A new grant program opens up today, making $20 million in COVID-19 relief funds available to Nevada businesses and some other organizations. University of Nevada, Reno Extension will focus on explaining this program, the Pandemic Emergency Technical Support Grant (PETS), at its next online town hall to support small businesses across the state during the pandemic.

The town hall is free, and there will be an English-language session this Wednesday (Oct. 21) and a Spanish-language session next Wednesday (Oct. 28). During the sessions, presenters will explain the details of the new assistance program, including grant eligibility, how to submit an application, documents that are required, different rewards levels, and the eligible business expenses under the grant. 

In addition, there will be updates on some other assistance programs, such as the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans. And, with the nation about to grapple with its first holiday season amid COVID-19, strategies for business owners, ranging from marketing Black Friday to retooling their business's brand for the new year, will also be discussed. 

“COVID-19 is going to change a lot about this holiday season – the way we shop, the way we celebrate, the way we travel and more,” said Buddy Borden, economic development specialist with Extension’s Business Development Program. “This fourth quarter is incredibly important for so many businesses, even under normal circumstances. We just want to help them try to think through what they might expect and how to prepare for this important time in order to be successful.”

Extension has been offering a series of weekly online town halls and webinars for small businesses, “Coping With COVID-19,” since April. Details on this upcoming town hall include:

“The New PETS Grant and Strategies for the Holidays” town hall is this Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 9 a.m. for English speakers, and next Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 5:30 p.m. for Spanish speakers. Panelists include:

• From the Governor's Office of Economic Development – Tatjana Vukovic, business development manager (English session)
• From the Small Business Administration – Saul Ramos, deputy district director (English session); and Alfredo Cedeño, outreach/marketing specialist (Spanish session)
• Alex Nicole Garza, solutions expert for entrepreneurs and caregivers
• From Extension – Reyna Mendez and Juan Salas, business development instructors; and Mike Bindrup, research associate 

The town halls usually run about an hour. To register:

• The 9 a.m., Oct. 21, English-language town hall.
• The 5:30 p.m., Oct, 28, Spanish-language town hall.

For more information, go to the Extension Business Development Program website. There are also other resources at the website to assist businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. For more information, email Borden.