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Governor Tom Wolf today highlighted the Wolf administration’s achievements in assisting small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic during the opening session of the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (PASBDC) growth conference.

“Small businesses are an integral part of our economy. They are our entrepreneurs, our community-minded employers, and our friends and neighbors. The Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers are an important resource for small businesses, and I appreciate all of your hard work helping entrepreneurs come up with new business ideas, create business plans, and the myriad of challenges in starting, running, or growing a business Governor Wolf said. “This conference is a great opportunity for people who want small businesses to come together successfully and talk about the innovative ways we can grow small businesses in Pennsylvania. Together, we can make our small businesses help to be successful, and I thank the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers and their advisors for everything they do to support our business community. “

The virtual growth conference provided the opportunity for PASBDC’s nationwide network of 160 consultants to come together for a time of learning and networking.

“The Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers were pleased to welcome Governor Wolf as our keynote speaker to our annual professional development conference. The Governor’s support for small business grants and soft loan programs, as well as his continued support for small business technical assistance programs such as SBDC, demonstrate Governor Wolf’s continued commitment to our Commonwealth’s business community, ”said Ernie Post, State Director of PASBDC.

PASBDC supports Pennsylvania’s economic development by providing entrepreneurs and small businesses with the individual consultation, extensive training, and information necessary to help their businesses start, grow, and thrive. PASBDC provides counseling services and educational programs through a network of 16 Pennsylvania locations.

Consultants work with entrepreneurs in confidential one-on-one meetings to assist them with issues such as developing new areas of business, developing a business plan, researching funding opportunities, and more. SBDCs are also addressing navigation and recovery concerns during the COVID-19 crisis, including assisting with disaster loan application, long-term planning, economic loss estimation, and business readiness.

Throughout the pandemic, the Wolf Administration has worked to provide tools and resources to help our small business community meet the challenges of this pandemic, including allocating $ 225 million in funding to support small businesses through the coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This program prioritized grants for major road and historically disadvantaged businesses in the Commonwealth. More than 10,000 companies have been approved for grants, half of which went to historically disadvantaged companies. An additional $ 50 million in CARES Act funding was made available for Hazard Pay for Frontline Workers. In addition, the COVID-19 Capital Working Access Program (CWCA) provided $ 60 million in loans to small businesses, with the administration on hold on corporate loan repayment.

The Wolf Administration also supported targeted industries that were particularly hard hit by the pandemic, including providing grants to childcare providers. For the hospitality industry, the governor worked with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to waive standard license fees through 2021, providing $ 20 million in relief to more than 16,000 restaurants and bars, clubs, catering clubs, and hotels in Pennsylvania. Governor Wolf also initiated a $ 145 million transfer from the Pennsylvania Insurance Department’s Worker’s Compensation Fund to the General Fund to help companies still struggling with the pandemic. The General Assembly channeled this money into the COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program (CHIRP).

Governor Wolf also prioritized key employees during the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Wolf Administration worked with the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force, industry leaders and public health officials to help special populations of frontline workers get vaccinated in recent weeks, including grocery store and farm workers.

As Pennsylvania approaches recovery from the pandemic, the governor has unveiled Back to Work PA, a bold, comprehensive workforce and economic development plan that would support recovery efforts and position Pennsylvania for economic growth. It will build a more diverse and resilient economy than ever, and our companies, especially our small businesses, will have the resources and talent they need to grow and thrive, and our people will have the skills to create well-paid jobs and build wealth for future generations.

The video of the governor’s opening sessions is available online.