Rutgers Global Health Institute has launched a program that offers crucial support to small businesses facing economic and operational challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, Equitable Recovery for New Jersey’s Small Businesses, is designed to help small businesses and nonprofit organizations in low-income and minority communities.

The Equitable Recovery program has three components:

  • COVID-19 Health and Safety Training that provides knowledge, tools, and guidance pertaining to a safe workplace;
  • Individual Consultations that take into account the physical spaces and needs of each organization and provide tailored recommendations for operating safely; and
  • Resilience Network, which provides access to an array of support services that can help employers and employees navigate many complex issues related to COVID-19.

While the pandemic has adversely affected the majority of small businesses, the goal of the program is to help underserved communities in New Jersey for which the impact has been especially severe. Businesses that are owned by minorities and women experience systemic disadvantages in the best of times, and these same businesses struggle disproportionately now. To read the full story.