The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) announced $3,548,485,000 in New Markets Tax Credits today that will spur investment and economic growth in low-income urban and rural communities nationwide. A total of 76 Community Development Entities (CDEs) were awarded tax credit allocations, made through the calendar year … [More]
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CDFI Fund Announces More Than $3.5 Billion in New Markets Tax Credits
U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
Why Small Business Owners Need to Take Cyberattacks More Seriously During the COVID-19 Crisis
by Edgar R. Olivo
Jorge T. is a 69-year-old small-business owner in Arizona whose online shopping has increased due to the pandemic. He regularly goes online to shop for supplies to sell his DIY recreational vehicles. Recently, he shared with me his experience with a phishing scam that he was able to stop in its tracks early. He shared, “I noticed my bank account was charged for strange amounts … [More]
EN NEGOCIOS: Por qué los propietarios de pequeñas empresas necesitan tomar los ataques cibernéticos más en serio durante la crisis de COVID-19
por Edgar R. Olivo
Jorge T. tiene 69 años y es propietario de una pequeña empresa en Arizona, cuyas compras en línea han aumentado debido a la pandemia. Se conecta regularmente en línea para comprar suministros para vender sus vehículos recreativos de bricolaje. Recientemente, compartió conmigo su experiencia con una estafa de suplantación de identidad (phishing) que pudo detener rápidamente. Él … [More]
Small Business Optimism Improves in Anticipation of Better Economic Outlook
NFIB
The Small Business Optimism Index increased 6.2 points in June to 100.6 with eight of the 10 components improving and two declining. Owners anticipate improving sales as the economy continues to re-open with sales expectations rebounding to a net 13% after April’s lowest reading in survey history (a net negative 42%). Small business owners continue to be optimistic about future … [More]
PAID Program Helps Workers and Employers as America Reopens
U.S. Department of Labor
The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division’s (WHD) Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) Program continues to provide an avenue to get workers the wages they are owed, bring employers into compliance and accomplish both goals with an efficiency that saves taxpayers money, with more than $7 million in back wages found for more than 11,000 … [More]
U.S. Consumer Prices Up More Than Expected in June
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.6 percent in June on a seasonally adjusted basis after falling 0.1 percent in May, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 0.6 percent before seasonal adjustment. The gasoline index rose sharply in June after recent declines and accounted … [More]
First Responders Get Mental Health Support from Crisis Fund
State of Arizona Office of the Governor
Governor Doug Ducey today announced $120,000 for Heal the Hero Foundation, supporting its work to mitigate the mental health impacts facing first responders during COVID-19. Heal the Hero Foundation offers technology-based mental health support—along with community education, research and training—for veterans, first responders and abuse survivors. The foundation also provides … [More]
Campaign amid Pandemic to Promote Workers’ Rights
U.S. Department of Labor
The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of a public awareness campaign to remind workers that the Department’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) is committed to ensuring their workplace rights during the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure that employers know their responsibilities. WHD’s campaign uses public service announcements in English and Spanish to provide … [More]
SBA Provided $20 Billion to Small Businesses and Nonprofits, EIDL Program to End
U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced the conclusion and success of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance program, which provided U.S. small businesses, non-profits and agricultural businesses a total of $20 billion in emergency funding. In order to assist the greatest number of small businesses, the EIDL Advance provided $1,000 per employee up to a … [More]
Feed Phoenix Initiative to Feed Underserved Families Launched
Local First Arizona
The city of Phoenix is putting CARES Act dollars to work by bringing high-quality meals to vulnerable populations across the city. The city has contracted Local First Arizona Foundation to recruit local restaurants, farmers, and food entrepreneurs to help prepare these meals in order to sustain local jobs and supply chains, strengthen the local food economy, and most … [More]
Governor Orders New Actions to Contain COVID-19
State of Arizona Office of the Governor
Governor Doug Ducey today announced additional actions to contain the spread of COVID-19, including the signing of an Executive Order that requires restaurants with indoor seating to operate at less than 50 percent capacity. Today’s announcement to limit capacity at restaurants comes in addition to recent action taken by the Governor to prohibit large gatherings, cease the … [More]
Collaboration Meant to Vastly Expand COVID-19 Testing Capacity in Arizona
State of Arizona Office of the Governor
A strategic collaboration with Sonora Quest Laboratories, the market share leader in diagnostics laboratory testing in Arizona, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and PerkinElmer, Inc. (NYSE: PKI), a global leader committed to innovating for a healthier world, to expand testing in Arizona. The collaboration helps catapult COVID-19 diagnostic testing capacity well … [More]
ADHS and ASU Announce Partnership to Increase COVID-19 Testing in Arizona
State of Arizona Office of the Governor
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and Arizona State University (ASU) announced a new partnership today that will increase COVID-19 diagnostic testing in Arizona. ASU will launch several testing sites that will provide free saliva diagnostic testing for COVID-19 in high-need underserved communities around the state. The testing will begin this Saturday, July 11 in … [More]
DES Distributed more than $5.7 Billion in Unemployment Insurance and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
Arizona Department of Economic Security
The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) announced today it has distributed more than $5.7 billion in state unemployment insurance (UI) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) since the week ending March 7, 2020. During that period, nearly 323,000 Arizonans received UI benefits and 557,000 Arizonans received PUA benefits. More than $722 million was issued to … [More]
Unemployment Continues Pressure on Economy with 1.3M Claims Last Week
U.S. Department of Labor
In the week ending July 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claimswas 1,314,000, a decrease of 99,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 14,000 from 1,427,000 to 1,413,000. The 4-week moving average was 1,437,250, a decrease of 63,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was … [More]
Health and Safety is Top Priority for Travel Industry with ‘Safe Stay’ Commitment
American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute
As Americans begin to travel, the hotel industry is coming together to ensure all guests and staff can remain safe and comfortable. Long before COVID-19, hotels were dedicated to cleaning at the highest standards. AHLA launched Safe Stay, an industry-wide, enhanced standard of health and safety protocols to prepare America’s hotels to safely welcome back guests and employees as … [More]
Startup Launches to Administer On-Site COVID-19 Testing for Arizona Businesses
COVID Testing To You
With COVID-19 cases spiking just as businesses are beginning to recover from shutdowns, many Arizona employers are facing very real risks in reopening. One local startup, however, may be able to help. With on-site COVID-19 testing available to local businesses with at least 10 tested employees, COVID Testing To You is an affordable and scalable way for employers to manage … [More]
$600,000 for Arizona Small Business to Help Support and Navigate Assistance
State of Arizona Office of the Governor
Governor Doug Ducey announced $600,000 to fund the launch of Arizona Small Business Association’s (ASBA) Live Local program, providing training for small businesses that will help them navigate the assistance and resources available during #COVID19, expanding mentoring and internship programs, and more. “We want small businesses to have the support and guidance they need … [More]
