![]() ![]() A Pinellas County ordinance put in place to facilitate safe reopenings while slowing the spread of COVID-19 remains in effect following the announcement of Phase 3 of the state’s Safe, Smart, Step-by-Step phased plan last week. Executive Order 20-244, signed by Governor DeSantis, does not impact the local ordinance Pinellas County adopted, including the face covering requirement for indoor facilities and that customers be seated to be served at a bar or restaurant. While the governor’s order suspends the collection of fines and penalties associated with COVID-19 enforced upon individuals, it does not restrict counties and municipalities from enforcing rules on businesses. Click here to read more. Pinellas CARES Local Business Grants Pinellas CARES offers expanded grant funding for Pinellas-based businesses most affected by the pandemic, focusing on those that were required to shut down or whose customers were required to shut down or stop doing business. Learn more at https://www.pced.org/cares. Qualifying business owners can use this online application to be considered for one of the following grants:Sliding Scale Grants of $2,500 to $10,000 are available for businesses making between $17,000 and $3 million in gross annual revenue.Health & Safety Matching Grants of up to $10,000 to assist Target Industry Businesses in implementing COVID-19-related upgrades and safety precautions. Note: Gross annual revenue limits do not apply to these grants.Business Diversity and Arts Microgrants help impacted business owners with barriers to participation in other grant programs to strengthen their business through direct financial assistance and professional services, including help with post-COVID business planning, record-keeping and preparing documents needed to apply for grant funding. The Pinellas County Commission has also approved Pinellas CARES programs to support individuals, families and critical nonprofit services, and to bolster the local COVID-19 public health response. For a full program overview of these programs, please visit http://cares.pinellas.gov. Helpful links:Pinellas County COVID-19 Information & AssistancePinellas County COVID-19 Dashboard Pinellas County Reverse Trade Show – A Virtual EventOct. 16, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. ![]() Learn more and register at www.PCED.org/ReverseTradeShow. A link and password will be included with your registration confirmation email.Rise to Shine Safety Campaign Tool Kit for Pinellas Businesses ![]() In response, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, in collaboration with chamber partners and local municipalities, has developed a Visit Safely & Responsibly Campaign called “Rise to Shine.” The goal of the campaign is to communicate safe and responsible behaviors and provide positive messaging for the right way to experience St. Pete/Clearwater during this time. All Pinellas County businesses (not just tourism-specific) are invited to participate in the Rise to Shine campaign to help amplify St. Pete/Clearwater’s seriousness about locals and visitors having a safe and positive experience in our destination. Click here to learn more and download the toolkit. Pinellas Community Portrait from Florida Trend Florida Trend has collaborated with Pinellas County and our municipal partners to produce the Pinellas Community Portrait. Learn more about the advantages of our vibrant, cultural, park-centric, diverse and family friendly community. Pinellas boasts a strong base of employers, from Fortune 500s to small businesses, a mix of high-growth industries, a lower cost of living than many areas, and an innovative spirit. Find the Pinellas Community Portrait in Florida Trend magazine or click here to see it online.Pinellas Employers: Post Job Openings on PTEC’s Career Rocket ![]() Employers who have special training needs that aren’t currently being met by local educational providers are encouraged to contact Jakub Prokop, the Clearwater Campus Director, at PROKOPJ@pcsb.org to see if Pinellas Technical College can assist by setting up an instructional program to meet those needs. Homes for Pinellas Virtual Summit Series – Affordable Housing ![]() To tackle that question, Pinellas County and Forward Pinellas are bringing together community leaders and subject matter experts in a series of five webinars this fall, beginning Oct. 9, 2020. Join us for focused, productive conversations about how to create, improve and sustain homes that are affordable to our residents. Click here to learn more and register.News the Florida Small Business Development Center at Pinellas County TriOrb Solutions FSBDC Client Joe Hall of TriOrb Solutions has been awarded the Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council’s 45th Business Impact Award. Joe is a long-term client who has worked with us since the pre-venture stage of his business. Take a look at this brief video that describes some of his achievements and the wonderful contributions that he is making in our community. ![]() Learn how Kurt Forster helped Paul Peiffer build a business plan resilient enough to handle a pandemic in this story from the Florida Small Business Development Center at USF: https://sbdctampabay.com/urgent-care-business-resilient-during-pandemic/Made in Tampa Bay Expo & Virtual Job FairOct. 28, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Celebrate manufacturing in Pinellas and across Tampa Bay with manufacturers from our region at BAMA’s Made in Tampa Bay Expo. Local manufacturers are invited to exhibit and present what they manufacture through the ON24 virtual platform. Visit https://www.bama-fl.org/event-3985220 to register for a virtual exhibitor booth and to learn about sponsorship opportunities.Pinellas Schools Referendum Renewal in November ![]() ![]() Pinellas County’s unemployment rate drops to 6.6% in August Meet the 2020 Fast 50, Tampa Bay’s 50 fastest-growing companies City of Clearwater prioritizes job creation along U.S. 19 Venture fund backs St. Pete tech firm that uses data from drones to replace one of the most dangerous job in America Nineteen Tampa Bay companies chosen as GrowFL’s ones to watch Hurricanes, Covid-19 won’t stop growth at this St. Petersburg insurance companySt. Pete tech startup SKUx raises $1 million www.PCED.org |