With the near-constant changes the economy is experiencing currently, many of our customers and others in the craft beverage industry have questions about where they can find relief for their businesses. We’ll update this page as frequently as possible with resources for small business financial relief from both public and private sources — including information on the recently passed stimulus package from the U.S. government.
General Information & Resources for Small Businesses
Coronavirus Small Business Guide from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Complete coronavirus coverage from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for small businesses, updated daily.
Sharable graphics from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce based on the CDC’s latest guidance for businesses and employees.
Small Business Resources in Response to Coronavirus from NFIB
The National Federation for Independent Business offers webinars, legislative monitoring, and additional resources for small businesses related to the coronavirus.
Small Business Relief Tracker from Forbes
In an effort to help business owners find financial relief, Forbes rounded up all of the government agencies, private companies and nonprofit organizations that are extending support.
Information for the Beer Industry
Brewers Association Coronavirus Resource Center
The Brewers Association is providing all COVID-19 resources for free so everyone has access to important information to help them weather the pandemic.
Small Business Loan Resource Center for Breweries
Information from the Brewers Association on the types of loans that breweries and other small businesses will be able to apply for from the Small Business Administration (SBA).
Emergency Financial Planning Tools for Breweries
Use this financial re-forecasting template to model out extreme changes in brewery sales, margins and cash flows.
3-Step Process to Manage Cash Flow and Increase Cash on Hand
Three steps you can take right now to keep more cash in your bank account so that you can ride out these rough seas from Kary Shumway of Craft Brewery Finance.
To-Go Practices at the Brewery
The Brewers Association has put together some guidelines for breweries to follow when selling beer to-go from their establishments.
Best Practices for Responsible Disposal of Beer
These best practices will help guide brewers repurpose out-of-code beer for distillation or disposal to a municipal treatment facility.
TTB Informal Advice on Brewers Producing Hand Sanitizer
The TTB has released informal advice for brewer who want to make hand sanitizer from alcoholic material they produce at the brewery.
How Brewery Owners Can Navigate the Coronavirus Shutdown
Advice from attorney Mike Drumm during a recent Brewers Association Power Hour session titled “Beer in a Time of Disruption.”
Crosby Hops Flexible Hop Order Fulfillment Plan
Crosby Hops announced its new flexible hop order fulfillment plan to help brewers facing extreme challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 and Craft Beer: HR Advice for Brewery Owners
HR advice for brewery owners during this chaotic time — from Kristen Ireland, co-owner of human resources strategy consulting firm People Spark Consulting.
ProBrewer Community COVID-19 Forum
A virtual place to meet, talk and share anything you want to talk about or questions you may have regarding the COVID-19 situation with other brewers.
COVID-19 Impact Poll Part 2: Sales & Policy
Participating in this short survey will allow the Brewers Association to understand how your business is faring and how you perceive the initial policy responses.
Information for the Wine & Cider Industries
Coronavirus Updates from the Wine Institute
Wine industry updates related to the coronavirus from the Wine Institute.
Economic Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. Wineries
WineAmerica’s new survey provides some answers, Survey Reveals the Immediate Economic Impact of Covid-19 on U.S. Wineries
CARES Act Summary for Wineries
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill which includes a number of programs and provisions that will help support wineries as they cope with the current crisis.
Winery Sanitation and COVID-19
Advice on how to sanitise their wineries in the event that a staff member becomes infected or suspected of being infected.
News and Updates for American Wine & Spirits Distributors
Resources about the COVID-19 pandemic from the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America.
COVID-19 Resources for Cideries from the American Cider Association
The American Cider Association will be gathering useful information for our members on this page.
Marketing Advice from Wine Industry Network
Recent updates include advice on content marketing, digital marketing, branding, and more during the coronavirus pandemic.
Advice for how to sell wine amid tasting room closures and other sales restrictions related to the coronavirus.
Crisis Management for Wine Country
Advice on leadership, cash flow management, and planning for the future from wine industry analyst Rob McMillan.
Other Government Relief Resources
Everything You Need to Know About SBA Disaster Assistance Loans
New legislation in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic provides funding for the SBA to provide low-interest disaster assistance loans to struggling small businesses (from U.S. Chamber of Commerce).
How to Apply for an SBA Disaster Relief Loan
If your business is struggling in the wake of COVID-19, these steps will help guide you through the application process for a low-interest small business loan (from U.S. Chamber of Commerce).
Coronavirus Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources
Guidance on loans and other resources directly from the Small Business Administration.
Apply for a Paycheck Protection Program Loan with Your QuickBooks Account
Note: As of publishing, the Small Business Administration has stopped accepting applications for Paycheck Protection Program loans because the processed loan volume has reached the $349 billion level currently authorized by the CARES Act. Check this page for updates.
Ekos Resources
Announcing the Crisis Mode Webinar Series
Join Ekos for a week of FREE daily webinars (April 27 – May 1) about strategies and best practices for craft producers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beer Marketing in a Crisis: Ideas for the Craft Beverage Industry
People are still drinking, but how do you get them to choose your brand when there’s so much going on? We offer 8 marketing and sales ideas (with examples) in this post.
Ekos Announces Discounts for Customers to Sell Products Online
To help our customers during this difficult time, Ekos has partnered with five companies that provide ecommerce capabilities and storefronts for online sales.
Lucrative Lessons from the Wine Industry: Boosting Beer Sales with Allocations
In these extraordinary times, allocations are a great way to make your customers feel special, keep them connected to your brand, and cement a relationship you can continue to build on for years to come.
COVID-19 Community Forum for Ekos Users
In this forum, we’d love for you to share with your peers how you are driving revenue during this time, your response to this situation, and ways your community is pulling together to help each other.
Driving Revenue to Your Craft Beverage Business During COVID-19
Some of the most effective ways breweries, cideries, and other craft beverage companies are driving revenue while protecting their customers and abiding by state and local mandates.
How to Start and Market Drive-Through Alcohol Sales
To help you get your delivery services started, we’ve compiled a list of steps — from checking your local regulations to advertising your menu and more.
How to Start a Local Alcohol Delivery Program
If you’ve never offered direct-to-consumer product delivery before, you may not know where to start. Use these tips to start a local delivery program ASAP.
Private Grants and Financial Relief
Yelp: Relief for Restaurants and Bars Impacted by the Coronavirus
On March 20, Yelp announced $25 million in relief, primarily focused on supporting independent, local restaurant and nightlife businesses, in the form of waived advertising fees and free advertising, products, and services.
Amazon: Neighborhood Small Business Relief Fund for Seattle Small Businesses
Amazon has created a $5 million Neighborhood Small Business Relief Fund to provide cash grants to Seattle small businesses with fewer than 50 employees or less than $7 million in annual revenue.
Facebook: Small Business Grants Program
Facebook is offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries where they operate.
