City of East Providence Business Climate Survey #2 - Impacts of COVID 19

The Mayor's Office and the Department of Planning & Economic Development, in partnership with the East Providence Area Chamber of Commerce, are here to support you during this challenging time.

We invite ALL businesses and sole proprietors located in East Providence to fill out this COVID-19 impact survey to the best of your ability so we can identify and support the needs of our business community. Your answers will be private unless you specifically request follow-up. Your participation in this survey will help us determine what assistance to small businesses is needed during this uncertain time.

In addition to this survey: The City has rolled out two emergency loan fund programs to benefit local small businesses that may be facing cash flow issues due to the impacts of COVID 19. Loans are funded through existing City-administered federal Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs. In addition, the City will coordinate with Rhode Island Small Business Administration and area banks to maximize benefits to local businesses. Specifics of these loan programs and information about how to apply are available at: https://www.eastprovidencebusiness.com/incentives/pages/east-providence-covid-19-small-business-assistance-loan-programs

If you have additional questions, contact Jim Moran, Chief Economic Planner, at jmoran@eastprovidenceri.gov

Question Title

* 1. Business Contact Information

Contact Name *

Business Name *

Address *

City/Town

ZIP/Postal Code *

Email Address *

Phone Number *

Question Title

* 2. What does your business operate as?

Sole proprietorship

LLC

C or S corporation

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. What sector is your business in:

Question Title

* 4. How many years has your business been in operation?

Question Title

* 5. Number of employees (before onset of COVID 19):

I am self-employed with zero other employees

1-5 employees

6-25 employees

26-49 employees

50+ employees

Question Title

* 6. Annual gross revenue (before COVID 19):

$25,000 or less

Between $26,000 - $50,000

Between $51,000 - $75,000

Between $76,000 - $100,000

Over $100,000

Question Title

* 7. Is your company considered an “essential” business per Governor Raimondo's executive order?

Yes

I don't know

Question Title

* 8. Is your business owned by a minority, woman, or veteran? Select all that apply

Minority owned

Woman owned

Veteran owned

Not applicable

Question Title

* 9. Compared to this time last year (2019 Q2), how do you expect your sales/revenues to change in 2020 Q2 because of COVID-19?

Increase in sales/revenes

Sales/revenues will stay the same

Decrease in sales/revenues: 0% to -20%

Decrease in sales/revenues: -21% to -50%

Decrease in sales/revenues: -51% to -100%

I don't know

Question Title

* 10. How has COVID-19 impacted your business operations? Check all that apply:

No impact - staying open with normal operations

Staying open, with changes or limitations to operations

Reduced hours of operation

Added hours of operation

Temporarily closed/suspended operation

Permanently closed

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 11. For companies that have closed, do you plan to reopen once conditions improve?

Yes, to full capacity

Yes, but not to full capacity

Unsure

Not applicable

Question Title

* 12. How has COVID-19 impacted your staffing? Check all that apply:

Hiring new/more employees

Laid off or furloughed employees

Reduced wages/salaries

Recommending paid vacation usage during slower market time

Implemented a hiring freeze

Employees on paid sick leave or paid family leave

Employees on unpaid sick leave or unpaid family leave

Employee absenteeism (no show)

No impacts

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 13. How have you changed or modified your work environment since the onset of COVID 19? Check all that apply.

Employees working remotely

Employee schedules modified

Canceled in-person meetings or conferences

Suspended or limited travel

Increased cleaning of work spaces

Made hand sanitizer and disinfectant available

Increased physical distance between workers

Restricted or no access to the workplace

Employees required to wear masks, gloves, and/or other PPE

Have not changed anything

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 14. How else has COVID-19 impacted your business? Check all that apply:

Difficulty paying rent and/or utilities

Decline in revenue

Declared bankruptcy

Increased operating costs (e.g. employee paid leave)

Access to capital needed to address increased costs

Insufficient capacity or inability to respond to home-delivery requests

Disruptions in supply chain/delivery

Price increases due to demand

Inability to serve customers

Increase in customers

Decrease in customers

Increased production/services

Reduced/limited products and/or services currently offered

Postponed decisions such as investments, R&D, capital, mergers, acquisitions, etc.

Streamlined decisions such as investments, R&D, capital, mergers, acquisitions, etc.

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 15. If the economic slowdown continues beyond May 2020, what do you anticipate changing in your business operations? Select all that apply.

Dismissing/laying off/furloughing staff

Reducing hours of operation

Changing location of business

Moving business operations online

Changing the types of services offered

Closing business

Don't anticipate a change in operation or staffing

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 16. Do you have sufficient cash to operate for the next...

	Yes	No	Don't know
One week?	One week? Yes	One week? No	One week? Don't know
One month?	One month? Yes	One month? No	One month? Don't know
Three months?	Three months? Yes	Three months? No	Three months? Don't know
Six months?	Six months? Yes	Six months? No	Six months? Don't know

Question Title

* 17. What are your most pressing business needs that city government could help with? Select all that apply.

Cash flow (payroll, rent/mortgage, utilities, capital expenses)

Debt relief/forbearance

Income assistance for business owners not eligible for unemployment

Health insurance for self or employees

Access to municipal services

Assistance securing PPE or other supplies

Applying for federal SBA assistance

Clarification of federal and state program offerings

Help with moving business operations online

Improved broadband service/access

Increased communication and information from city government

Don't know what assistance is available

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 18. What are your employees' most pressing concerns? Select all that apply.

Loss of job for themselves or household member

Loss of pay for themselves or household member

Having the ability to pay their mortgage, rent, or other important bills

Inadequate technology/internet access to work from home

Inadequate childcare

Keeping children on track with school

Checking in on family, friends, or colleagues

Searching for critical household items (food, medicine, toilet paper)

Access to healthcare/health insurance

Social isolation/loss of social support and/or mental health issues

Potential for workplace exposure to coronavirus

Caring for sick family members

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 19. What resources or guidance would be helpful for you in order to reopen and recover? Check all that apply:

Health and safety protocols

Design guidelines for safe workspace

Masks, gloves and/or other PPE

Timelines/plan for phasing reopening

Communications plans

Better employee benefits / PTO

Mental health resources

Employees' fear of returning to work

Customers/clients fear of coming back

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 20. What is the biggest challenge facing your business over the next 18 months?

Question Title

* 21. Since the crisis began, have you applied for unemployment insurance, SBA or other loans or financial assistance? (This does not preclude you from applying for East Providence emergency loan programs.) Check all that apply

I have NOT applied for any financial assistance so far

I have applied for unemployment insurance

I have applied for SBA loans, and received funding

I have applied for SBA loans, and did not receive funding

I have applied for other loans or financial assistance (please specify)

City of East Providence Small Business COVID 19 Emergency Loans
The City of East Providence has launched an emergency assistance loan fund to East Providence businesses and residents who are sole proprietors which have been adversely impacted by COVID 19. Eligible businesses may apply for loans up to $5,000 in order to pay rent, utilities, payroll, and other fixed costs during this crisis in order to stay afloat. These loans provide very favorable terms and flexible repayment options. If you have already applied or received an SBA loan, it does not preclude you from applying to these programs. More information is available on the city's website here.

Question Title

* 22. Would you like us to contact you with more information about the East Providence small business COVID 19 emergency fund?

Yes

City of East Providence Business Climate Survey #2 - Impacts of COVID 19

Question Title

* 1. Business Contact Information

Question Title

* 2. What does your business operate as?

Question Title

* 3. What sector is your business in:

Question Title

* 4. How many years has your business been in operation?

Question Title

* 5. Number of employees (before onset of COVID 19):

Question Title

* 6. Annual gross revenue (before COVID 19):

Question Title

* 7. Is your company considered an “essential” business per Governor Raimondo's executive order?

Question Title

* 8. Is your business owned by a minority, woman, or veteran? Select all that apply

Question Title

* 9. Compared to this time last year (2019 Q2), how do you expect your sales/revenues to change in 2020 Q2 because of COVID-19?

Question Title

* 10. How has COVID-19 impacted your business operations? Check all that apply:

Question Title

* 11. For companies that have closed, do you plan to reopen once conditions improve?

Question Title

* 12. How has COVID-19 impacted your staffing? Check all that apply:

Question Title

* 13. How have you changed or modified your work environment since the onset of COVID 19? Check all that apply.

Question Title

* 14. How else has COVID-19 impacted your business? Check all that apply:

Question Title

* 15. If the economic slowdown continues beyond May 2020, what do you anticipate changing in your business operations? Select all that apply.

Question Title

* 16. Do you have sufficient cash to operate for the next...

Question Title

* 17. What are your most pressing business needs that city government could help with? Select all that apply.

Question Title

* 18. What are your employees' most pressing concerns? Select all that apply.

Question Title

* 19. What resources or guidance would be helpful for you in order to reopen and recover? Check all that apply:

Question Title

* 20. What is the biggest challenge facing your business over the next 18 months?

Question Title

* 21. Since the crisis began, have you applied for unemployment insurance, SBA or other loans or financial assistance? (This does not preclude you from applying for East Providence emergency loan programs.) Check all that apply

Question Title

* 22. Would you like us to contact you with more information about the East Providence small business COVID 19 emergency fund?

Question Title

* 23. What other forms of assistance could help your business deal with the impact of COVID 19? Please describe: