Category: COVID-19

Grant Bolsters Centre County Small Businesses

Grant Bolsters Centre County Small Businesses

Posted on by

Through the Centre County Commissioners Small Business Grant, using funds distributed under the American Rescue Plan, over 250 small businesses received assistance totaling $2.7 million dollars.

Businesses in Centre County were able to apply for these funds from July through October of 2021. Funds could help cover operating expenses incurred during 2021. Operating expenses included but were not limited to payroll, rent, mortgage, utilities, costs of goods, supplies, raw materials, etc. The average amount of grant funds awarded was $10,767.44.

SEDA-COG worked with independent contractor, Harry Mathias, for setting up the grant parameters, application, and review. Applicants were selected based on loss of revenue, having fewer than 500 full time employees, and impact felt from the COVID-19 pandemic. SEDA-COG worked in partnership with small businesses and the Centre County Commissioners to ensure they received the support they needed, including handling the accounting and distributing of grants funds.

Kim Wheeler, Executive Director of SEDA-COG says, “The Commissioners of Centre County recognized the need to support a diverse range of small businesses during an extremely trying time. SEDA-COG is grateful for this leadership in the region that had a positive impact on so many businesses and their families. The opportunity to collaborate with our member counties and coordinate this kind of support for the region’s economy is of upmost importance to us.”

“We appreciate SEDA-COG’s assistance in awarding the money so quickly to so many small businesses throughout the 4th largest county in Pennsylvania by area. Without SEDA-COG’s help, disbursement of the small business grant funds would have been delayed,” says Centre County Commissioner Mark Higgins.

Commissioner Higgins continued, “The Centre County small business community has been very appreciative of the Commissioners’ assistance. We have actually seen fewer businesses close than usual. Since so many of our businesses survived, our downtowns are now thriving. We also want to thank the citizens of Centre County for strongly supporting their locally owned businesses.”

SEDA-COG is a community and economic development agency in Lewisburg and is one of seven Local Development Districts in Pennsylvania. SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in the 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives.

For more information, please contact Elaine Stauder, communications coordinator, SEDA-Council of Governments, at 570-522-7429 or estauder@seda-cog.org

Final Notice: Centre County CDBG-CV and Bellefonte Borough

Final Notice: Centre County CDBG-CV and Bellefonte Borough

Posted on by DNS Admin

POSTING DATES: August 5 – August 11, 2020
CONTACT: Nicole Hogan, (570) 524-4491

FINAL NOTICE

On August 31, 2020, Centre County plans to submit an application to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for 2020 Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Response (CDBG-CV) funds. The amount of the 2020 CDBG-CV funds for Centre County is $166,152, and $66,574 for the Borough of Bellefonte. Based on this amount, the Centre County Commissioners , along with the Bellefonte Borough Council propose to allocate CDBG funds to the following activities:

CENTRE COUNTY

  1. Emergency Services Assistance Program $ 40,875
  2. Centre Volunteers in Medicine $ 20,000
  3. Centre Safe $ 10,000
  4. Centre County rent/mortgage/utility assistance program $ 35,377
  5. Small Business Assistance Program $ 30,000
  6. SEDA-COG Administration $ 16,600
  7. Centre County Administration $ 13,300

TOTAL $ 166,152

BELLEFONTE BOROUGH

8. Bellefonte Utility and Rent Assistance Program $ 59,974
9. Administration $ 6,600

TOTAL $ 66,574

A Public Hearing to receive comments on the proposed use of these funds will be held on August 11, 2020, at 7:00 PM. Keeping with federal and state guidelines regarding COVID 19, this meeting will take place as a virtual video web and tele conference. The public is invited to observe and participate in the hearing as follows: To access via web video, type the link: https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/8383951780. To access via telephone dial +1(470)869-2200 and enter Meeting ID: 838 395 1780. The meeting will be recorded. The meeting platform is accessible to persons with disabilities. If accommodations are needed for those with special needs related to language, sight, or hearing, please call (570)524-4491 at least five days in advance. Interested applicants should contact the Centre County Commissioners as soon as possible for funding consideration, but in no case later than August 11, 2020. Following the Public Hearing, the Centre County Commissioners will consider the approval of the CDBG-CV application at the August 13, 2020 Commissioners Meeting.

The Center County Commissioners will strive to make all programs and activities accessible to the learning, mobility, vision, hearing, and language-impaired persons. If you have a disability or limited English proficiency and require an auxiliary aid or accommodations, please contact Nicole Hogan at SEDA-COG, 1-800-332-6701, 1-800-654-5984 TTY, 1-800-654-5988 TDD, to discuss your needs at least five days in advance. Translators will be available upon request.

Any complaints should be written and submitted to Mitzi Gallagher-Long at SEDA-COG. Written responses will be addressed within 15 working days when practicable.

Übersetzer sind für die öffentliche Sitzung auf Anfrage erhältlich.

可應要求提供翻譯服務

Переводчики будут доступны по запросу.

Funds available for limited time for heating unit repairs. Residents can get no-cost repairs through SEDA-COG

Funds available for limited time for heating unit repairs. Residents can get no-cost repairs through SEDA-COG

Posted on by DNS Admin

SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) is reminding residents that CARES funds to repair or replace their home heating units are available through Aug. 31 or until funds are spent.

This service is available to income-qualifying residents in Columbia, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Perry, Snyder, and Union counties because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mandy Fox, chief of SEDA-COG’s Weatherization program, said there are still funds left and urged residents to apply.

“Many people are facing financial hardships right now, and we want to let people know these funds are still available. Because it’s summer, many people aren’t thinking about repairing or replacing their heating units, but it’s the perfect time to do repairs since the funds are available and it’s warm out,” Fox said.

For those whose heat source is malfunctioning, they should call their county assistance office. The county assistance office will forward the completed referral to SEDA-COG to assign to a subcontractor.

SEDA-COG and its subcontractors will follow Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and use the proper Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) during home visits. SEDA-COG asks those who have been sick, have symptoms or have been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 that they reschedule their appointments.

COUNTY ASSISTANCE OFFICES

Columbia: 570-387-4200
Juniata: 717-436-2158
Mifflin: 717-248-6746
Montour: 570-275-7430
Perry: 1-800-991-1929
Snyder: 570-374-8126
Union: 570-524-2201

For more information on the recovery program, call SEDA-COG’s Christine Bohart at 570-522-7219 or visit https://bit.ly/2WV26pJ.

Lewisburg Business Secures $18K Contract with SEDA-COG Partnership

Lewisburg Business Secures $18K Contract with SEDA-COG Partnership

Posted on by DNS Admin

LEWISBURG – In a time when businesses are struggling to survive because of the COVID-19 pandemic, CSSI Technologies Inc. is expanding their business to selling to the government in partnership with SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG).

The Lewisburg-based mobile computing hardware and software company recently secured a 3-year contract of $18,472 to sell software to the Philadelphia-based office of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

The software, “Bartender,” is used for designing, printing, and managing barcodes, RFID tags and documents. It is the best-in-class software that allows companies to design and manage their barcode labels.

SEDA-COG worked with CSSI so they can sell to the state and federal governments, involving multiple registration processes, certifications, trainings, and bid notifications. This included obtaining a PA COSTARS and PA Invitation to Qualify contract, which will position CSSI to sell to local and state government agencies.

CSSI President Joe Tosolt said SEDA-COG made the process simple for them and described it as a big “win” in these tumultuous times.

“SEDA-COG spent a lot of time helping us through this process,” Tosolt said. “Particularly in this era right now, when COVID is causing havoc on businesses, having another source of sales is essential.”

Tosolt said Robert Brown, director of SEDA-COG’s Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), was quick to respond to their needs and expertly guided them through the process.

“Trying to get into government contracting from the outside is not intuitive and Rob provided a lot of guidance. He has been extremely responsive to us. It would have been very difficult to navigate it otherwise. We’re thankful for support and help and responsiveness from SEDA-COG especially in this time,” Tosolt said.

Brown said SEDA-COG, as a community and economic development agency, empowers businesses to prosper – and that many businesses aren’t aware that selling to the government is the nation’s largest marketplace.

“Businesses have a great opportunity to expand and diversify their sales by partnering with us to sell to the government. Each year, the federal government alone purchases over $400 billion in products and services from businesses. We can help your business tap into that opportunity,” Brown said.

Serving the Mid-Atlantic region with a staff of 12, CSSI powers business productivity with the smart integration of mobile computing, barcoding/RFID, and customized business software. They specialize in working closely with each customer to create high-impact solutions in demanding environments such as warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, transportation, and logistics.

“CSSI powers productivity by applying technology tools to make businesses more efficient and productive. We do everything from process consulting to custom programming to integration so that our customers get the maximum bang out of their investment,” Tosolt said.

SEDA-COG’s PTAC helps companies explore and compete in the local, state, and federal government marketplace. For more information about the SEDA-COG PTAC, visit www.seda-cog.org/ptac/ or contact Brown at rbrown@seda-cog.org.

The PTAC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency and by a grant through the Partnerships for Regional Economic Performance (PREP), from the PA Department of Community and Economic Development.