Sisolak: Nevada program helps companies stay afloat during pandemic

Nevada’s largest tiny concern programme helped thousands of companies enactment afloat during the pandemic, and much steps are being taken to connection further support, officials said during a small-business roundtable lawsuit Monday.

Gov. Steve Sisolak and Treasurer Zach Conine shared that the state’s Pandemic Emergency Technical Support (PETS) Grant provided much than $100 cardinal successful backing to an estimated 9,400 tiny businesses and nonprofits.

The assistance helped concern owners screen expenses specified arsenic payroll, rent and utilities, Sisolak said.

“This was the largest tiny concern programme successful Nevada past and saved countless fig of jobs and made it truthful galore of our tiny businesses could spot the airy astatine the extremity of the tunnel,” helium said.

Some small-business owners astatine the roundtable noted the PETS Grant allowed them to grow their concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, but each agreed much steps should beryllium taken to assistance with recovery, including improvement of a program to resoluteness the state’s idiosyncratic shortage.

Hans Hippert, laminitis of JoJo’s Jerky, said helium utilized his PETS Grant to grow his business.

“Fortunately, we were capable to clasp connected to our unit and each of our astonishing radical but beyond that with the PETS (grant) — really turn and physique our squad and benignant of alteration absorption not conscionable to beef jerky but to different avenues that radical really need,” helium said.

Attorney Adriana Pereyra of Integrity Law Firm said galore of her clients are connected outgo plans but erstwhile the pandemic deed they were incapable to support up with their payments — making the PETS programme a lifeline for her eight-year-old business.

“Not lone was I not getting a batch of caller clients but I was besides not getting paid from hired clients truthful this (PETS) truly helped. It helped support my employees … I was precise grateful,” she said.

Extra help

The PETS programme launched successful October with $20 cardinal successful national Coronavirus funds to enactment tiny businesses, nonprofits, arts and taste organizations arsenic good arsenic section Chambers of Commerce.

Eligible applicants were those with less than 50 employees and little than $4 cardinal successful gross yearly revenue. It allowed funds of up to $10,000 for businesses and nonprofits portion chambers of commerce arsenic good arsenic arts and civilization organizations could person up to $20,000.

Sisolak said the programme saw much than 13,500 applications successful the archetypal 4 days. Interest was truthful precocious the programme yet expanded its fund to much than $100 million, according to Sisolak.

Out of the 9,400 businesses awarded PETS grants, 52 percent were categorized arsenic disadvantaged businesses, defined arsenic owned by women, veterans, minorities oregon those with disabilities.

“We were determined to guarantee nary concern that had been historically marginalized was near down erstwhile we determined entree to these funds,” said Conine.

Conine said it’s large to observe the occurrence of the PETS programme arsenic it comes to an end, delivering the last funds to applicants successful the coming days, but helium acknowledged much enactment needs to beryllium done.

“The velocity and trajectory of Nevada’s economical betterment are going to beryllium based connected tiny concern success,” helium said. “Small businesses are the backbone of our system and they volition beryllium the lifeblood of our recovery.”

Challenges ahead

David Huang, president of Skylar Consulting, said that portion helium was capable to clasp each of his employees, acknowledgment to national coronavirus alleviation programs, he’s present having occupation expanding his business.

“Now that we’re coming retired of the heavy of things, we’ve discovered that we tin grow now. The challenges we look present is hiring,” said Huang. “When we’re putting ads retired online oregon done antithetic channels we’re learning radical are applying conscionable for the involvement of applying due to the fact that they’re trying to conscionable the unemployment security (work requirement) truthful they’re not existent applicants.”

Pereyra of Integrity Law said she’s faced the aforesaid contented arsenic Huang, adding that she adjacent reached retired to Nevada Job Connect erstwhile an applicant failed to look for an interview.

“It conscionable seemed similar helium wasn’t making an effor t… and erstwhile I told (Nevada Job Connect) what happened I deliberation they contacted him,” she said, adding that they tried to docket different interrogation but helium couldn’t attend.

Sisolak said the hiring challenges is being faced by companies each implicit the state.

“You’re close the extended unemployment security is helping folks but astatine the aforesaid clip immoderate folks are not returning,” helium said.

Sisolak said the astir communal crushed helium hears is interest implicit child-care costs ,and helium added immoderate residents are “genuinely acrophobic astir going backmost to work. They’ve got a compromised immune strategy and they don’t privation to instrumentality immoderate much chances,” particularly arsenic Nevada’s COVID-19 lawsuit numbers are starting to rise.

“We’re moving to get much radical successful the workplace,” helium said. “We’re alert of that and we’re addressing that connected each front.”

Contact Subrina Hudson astatine shudson@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0340. Follow @SubrinaH connected Twitter.