Small Business

The U.S. Small Business Administration has reopened applications for its Economic Injury Disaster Loans for entities impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, the administration announced on Monday.

With the federal government now adopting the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 into law, Central Massachusetts businesses are being encouraged to take full advantage of the longer timelines and forgiveness in the program designed to help small businesses financially during the coronavirus crisis.

The federal government is loosening its guidelines on who and how business owners will be eligible for loan forgiveness under the $669-billion Paycheck Protection Program, U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza announced in a joint statement with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

Business confidence remains in pessimistic territory, but analysts said Tuesday that a major employer survey is beginning to show signs of a brightening view now that Massachusetts has begun to restart economic activity.

One long-term after-effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic disruption could be a heightened interest in shopping locally, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce head Tim Murray suggested Thursday.

The U.S. Small Business Administration, in conjunction with the U.S. Treasury, has released the Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness application, the agency announced on Friday.

In an effort to fill in gaps across loan relief programs, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce announced Friday the launch of an Economic Recovery Fund, which will provide loans to eligible small businesses negatively impacted by the ongoing economic disruption.

It would be "incredibly irresponsible" to send everyone back to work at the same time, Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday, pushing back against critics who have accused him of moving too slowly to restart the state's economy as he simultaneously tries to steer the state through the COVID-19 crisis.

Almost half of small businesses in Worcester County have closed at least temporarily during the coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis by a team of researchers led by Harvard University.

Congressional Democrats unveiled the most expansive COVID-19 bill to date Tuesday, calling for nearly $3 trillion in spending to support Americans in dire financial straits and assist state and local governments facing extreme budget pressures.