All City offices are closed; all staff members of Norfolk Economic Development are working from home.  Please call our office at 757-664-4338 – we are monitoring our calls.

For more information, please visit the Hampton Roads Chamber COVID-19 Business Resource Guide

Staff COVID – 19 Response Teams

  • Business Recovery Tools Teams
  • Outreach & Business Intelligence Team
  • Regional Business Recovery Task Force for COVID-19
  • Norfolk Works Workforce Team – Resident Support for COVID-19

We are constantly updating the Norfolk Development Facebook page

Norfolk Business Assistance Programs

  • Norfolk Business Loan Product for COVID-19 Interruptions press release and important documents here
  • Norfolk Business Loan Product for COVID-19 application here
  • Due Dates for Payments of Certain Taxes and Temporary Relief of Certain Convenience Fees here
  • Tax Relief – Additional Clarity
  • Economic Injury Disaster Loan Programs

Federal Business Assistance Programs

  • Small business owners in the following designated states are currently eligible to apply for a low-interest loan due to Coronavirus (COVID-19): California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia and Washington. Click here to apply.
  • The SBA will work directly with state Governors to provide targeted, low-interest loans to small businesses and non-profits that have been severely impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.
  • Find more information on the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans here 
  • SBA’s Portal Application here
  • SBA Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program  here
  • Paycheck Protection Program Information

Exporting Assistance

SBA also provides export loans to help small businesses achieve sales through exports and can help these businesses respond to opportunities and challenges associated with trade, such as COVID-19. The loans are available to U.S. small businesses that export directly overseas, or those that export indirectly by selling to a customer that then exports their products.

  • Export Express loan program gives access to capital quickly for businesses for financing up to $500,000. Businesses can apply for a line of credit or term note before finalizing an export sale or when pursuing opportunities overseas, such as identifying a new overseas customer should an export sale be lost due to COVID-19. Click here for more information.
  • Export Working Capital program helps small businesses to achieve export orders and finance international sales by offering revolving lines of credit or transaction-based financing of up to $5 million. This can be used to engage overseas customers by offering appealing payment terms. Click here for more information.
  • International Trade loan program helps small businesses engaged in international trade to better compete and react to changing business conditions. It can also help exporting firms to expand their sales to new markets or to bring operations back to the U.S. Click here for more information.

Other Resources for Norfolk Businesses

  • Norfolk City Map for Businesses to share operation status information here
  • VisitNorfolk’s COVID-19 information on restaurant, city virtual tools, and other services

Planning & Inspections

  • During the current COVID-19 period, the Development Services Center will continue
    to conduct limited plan review by digital submittals and from the online portal only.
  • Please see this document for Site Plan Protocols information

Inspection Protocols

  • Please see this document for inspection permit details

Survey Response Requested

State of  Virginia News Link

Unemployment and Family Assistance Programs

  • YMCA of South Hampton Roads providing emergency child care for essential personnel such as first responders and health care workers
  • United Way of South Hampton Roads Announces Plans to Lead Coronavirus Response Efforts, Establishes Fund here
  • Virginia Employment Commission here
  • Virginia Career Works Contact Information here

COVID-19 GRANTS

LISC & Verizon “Pay It Forward” Initiative

Verizon announced a new $2.5M grant to LISC to provide grants to small businesses facing immediate financial pressure because of COVID-19. This Fund is part of Verizon’s Pay It Forward Campaign, a new weekly live-stream series featuring big names in entertainment. The series debuted on 3/26 at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 PT with a performance by Dave Matthews. The concerts will stream live at 8:00 p.m. ET on Twitter @verizon and on Yahoo Entertainment. Additional artists and partners will be announced at a later date.  Click here for a guide on how to engage.

LISC will launch an online process for small businesses to submit applications for grants (sign up here to stay updated on the process). Applications will be reviewed and then entered into a lottery. The grants are designed to help business owners fill urgent financial gaps – from paying rent to meeting payroll – until they can resume normal operations or other financing becomes available.

Industry Specific Resources

City Updates

  • norfolk business loan