In light of news that many small businesses and not-for-profit organizations impacted by last year’s wildfires are unaware of, or have not applied for, the financial aid available to them, the role of the Community Futures Business Ambassadors has taken on more urgency.
READ MORE: Report paints grim picture of wildfire impact, as area businesses take $31 million hit
The ambassadors—who are being funded by a partnership involving Community Futures, Northern Development Initiative Trust, and the Cariboo-Chilcotin Beetle Action Coalition—are available to work with businesses and not-for-profits to identify programs that will assist them, then help complete the application forms and paperwork. There is no charge for the service.
The three Business Ambassadors in the area (Wendy Coomber, Angela Bissat, and Andre Kuerbif) have been on the job since early January, and will continue their work until October 2018, although Deb Arnott—manager of Community Futures Sun Country—says that they are looking at other funding sources to continue the service.
“The ambassadors’ role right now is to work one-on-one with businesses and not-for-profits, but that will start to shift and change over time,” she notes. “We’re looking at an 18- to 24-month transition.”
Coomber says that she is helping people fill out forms for funding from the Canadian Red Cross. “They’re the biggest source of funding for businesses and not-for-profits right now. There are so many forms to fill out. Businesses are used to dealing with the occasional form, but farmers and ranchers? No. We’re not hearing from many farmers and ranchers.”
The ambassadors are available to meet with people wherever it is most convenient for them, and come supplied with laptops and scanners so all the forms can be filled out and all the appropriate paperwork can be submitted. However, Coomber says that some businesses are reluctant to give financial disclosure information to her, even though scans are done on site and the documents never leave people’s hands.
“It’s a confidential service, and any financial disclosures are scanned and attached to the file right there, but businesses can do it themselves if they want. We can get them started, and then they can go online, access the application themselves, and add the information. It’s their choice.”
Arnott says that the average loss due to wildfires for businesses and not-for-profits that have reported is $37,942 each, but notes that the actual figure for businesses alone is probably much higher. Coomber pegs the average business loss as between $60,000 and $80,000, and adds that many businesses have said things aren’t getting better. “They’re saying that January 2018 was awful.”
Between phases one and two of the Red Cross funding, eligible businesses can receive up to $20,000 in funds, while not-for-profits can receive up to $10,000. However, Arnott notes that some people see the Red Cross funding as a charity.
“It’s not,” she says firmly. “The provincial and federal governments put money—our money—into the Red Cross. No one should feel as if they’re taking away from others.”
“There’s more than enough money to go around,” adds Coomber. “And businesses that get the $20,000 will be spending those dollars in their communities.”
“I think people are more cognizant of the impact on local business, and are shopping locally more,” says Arnott. “Maybe that’s one of the positives to come out of this.”
Coomber notes that even if a business or not-for-profit did not apply for the Phase One funding, they can still do so, and apply for Phase Two funding at the same time. “You have to prove you lost money. The more support you can provide, through documentation and receipts for clean-up, repairs, inventory loss, the better chance you have of receiving the full amount. If you’re a not-for-profit, did you have to cancel an event or a fundraiser, and lose money?”
Coomber says that she and the other ambassadors are available to help any businesses or not-for-profits that need or want assistance. “People can meet with us at the Community Futures office if they want to. We book an appointment for an hour, but it doesn’t usually take that long.” She adds that if people want to talk for longer than that and there is no other appointment booked, they can.
“I didn’t expect, when I started, that people would be talking about the stress and emotional fatigue they’re experiencing. They’re saying that no one wants to go out and spend money, that they’re still feeling a malaise. People say ‘We make all our money in July and August, and we lost that.’ And we’re hearing that insurance money is slow in coming.”
Arnott agrees. “People paid for business interruption insurance, but they keep having to go back and forth with paperwork. And some businesses still haven’t been paid for Emergency Social Services they provided.”
Coomber adds, however, that she loves the job. “I love helping businesses and organizations access this money. It feels great. So many businesses are hurting so much, and this funding could make or break some of them.”
All three business ambassadors are available to help businesses and not-for-profits in the area bounded by Lytton, Lillooet, and 70 Mile. Wendy Coomber can be contacted at 1-778-207-0448; Angela Bissat can be contacted at 1-778-207-0586; and Andre Kuerbif can be contacted at 1-778-207-0588. To find out more about the Red Cross funding programs available, go to www.redcross.ca.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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