ARC Launches Global Appalachia Export Initiative

The $1.5 million Global Appalachia export program will enhance small-business exporting in the 13 Appalachian states and support the export of Appalachia's unique products and assets. The program is projected to generate $150 million in export revenues over the next three years. Press release

Storm relief grant funding

[41 Pa.B. 5720]
[Saturday, October 22, 2011]

 The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) announces the availability of emergency Storm Relief Grant Funding of 50% up to $9,500 from the Commonwealth's Advantage Grant Program (Program) for small business pollution prevention. Small Business Storm Relief Advantage is a grant program which may enable a small business to implement pollution prevention project, must prevent or mitigate an imminent threat to public health or safety and can help small businesses cut costs and reduce the risk of potential regulatory problems. Costs incurred after August 26, 2011, and before December 31, 2011, are eligible for grant consideration.

 An eligible applicant must be a for-profit small business owner whose business or facility is located within this Commonwealth. All Commonwealth small businesses are eligible, including, but not limited to, manufacturers, retailers, service providers, mining businesses and agricultural concerns. The project to which the grant will apply must be located within the applicant's Commonwealth facility.

 For a copy of the application to review the Program's eligibility requirements, contact Rhonda Brown, Office of the Small Business Ombudsman, (717) 772-8909. To ask a specific question concerning a project type, write to epadvantagegrant@state.pa.us before submitting an application. The Department will continue accepting applications until December 31, 2011, or until funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.

 Applications are most quickly obtained from the Department's web site at www.dep.state.pa.us (DEP Keyword: sradvantage). Applications are also available by contacting the Department of Environmental Protection, Office of the Small Business Ombudsman, 15th Floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, P. O. Box 8772, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8772, (717) 772-8909. The application package contains the materials and instructions necessary for applying for a grant.

 Applications must be postmarked or hand delivered by 4 p.m. on December 31, 2011. Faxes or other electronic submissions will not be accepted.

Small Business Lending Fund

[from Senator Casey's website] Wednesday, September 28, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today announced that seven Pennsylvania community banks received over $24 million through the U.S Treasury Department’s Small Business Lending Fund (SBLF) to help small businesses access capital and create jobs.

“All across Pennsylvania, small business owners are telling me that they want to expand and create jobs,” said Senator Casey. “These funds will help small businesses get the resources they need to put people back to work and move Pennsylvania’s economy forward.”

Pennsylvania community banks have received over $190 million through the SBLF program.

The Pennsylvania community banks receiving funding as part of today’s announcement include:

• The Reinvestment Fund, Inc. (Philadelphia, PA) -- $11.7 million
• First Resource Bank (Exton, PA) -- $5.1 million
• The Victory Bancorp, Inc. (Limerick, PA) -- $3.4 million
• Bridgeway Capital, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA) -- $1.8 million
• The Progress Fund (Greensburg, PA) -- $1.1 million
• Community First Fund (Lancaster, PA) -- $862,000
• Northside Community Development Fund (Pittsburgh, PA) -- $250,000

There are over 275,000 small businesses in Pennsylvania that employ over 3.2 million people. 

Senator Casey wrote letters of support for three loans announced today, including The Progress Fund in Greensburg as well as Bridgeway Capital, Inc. and the Northside Community Development Fund in Pittsburgh.

The SBLF was established as part of the Small Business Jobs Act (SBJA), which Senator Casey fought hard to enact and the President signed into law on September 27, 2010. The SBJA encourages community banks to increase their lending to small businesses, helping those companies expand their operations and create new jobs.

The SBLF helps small businesses by providing capital to community banks that hold under $10 billion in assets. The dividend rate a community bank pays on SBLF funding is reduced as that bank increases its lending to small businesses – providing a strong incentive for new lending to small businesses so they can expand and create jobs.