Like everyone else at the moment, the nonprofit sector is dealing with a wide array of challenges and uncertainties as it grapples with the broad effects of the coronavirus pandemic.  Our thoughts are with our clients, colleagues, and friends in the sector, even as we attend to our own at Adler & Colvin (we’re fully operational!), and at home.

And like everyone else, we have received (and expect to keep receiving) a flood of information and updates relevant to the sector.  While we don’t want to add to the deluge by passing everything along, we have compiled here some resources that many of our clients may find helpful.  We’ll try to add to this list in future posts as we become aware of new resources (although as you may imagine, with news evolving as rapidly as it is right now, we won’t catch everything!).  Of course, the links below reflect what we know at the time of posting, and things may change quickly.

April 2, 2020 Update

• Information from the U.S. Treasury Department for small employers, including nonprofits, about how to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program. Resources include a sample application form and a list of eligibility requirements.  Loans will be available through your federally-insured local bank or credit union.  Lenders may be ready to accept applications as soon as Friday, April 3.
• The U.S. Small Business Association (“SBA”) Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program offers loan advances of up to $10,000 (and loans for working capital of up to $2M) for certain small (<500 employees) employers.  Other SBA support that might be available for nonprofit organizations is described here.
• The Independent Sector has information about how to access CARES Act funds through various programs.
• The IRS has provided information about a $10,000 Employee Retention Credit available to all employers (other than those receiving Payroll Protection Program loans), regardless of size, including tax-exempt organizations, provided that they meet certain eligibility requirements as a result of the pandemic. This IRS Fact Sheet provides more information.
• The California Labor and Workforce Development Agency has an extensive list of COVID-19-related resources for workers and employers in California.
• Our friends at California Association of Nonprofits are maintaining a list of COVID-19 resources for California Nonprofits.
• For recipients of federal grant funds, the Office of Management and Budget has issued guidance relaxing many compliance requirements ranging from filing deadlines to the use of grant funds to cover certain COVID-19-related costs.  For details, see OMB Memorandum M-20-17.
• BoardSource has a collection of resources for nonprofit leaders to help you manage your organization through the pandemic.

National Resources

• General Information, from the National Council of Nonprofits:  “The novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, is creating an evolving situation with varied impacts around the world and across the states. We will be updating this page regularly with the latest information and resources that nonprofits can use to prepare and respond.”
• Low-interest Loans, from the U.S. Small Business Administration:  “The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering designated states and territories low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. … The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%.”
• Discussions for Funders, hosted by Exponent Philanthropy:  “Every Friday in the coming weeks, Exponent Philanthropy will host a live discussion for all lean funders to connect around response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”  The first discussion is tomorrow, March 20, 2020 at 2:00 pm (Eastern).
• Resources for Nonprofit Boards, from Boardsource:  “What Nonprofit Board Members Should Be Doing Right Now to Address the COVID-19 Situation.”
• Insurance Coverage Q&A, courtesy of California Association of Nonprofits:  CalNonprofits recently asked Colleen Lazanich, CEO of its social enterprise CalNonprofits Insurance Services, for answers to common questions.

California Resources

• Brown Act (open meeting law) Relief:  Gavin Newsom has issued Executive Order N-29-20, which provides relief from certain open-meeting requirements that apply to some nonprofits.
• FPPC Filing Deadlines:  According to a communication we received from the California Political Attorneys Association (“CPAA”), FPPC Chair Richard Miadich has told the CPAA that the FPPC understands that compliance with filing deadlines may be difficult during this crisis, and “is committed to working collaboratively to resolve these issues for the filing community.”  Here’s how the CPAA described what that might look like:  “While the agency does not have authority to extend deadlines, they will be taking these circumstances into consideration when making decisions about whether or how to exercise prosecutorial discretion. To the extent [filers] are not able to comply with various deadlines and other requirements, the recommendation is to document as best you can, including correspondence from filing officers about closures, record of attempted deliveries, memos to file about staffing and other closures impacting compliance, etc.”
• Emergency grant support from San Francisco Foundation:  “Through the SFF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, SFF will make a limited number of one-time grants ($3,000 – $25,000) to nonprofits addressing the following four issue areas, described in greater detail [at the link above]: racial bias, worker protection, homelessness and renter protection/housing security, and food security. If approved, grants will be processed within 10-15 days of application receipt. We also acknowledge that the needs of low-income communities, particularly the impacts for communities of color, related to COVID-19 will continue to evolve and grow over time. As a result, we anticipate having multiple waves of funding over the next several months to meet these needs.”