As the Lehigh Valley begins the yellow phase of the state’s COVID-19 reopening plan, merchants and restaurants in Bethlehem want people to know they’re open for business and safe to visit.

Requirements for small businesses to be forgiven for federal paycheck protection loans are at the center of lobbying efforts to revise the program’s guidelines by industry leaders who say the aid package fails to address sector-specific challenges of the coronavirus recession.

The City of Allentown’s Department of Community & Economic Development is implementing a $500,000 Small Business Stabilization Program using funds it received through the CARES Act.

More than $177,000 in emergency funds were distributed between 30 businesses in Easton, part of a joint effort of the Greater Easton Development Partnership, the city and Easton Area Industrial Land Development.

Many larger businesses and banks have sought to help smaller businesses during the COVID-19 crisis by pooling money to offer grants to mom-and-pop organizations in need. But now some small businesses in Carbon County have taken it upon themselves to help each other.

Western Pennsylvania-based Erie Insurance introduced gift card insurance so consumers who buy gift cards during the coronavirus shutdown, won’t have to risk losing that money should the business not survive the crisis.

Businesses within the City of Bethlehem may be eligible for grants from a $300,000 pool of Community Development Block Grant money the city is directing towards COVID-19 aid.

After an overwhelming response to an initial round of grants, a group of business leaders led by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of commerce this morning released a second pool of $150,000 in small business grants aimed at easing some of the financial burden of the COVID-19 shutdown.

A Berks County screen printer is working on a way to support itself and other small businesses in the region by creating T-shirts businesses and non-profits can sell to customers and supporters on social media.

Northampton County officials announced a zero interest loan pool during a Thursday morning Virtual Town Hall event with 380 local small business owners.