using the links below:

• • Wednesday, October 7, 2020 9:30 am – 10:30 am Registration link 
• • Wednesday, October 14, 2020 9:30 am – 10:30 am Registration link
• • Wednesday, October 21, 2020 9:30 am – 10:30 am Registration link

DCEO will be hosting numerous webinars regarding this program. You can register for the webinars that we will be hosting next week by using the links below:
 

As I'm sure many of you saw, a few weeks ago we sent a letter to the Governor's office over concerns of additional COVID-19 mitigation efforts that were put in place in Region 4. We did receive an email communication back from the Governor's office that we felt was less than satisfactory. We have since responded to the Governor with our additional concerns, calling for more transparency in how positivity numbers are determined. We requested that the state start using more than one data set point for making decisions on mitigation efforts. We also asked that politics be removed from closure decisions and that those be made using science and hard data that the state has available. 

Please know that your Chamber is ALWAYS advocating on your behalf. Most of our efforts are through developed relationships at the local, state and federal level and are not always made public. Anytime that you have questions please feel free to reach out!

FCC is announcing its first Fall Treasure Hunt!  Since COVID has changed how we operate right now, we are replacing our Annual Fall Fest with a Family Fun Treasure Hunt.  So join us for the fun on Sunday, October 4.  It will begin in front of the church at 3 pm, just pull up in your car and  complete registration and get your instructional packets, then you are off. The Treasure Hunt is within the Highland boundaries.
 
This is a Free event and will be a COVID safe friendly event, all participants must wear a mask.  Participants will be limited. You may register online on our church website at fcchighland.org (click on the treasure hunt banner and it will take you to the registration page) or click here or in person at the event. This is not a race but points are earned for prizes. Participants may use cellular devices, reference materials, and may even go to their homes to seek information or help. Some texting of information may be requested.
 
There will be minimal walking and no hiking. If it rains, bring an umbrella or light rain covering.
 
Participants must return back to the church by 5:45 pm. Prizes will be awarded and mailed to the winning teams after all the scores are tabulated. Some judging will need to done after the info is received.
 
The Treasure Hunt requires a vehicle, someone at least 25 yrs old in vehicle, and a cell phone.

Tips to take care of yourself and your community
 
The stress level among adults in the United States is at an all-time high according to a recent poll conducted for the American Psychological Association (APA). 
 
Researchers found that 46% of parents say their average stress level related to COVID-19 is high (between 8 and 10 on a 10-point scale where 1 means “little to no stress” and 10 means “a great deal of stress”). Education and basic needs are pandemic-related stressors most of those parents report, according to the APA poll. Another 28% of adults without children reported similar stress levels. 

Representatives from Anderson Healthcare, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and physician partners recently celebrated the completion of the Anderson Surgery Center with a ribbon cutting.  The one story building located on Anderson Healthcare Goshen Campus, houses Anderson Surgery Center, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Specialty Clinic, and a Physician Specialty Clinic.  Conveniently located in the expanding I-55 Corridor planning area, the Anderson Surgery Center expands access to outpatient surgery in our community. 

Our local EvUCC is seeking a director of Audio/Visual Ministries.

You may have heard the SBDC, Small Business Development Center, mentioned quite a bit in the past year but wondered exactly what they do. We have arranged to have Jo Ann Di Maggio May, Director of the IL SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE, speak with us on October 15th from 12 -1pm. 

This is a great opportunity for you to learn about all the resources offered by the Illinois Small Business Development Center for the Metro East at SIUE. The SBDC offers no cost advising and low cost webinars, workshops and training opportunities to help you start and/or grow your business.
 

In an effort to encourage local shopping, #ShopHighlandLocal,  we're helping organize a sidewalk sale on October 10.



If you'd like to be a participating business, please email the Chamber office and we'll get you added to the Facebook Event Page. If you'd like to help support our local economy, please SHARE, SHARE, SHARE this event so we have a great turnout! 

This year's Lighted Christmas Parade Theme will be
Keep reading for more details on how the Christmas Parade will happen safely in the midst of a pandemic. 

Registration for our Fall 2020 Job Fair is now open! We are delighted to provide this networking opportunity to our students, alumni, employer partners, and community! 

In order to ensure the safety of you and all job seekers, we will hold a VIRTUAL job fair on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 from 9am- 4pm. With this change, the format of the fair will be different than past years. Next week, we will launch a virtual area where you will be able to link your calendars and video conferencing links to your profile to be available for the virtual job fair. By October 2nd, I will send you specific information about the virtual function. Here is our plan for how the virtual fair will work:

Happy Manufacturing Month to our manufacturing business members!

DCEO is hosting a handful of virtual events I thought some of you might be interested in:

Last week we published an invitation to watch the second forum on the graduated income tax amendment which will be on the ballot this fall. Panelists Leslie Munger and Ralph Martire engaged in a robust discussion on the issue. They answered many questions on the minds of the small business community. Please click here to view the recording. Feel free to share it with those who you think might be interested in the topic. 

Bradford National Bank, with locations in Greenville, Highland, and Marine, recently made two contributions to the Highland Area Community Foundation (HACF).  

$1,500 was donated to the HACF Bradford National Bank Permanent Designated fund, which will assist the operations of the Foundation.  The second contribution of $5,000 was issued to benefit the Foundations 2020-2021 grant program.
 
The mission of the Highland Area Community Foundation is to serve as a resource in meeting the changing needs of the Highland area and providing philanthropic leadership for the betterment of the Highland community.
 
Bradford National Bank President Michael Ennen said,