Tips & Strategies: Issue #4 | April 13, 2020
We Are Not Alone
We are excited to announce the launching of a new live Webinar Series, entitled:
WE ARE NOT ALONE: GROWING STRONGER TOGETHER
The first Webinar will be presented by Fountain House New York on Thursday April 16at 10:00 am(EDT). This session is entitled, STAYING SOCIALLY CONNECTED WHILE PHYSICALLY DISTANT. Stay tuned! We will be sending Clubhouses a link and further instructions for the Webinar training soon!
PLEASE PARTICIPATE IN OUR COVID-19 CLUBHOUSE RESEARCH SURVEY!
Clubhouse International, Clubhouse Europe, Fountain House, and others in the Clubhouse International network have been working together to support and enhance the ways in which Clubhouses are operating and creating virtual communities.
We will soon be sending you links for two surveys that are meant to capture Clubhouse efforts to meet member needs during this pandemic. Having this information from Clubhouses around the world will help us collectively demonstrate our effectiveness, so please participate!
This week, we want to share a few useful resources that might be helpful to Clubhouses as most of us continue to operate as ‘remote/virtual’ Clubhouse communities.
- Fountain House Telephonic Infrastructure. Click here for a document created by Fountain House, New York, with helpful resources about how to ensure that members are able to access their Clubhouse community during this time. The brief document includes excellent resources to address issues regarding members who lack the technology and/or skillset to actively participate in its virtual clubhouse platforms (Facebook, Slack, Zoom, etc.).
- Tips & Strategies -Fundraising and Funding. Fundraising in a time of crisis is stressful for everyone. Finding the right solution for your funding needs can be a challenge; what works for your local food pantry may not work for your Clubhouse. But what you can adapt, you can apply. Click here for Clubhouse International resource information regarding Funding and Fundraisingin this environment.
- Direct Mail Campaign. If your Clubhouse is trying to make decisions about a direct mail campaign, you might find this useful.
- Genesis House Virtual 5k Fundraiser. Understandably, many scheduled Clubhouse events have been canceled due to the ‘stay at home’ orders in places around the world. However, some Clubhouses have creatively reinvented some of their scheduled events so that they can be held ‘virtually’ rather than in person. Genesis House, in Fowlerville, Michigan, has converted its ‘All Minds Matter 5K’ fundraiser event into a virtual race! Click here for a template invitation that your Clubhouse might use or adapt for your own fundraising purposes.
For Clubhouses in the USA
There is an opportunity for Clubhouses to apply for potential funding through theSBA (Small Business Administration), as part of the recently passed Stimulus bill by Congress, We are aware of three Clubhouses thus far that are applying for these funds. Breakthrough Club (Kansas) has already gotten approval for their application. If interested, your Clubhouse Director/Board should carefully review the Act to weigh the pros and cons of applying. Kailey, Barb and Lori are willing to help you by sharing their experience with this opportunity.
HERO House, NW, Washington Contact person: Kailey Fiedler-Gohlke Email: kaileyf@herohousenw.org Phone: 206-419-6310
Breakthrough Club, Kansas Contact person: Barb Andres Email: barbara.andres@breakthroughwichita.org Phone: 316-250-5144
Magnolia Clubhouse, Ohio Contact Person: Lori D’Angelo Email: lori@magnoliaclubhouse.org Phone: 440-773-0434
The loan forgiveness aspect of this funding is potentially particularly attractive for Clubhouses.
Summary of Helpful Resource Documents
Coronavirus Emergency Loans Small Business Guide and Checklist. The SBA loan for disaster relief now includes areas impacted by COVID-19. Organizations and small businesses can apply for up to $2 million at a low rate (around 4%) with a 30 year term and no payment for the first year. If approved, this loan can be used in any capacity for an organization to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic. This original SBA loan must be submitted to the SBA directly.
The Small Business Owner’s Guide to the CARES Act. The CARES Act that was passed on March 27th, which was also part of the stimulus bill, allows organizations to apply for a loan in areas that are impacted by COVID-19. The loan can be up to 2.5 times the monthly payroll cost of an organization, with a cap of $10 million. This loan is specific to cover payroll costs to keep workers of an organization and not having to lay off employees. This loan can be FORGIVEN if the loan is used for payroll purposes (with limits and restrictions). This loan will be through banks and not SBA itself. For the second loan, it is important to make sure the organization has updated financials through February 2020 as well as a current list of employees, their positions and annual salary.
Lastly, on the links belowfor information regarding the Payroll Protection loan application. It is important to get an application in quickly.
