Category: News

Easy Steps to Plan Prepare and Manage Your Business

These 10 easy steps can help you plan, prepare and manage your business. Click on the links to learn more.

Step 1: Write a Business Plan

Use these tools and resources to create a business plan. This written guide will help you map out how you will start and run your business successfully.

Step 2: Get Business Assistance and Training

Take advantage of free training and counseling services, from preparing a business plan and securing financing, to expanding or relocating a business.

Step 3: Choose a Business Location

Get advice on how to select a customer-friendly location and comply with zoning laws.

Step 4: Finance Your Business

Find government backed loans, venture capital and research grants to help you get started.

Step 5: Determine the Legal Structure of Your Business

Decide which form of ownership is best for you: sole proprietorship, partnership, Limited Liability Company (LLC), corporation, S corporation, nonprofit or cooperative.

Step 6: Register a Business Name (“Doing Business As”)

Register your business name with your state government.

Step 7: Get a Tax Identification Number

Learn which tax identification number you’ll need to obtain from the IRS and your state revenue agency.

Step 8: Register for State and Local Taxes

Register with your state to obtain a tax identification number, workers’ compensation, unemployment and disability insurance.

Step 9: Obtain Business Licenses and Permits

Get a list of federal, state and local licenses and permits required for your business.

Step 10: Understand Employer Responsibilities

Learn the legal steps you need to take to hire employees.

Credit: Hannah Bowen:

 

 

Small Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Guide

Posted in: Starting A Business

Route 44 (Albany Avenue) Improvements Project Update

Kimberli Owens reports the following:

The Route 44 (Albany Avenue) Safety Improvements Project website has been updated with the following new schedule content:

Schedule: Week of September 7, 2020.*

Normal Work Hours: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday | Nighttime Hours: 7:00 pm – 6:00 am, Wednesday-Friday

  • Nighttime line striping is scheduled to occur Wednesday night (9/9) and Thursday night (9/10) on Albany Avenue and portions of side streets between Oakland Terrace and Bedford Street.
  • Daytime paving of Deerfield Avenue and Sterling Street is scheduled for this week. Vine Street paving continues.
  • Installation of bike posts and benches is scheduled to begin this week.
  • Fence installation continues in various locations.

 Traffic Impacts: Expect lane closures, detours, and minor traffic delays during line striping and paving operations. Follow the posted signs on Albany Avenue and side streets for parking restrictions.

*weather permitting

 Business access will be maintained. All travel lanes on Albany will remain open before 9 am and after 3 pm; during other hours, partial lane closures may occur. Traffic will be maintained in both directions on Homestead and Westbourne. Hartford Police will assist with traffic.

Contact Kimberli Owens at (860)-263-8533 or email kimberli.owens@ct.gov with questions or concerns

You may also visit their website at http://www.albanyavenuehartfordproject.com for project updates!

City Bus Stuck in Route 44 Construction Zone

On Tuesday, September 1, 2020, city bus #46 was unable to continue its journey along Route 44 because it got stuck in the uneven road surface at the corner of Albany Avenue and Vine Street.  The Department of Transportation transferred passengers to an alternate bus so that they could continue to their individual destination.

City bus stuck due to Route 44 construction

North End Anti-Litter Campaign – August 21, 2020

Calling all Upper Albany business owners and residents to participate!

The Blue Hills Civic Association has collaborated with other agencies and launched an anti-litter campaign in the North End.  “Buy-In” from the Upper Albany Merchants is sought in terms of keeping the front of your establishments and its immediate locale clean. Upper Albany (Albany Avenue) is targeted for clean up on August 21, 2020, from 9 a.m. to noon.  Contact the BHCA organizers at (860) 833-4288  for further information.

LISC and TD Bank Partner for Small Business Grants – Starting August 5, 2020

The following information was published on the LISC website:

TD Bank has committed $50,000 to LISC Connecticut for grants to small businesses. Grants will range in size up to $5,000. This is a multi-state approach, with a similar program by TD Bank launching in Massachusetts. This fund provides grant support to help address the financial impact on small businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional information may be viewed at https://www.lisc.org/connecticut-statewide/covid-19-resources/small-business-recovery-grants/

Who is eligible?

LISC will provide grants of up to $5,000 to businesses facing financial pressure because of COVID-19—especially businesses owned by people of color, women, and veterans, as well as enterprises in historically underserved communities that don’t have access to flexible, affordable capital.

The application is limited to the first 60 applicants, and from this pool, a limited number will be selected. Applications must be submitted online. Grant finalists will be required to provide the following documentation in order to receive a grant:

  • One of the following: a) Federal IRS Determination Letter for Businesses (Federal ID/TIN), b) Schedule C for Sole Proprietors OR c) Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN)

The application is only available online. 

The application portal will open at 1 pm EST on Wednesday, August 5, 2020, and close once the 60 applicant limit has been reached – or 11:59 pm EST on Friday, August 7, 2020.

GRANT ELIGIBILITY – To be eligible for funding, you must:

  • be a Connecticut small business with a Connecticut address and location
  • be in operation for at least 2 years
  • be in good standing
  • registered with the CT Secretary of State’s office*
  • have no outstanding liens or judgments
  • not have exceeded $1M in 2019 revenues
  • not have already received a small business grant from LISC

*registration not applicable to sole proprietorship

What it can be used for?

  • Paying rent and utilities
  • Meeting payroll
  • Paying outstanding debt to vendors
  • Other immediate operational costs

The Heartbeat Main Street Grant Program

Resource Credit: Main Street Grant Program

Main Street America informs that in an effort to support small businesses during the next phase of reopening safely, The HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program will fund solutions that help small business owners respond and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also help to revitalize and strengthen older and historic downtown commercial districts.

Grants of $5,000 to $15,000 will be awarded on a competitive and first-come, first-served basis. A minimum of 50 percent of grants will benefit diverse-owned businesses, as defined by the Small Business Administration as a minority, woman, veteran, disabled, and/or LGBTQ-owned. Grant applicants are not required to be customers of The Hartford.

Applications will be weighed and grants awarded without consideration of the applicant’s being or not being a present, past, or prospective customer of The Hartford. In partnership with The Hartford, this grant program supports brick-and-mortar businesses in commercial districts as they enter the next phases of reopening across the country.  Further information is available by clicking on this link:  https://www.mainstreet.org/howwecanhelp/hartbeat

One-Way Traffic Direction Changes: Magnolia and Irving Streets

Kimberli Owens has communicated that the Route 44 Safety Improvement Project website is updated as follows:

Beginning Monday, July 27, 2020* at 7:00 a.m., the following permanent one-way direction of traffic changes are scheduled to take effect on Magnolia and Irving Streets in Hartford, CT (the flyer and map are in the UAMS post below).

MAGNOLIA STREET will change to a one-way heading north from Homestead Avenue to Albany Avenue. There will be no directional changes on Magnolia Street north of Albany Avenue.

IRVING STREET, north, and south of Albany Avenue will change directions to flow away from Albany Avenue. North of Albany Avenue, Irving Street will become a one-way heading north toward Mather Street. South of Albany Avenue, Irving Street will become a one-way heading south toward Homestead Avenue.

PARKING INFO: Instructions regarding on-street parking changes will be posted along all impacted streets.

CONTACT INFO: For further information, contact Kimberli Owens at (860)263-8533 or email kimberli.owens@ct.gov.

Route 44 (Albany Avenue) SIP Update

Tectonic has updated its Route 44 (Albany Avenue) Safety Improvements Project schedule (SIP).  Please read below and contact Kimberli Owens at (860)-263-8533 or email kimberli.owens@ct.gov if you have questions or concerns.

Schedule: Week of June 29, 2020.*

Normal Work Hours: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday

  • No construction work will occur on Friday, July 3, 2020.
  • Granite curb installation will begin at the intersection of Burton Street and Homestead Avenue. Burton Street will remain open.
  • Installation of decorative lighting continues on the north side of Albany between Vine and Bedford Streets.
  • Curb-line paving will occur in various locations along Albany Avenue between Oakland and Bedford Streets.
  • Utility structures in the roadway will be raised to prepare for final paving between Oakland and Bedford Streets.
  • Traffic Impacts: Expect partial lane closures and minor traffic delays during granite curb installation, curb-line paving, and utility work this week.

Schedule: Week of July 6, 2020.*

Normal Work Hours: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday

  • Curb-line paving continues in various locations along Albany Avenue between Oakland and Bedford Streets.
  • Concrete sidewalk and driveway aprons will be installed along Albany Avenue between Vine and Magnolia Streets.
  • Installation of decorative lighting continues on the north side of Albany between Vine and Bedford Streets.
  • Concrete bus pad installation continues on Albany between Deerfield and Magnolia Streets.
  • Traffic Impacts: Expect partial lane closures and minor traffic delays in the area during concrete installation and paving work this week.

LOOKING AHEAD

Nighttime roadway paving, of Albany Avenue and side streets between Oakland and Bedford Streets, is scheduled to begin July 12, 2020. Paving hours will be Sunday-Thursday, 7:00 pm-6:00 am.

*weather permitting

Business access will be maintained. All travel lanes on Albany will remain open before 9 am and after 3 pm; during other hours, partial lane closures may occur. Traffic will be maintained in both directions on Homestead and Westbourne. Hartford Police will assist with traffic.

FREE Webinar – How to Successfully Apply for a Paycheck Protection Program Loan

Liberty Bank is offering financial assistance to small business owners experiencing financial hardships due to COVID-19 concerns:

“Dear valued Community partner:

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was established in early April to assist small businesses with the financial hardships they would face during COVID-19. The loan application deadline is quickly approaching on Tuesday, June 30.

As a community bank, Liberty Bank remains committed to assisting minority business owners with their PPP loan applications. We’re still accepting applications from customers and non-customers and many minority small business owners may still be eligible for PPP funding. In many cases, loan dollars will be forgiven.

Next steps: We are dedicated to providing additional outreach, training, and mentorship to minority-owned businesses in Connecticut who are still seeking PPP loan funding. Our team will guide you through the application process and provide more assistance, as needed, to ensure you successfully apply for a loan and to help your business thrive during these challenging times.”

Register Now!

The webinar will be offered at three different times. Click the appropriate link below to register for the date/time that’s convenient for you:

 

 

US 2020 Census Reminder

If you have not yet completed the 2020 Census, please click on this link to access the questionnaire.

  • The 2020 Census questionnaire will take about 10 minutes to complete.
  • It’s safe, secure, and confidential. Your information and privacy are protected.
  • Your response helps to direct billions of dollars in federal funds to local communities for schools, roads, and other public services.
  • Results from the 2020 Census will be used to determine the number of seats each state has in Congress and your political representation at all levels of government.

Complete the 2020 Census

It is Not Too Late

You can still complete the 2020 census today online at – https://2020census.gov/en

Your response matters to health clinics, fire departments, schools, and even roads and highways. The census can shape many different aspects of your community because the results help determine how billions of dollars in federal funding flow into states and communities each year.  The census results also determine how many seats in Congress each state gets. The Census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution in Article 1, Section 2: The U.S. has counted its population every 10 years since 1790. Census results affect your community every day in areas such as school lunches, plans for highways, and support for firefighters and families in need.

The 2020 Census is available online, by phone, and by mail. Online and phone responses can be completed in 13 languages (English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Tagalog, Polish, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Japanese).  When you respond to the census, your answers are kept anonymous. They are used only to produce statistics. The U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to protect your answers and keep them strictly confidential. The law ensures that your private information is never published and that your answers cannot be used against you by any government agency or court.  You will never be asked for:
  • Your Social Security number.
  • Money or donations.
  • Anything on behalf of a political party.
  • Your bank or credit card account numbers.

If someone claiming to be from the U.S. Census Bureau contacts you via email or phone and asks you for one of these things, it’s a scam, and you should not cooperate. For more information, visit Avoiding Fraud and Scams.

(Source: U.S. Census website at https://2020census.gov/en)