May 11, 2020
As the news surrounding the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, our team at blumshapiro is staying focused on answering the local business community’s most pressing questions. Get the latest information and resources by clicking here.
Businesses operating in the hospitality and food & beverage industries have been thrust into the great unknown amid the extraordinary disruption caused by the global outbreak of COVID-19. To assist in navigating these turbulent times, our team of industry experts have created and compiled several resources to help your organization tackle these challenges.
You can find our full suite of resources, webinars, fact sheets and analysis related to the food & beverage industry on our website by clicking here. For this article, though, we just want to direct you to a wide range of hospitality-focused resources across the New England region.
Resources: Social Distancing Restrictions
There’s no getting around it: Social distancing and disinfection policies will be a part of our day-to-day lives for the foreseeable future. Even when restaurants and hotels are permitted to reopen and start regaining some sense of normalcy, maintaining a spotlessly clean and socially distant environment is going to be crucial.
Here are a few resources that outline best practices for cleaning and disinfecting your workspace, as well as state policies on mandatory equipment such as face coverings and gloves.
- WORKSHOP: Free food safety online courses (ServSafe)
- GUIDELINES: Cleaning and Disinfection for Human-Touch Surfaces (Food Industry Association)
- OVERVIEW: COVID-19 Information & Resources (National Restaurant Association)
- GUIDANCE: Face Masks and Gloves (Rhode Island Hospitality Association)
- NEXT STEPS: Restaurant Industry’s Blueprint for Recovery (National Restaurant Association)
Resources: Adapting to New Ways of Doing Business
The restrictions brought on by this public health crisis have created an extraordinary challenge for restaurants, hotels and other hospitality businesses. Many businesses around New England and across the country have been forced to get creative and completely rethink their revenue streams.
From setting your restaurant up for online ordering to staying in touch with your customers, here are a few resources to help you maintain your presence in this (temporary) “new normal.”
- EDUCATION: Weekly Education Webinars (Rhode Island Hospitality Association)
- GUIDANCE: Boston restaurants permitted to sell groceries (City of Boston)
- TRAINING: Free Hospitality Career Training (AHLA)
- TRAVEL: Connecticut guidance on tourism (CT Office of Tourism)
- GUIDANCE: Selling groceries to-go (R.I. Dept. of Health)
- WEBINARS: Upcoming Digital Forum Schedule (BLLA)
- WATCH: The Boutique Hotel Industry and COVID-19 (BLLA)
- WEBINAR: Setting up online ordering (Rhode Island Commerce)
- PETITION: Improve Relief Efforts (Restaurants Act)
- SURVEY: COVID-19 Restaurant Impact Survey (National Restaurant Association)
Resources: Financial Relief:
Federal, state and local government leaders – as well as professional associations, philanthropic foundations and other groups – are all rolling out loan programs, grant opportunities and other forms of financial relief options on a seemingly constant basis.
Our best piece of advice is to contact your financial advisor to develop a plan that works for you. In the meantime, here are a few resources that may help start that process.
- OVERVIEW: Small Business Grants for Companies Hit by COVID-19 (Inc.)
- WATCH: Understanding the world under CARES (Inc.)
- WATCH: Getting Your Stimulus Loan Faster (Inc.)
- FACEBOOK LIVE: Paycheck Protection Program overview (Rhode Island Commerce)
- READ: SBA issues additional PPP resources (blumshapiro)
- ANALYSIS: Insight into emergency stimulus package (blumshapiro)
- TOOLKIT: Paycheck Protection Loan Toolkit (blumshapiro)
- FACT SHEET: Paycheck Protection Program (RISCPA)
- WEBINAR: Federal Tax Changes Around COVID-19 (blumshapiro)
- READ: Talk to your banker about the CARES Act (blumshapiro)
- SUMMARY: Small Business COVID-19 Conference Calls (Lt. Gov. Dan McKee)
- DOCUMENTS: Application | Final Rules | Information for Borrowers (U.S. Treasury)
- SEARCH: Find an SBA-Approved Lender (SBA)
- FAQ: Paycheck Protection Program Loans (SBA, updated as of April 15)
- GUIDE: Small Business Owner’s Guide to the Cares Act (RISCPA)
- GUIDE: SBA Programs for Economic Recovery (RISCPA)
- GRANTS: Non-SBA emergency grants (Rhode Island Commerce)
Resources: Professional Associations:
- Rhode Island Hospitality Association: Representing more than700 foodservice businesses, vendors, hotels and other hospitality members across Rhode Island, RIHA has established itself as a one-stop shop for the latest information and resources related to COVID-19. The organization is working directly with state policymakers and keeping its members informed on the latest guidelines, restrictions and next steps as Rhode Island works toward reopening its economy. Catch up on RIHA’s resources and information by clicking here. RIHA, through its charitable foundation, also launched the Rhode Island Hospitality Employee Relief Fund. Learn more about the fund, and consider a donation, by clicking here.
- Eat Drink Rhode Island: Eat Drink RI provides a wealth of information on the Ocean State’s food and beverage industries – and, throughout this crisis, the site has aggregated resources and links relevant to the restaurant community and provided comprehensive lists of takeout and delivery options for local customers. Learn more by clicking here.
- Connecticut Lodging Association: CLA is a trade association comprised of hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts and other tourism-facing businesses operating across Connecticut. CLA is updating its website with the latest COVID-19 information on a real-time basis. Catch up by clicking here.
- Connecticut Restaurant Association: A full-service, nonprofit professional group advocating for Connecticut-based restaurants, CRA has a long list of links, resources and education webinars on its website, which you can find by clicking here. Through its charitable foundation, CRA also launched the Connecticut Hospitality Relief Fund, which is providing immediate emergency funds to hospitality workers across the state. Learn more about the fund, and make a donation, by clicking here.
- Massachusetts Lodging Association: Representing members with more than 35,000 rooms across Massachusetts, MLA is committed to creating and implementing aggressive programs to advance the travel industry in the Commonwealth. You can review MLA’s COVID-19 update page by clicking here.
- Massachusetts Restaurant Association: Representing more than 18,000 restaurants, MRA is the voice of expertise for the Commonwealth’s restaurant industry. The organization’s COVID-19 page on its website includes best practices for carryout and delivery, educational webinars, the latest information on statewide policies and more. Catch up by clicking here.
- Boutique & Lifestyle Leaders Association: Operating on a national level, BLLA is the official organization for boutique hospitality businesses across the country. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the organization has worked to compile relevant media coverage, provide real-time updates and host educational webinars and trainings to its members. All of their resources can be found by clicking here.
- Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals: Headquartered in Texas, HFTP is an international advocacy and networking group representing hospitality businesses around the world. Their COVID-19 resources can be found by clicking here.
Disclaimer: Any written tax content, comments, or advice contained in this article is limited to the matters specifically set forth herein. Such content, comments, or advice may be based on tax statutes, regulations, and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof and we have no obligation to update any content, comments or advice for retroactive or prospective changes to such authorities. This communication is not intended to address the potential application of penalties and interest, for which the taxpayer is responsible, that may be imposed for non-compliance with tax law.
Disclaimer: The contents of this resource are for general informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy, the information is provided “as is” and no representations are made that the content is error-free. We have no obligation to update any content, comments or other information for retroactive or prospective interpretations or guidance provided by regulators, financial institutions or others. The information is not intended to constitute legal advice or replace the advice of a qualified professional. There are areas of the CARES Act where additional clarification from the Treasury Department and the SBA is needed. Your judgment and interpretation of the act may be needed. Users should consult with their legal counsel and representatives of the lending institution regarding the proper completion of their application and supporting documentation.