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7(a) Fees Effective October 1, 2021

Awards will Spur Economic and Community Development Nationwide WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) announced $5 billion in New Markets Tax Credits today that will spur investment and economic growth in low-income urban and rural communities nationwide. A total of 100 Community Development Entities (CDEs) were awarded tax credit allocations, made through the calendar year (CY) 2020 round of the New Markets Tax Credit Program (NMTC Program). “These investments will create jobs and spur economic growth in urban and rural communities across the country,” Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, Janet L. Yellen, said. “Many of the communities that will receive these funds have confronted economic challenges over many decades. Challenges which have been made more difficult by a lack of investment. It’s critical that Congress sustain these investments over time by making the New Markets Tax Credit Program permanent.” “For over 20 years, the New Markets Tax Credit has facilitated essential investments into low-income communities and businesses helping them to rebuild after years of disinvestment and enabling them to recover from external forces, such as the current pandemic, which have caused disproportionate harm to the businesses and families in these communities,” said CDFI Fund Director Jodie Harris. The 100 CDEs receiving awards today were selected from a pool of 208 applicants that requested an aggregate total of $15.1 billion in tax credit allocation authority. The award recipients are headquartered in 34 different states and the District of Columbia. One-fifth (20%) of the investments will be made in rural communities. It is estimated that these award recipients will make more than $1 billion in New Markets Tax Credit investments in non-metropolitan counties. Today’s announcement brings the total amount awarded through the NMTC Program to $66 billion. Historically, NMTC Program awards have generated $8 of private investment for every $1 invested by the federal government. Through the end of fiscal year 2020, NMTC Program award recipients deployed almost $56 billion in investments in low-income communities and businesses; with impacts such as the creation or retention of nearly 871,000 jobs, and the construction or rehabilitation of nearly 231.5 million square feet of commercial real estate. 2020 NMTC Program Award Resources The list of awards can be found in the Award Book, along with other information about these awards, here. About the New Markets Tax Credit Program The New Markets Tax Credit Program, established by Congress in December 2000, permits individual and corporate taxpayers to receive a non-refundable tax credit against federal income taxes for making equity investments in financial intermediaries known as Community Development Entities (CDEs). CDEs that receive the tax credit allocation authority under the program are domestic corporations or partnerships that provide loans, investments, or financial counseling in low-income urban and rural communities. The tax credit provided to the investor totals 39% of the cost of the investment and is claimed over a seven-year period. The CDEs in turn use the capital raised to make investments in low-income communities. CDEs must apply annually to the CDFI Fund to compete for New Markets Tax Credit Program allocation authority. Since the inception of the NMTC Program, the CDFI Fund has completed 17 allocation rounds and has made 1,354 awards totaling $66 billion in tax allocation authority. This includes $3 billion in Recovery Act Awards and $1 billion of special allocation authority used for the recovery and redevelopment of the Gulf Opportunity Zone. To learn more about the New Markets Tax Credit Program, please view the program Fact Sheet or visit www.cdfifund.gov/nmtc.  About the CDFI Fund Since its creation in 1994, the CDFI Fund has awarded more than $5.1 billion to CDFIs, community development organizations, and financial institutions through: the Bank Enterprise Award Program; the Capital Magnet Fund; the CDFI Rapid Response Program; the Community Development Financial Institutions Program, including the Healthy Food Financing Initiative; the Economic Mobility Corps; the Financial Education and Counseling Pilot Program; and the Native American CDFI Assistance Program. In addition, the CDFI Fund has allocated $66 billion in tax credit allocation authority to Community Development Entities through the New Markets Tax Credit Program, and guaranteed bonds for over $1.7 billion through the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. To learn more about the CDFI Fund and its programs, please view the Fact Sheet or visit the CDFI Fund’s website at www.cdfifund.gov. ####

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Week Virtual Summit event schedule is set. This annual event, happening September 13-15, 2021, honors the nation’s 31 million small businesses for their perseverance, ingenuity, triumphs, and creativity. SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced National Small Business Week in a news release last month. The free, three-day conference will take place in a virtual atrium, which will showcase a series of educational panels on best practices for small businesses to pivot and recover in a changing economy. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Resilience and Renewal,” spotlighting the resilience of America’s entrepreneurs and the renewal of the small business economy as they build back better from the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic. NSBW events this year will provide a forum where business owners will be able to get expert advice, learn new business strategies, connect with industry experts, and meet other business owners as they look to pivot and recover. Monday, September 13, 11 a.m. EDT – “Getting Back on Track: Resources to Build Back Better” Day’s events include: National Small Business Week Welcome – SBA Administrator Guzman Morning Session – Visa US Economic Outlook:  Charting a Course for the Expansion Mid-day Sessions – Getting Real about Resilience Make Your Small Business More Accessible Winning in E-commerce with Email Marketing Late-day Session – Government Incentives to Support and Retain Employees Tuesday, September 14, 11 a.m. EDT – “Better Serving Small Businesses and Underserved Communities” Day’s events include: Morning Sessions – Access to Capital for Women Entrepreneurs U.S. Postal Service: Delivering Solutions for Small Businesses Mid-day Sessions – Unlocking the Doors to Access for Black-Owned Businesses:  Funders and Founders Share their Real-Life Stories Resilience and the Recovery: How Small Businesses Can Adapt to the Trends Transforming the Workforce Late-day Session – Support Latino Biz: How Mayors and influencers are leading the way to celebrate the significant economic contributions that Latino-owned businesses make, the jobs they help create, and the positive impact they bring to our community.    Wednesday, September 15, 11 a.m. EDT – “Continuance to Support Resilience and Renewal” Day’s events include: Morning Session – Recovery Lessons from the Nation’s Entrepreneurial Coaching Networks Panel Discussion – Exporting as a Way to Grow Your Business: How SBA Can Help You Sell Overseas Mid-day Sessions – Accelerate Your Small Business Success by Selling Online Integrating Brick and Mortar and E-commerce Late-day Session – Empowering the Veteran and Military Small Business Community Closing Session – “Gateway to Success:” Tune in to get a virtual look at the nationwide resources SBA field offices have to help small businesses business start, grow, expand and recover, and how to get connected to the powerful network of small business entrepreneurs right in your community. To register for the National Small Business Week Virtual Summit and to participate in summit workshops, please visit http://www.sba.gov/NSBW. All events will be live-streamed and will use the event hashtag #SmallBusinessWeek. Details and information will be posted on https://www.sba.gov/NSBW  as events are finalized.  --- Cosponsorship Authorization #21-21-C. SBA’s participation in this Cosponsored Activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any Cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made, if requested at least two weeks in advance, by contacting smallbusinessweek@sba.gov. SCORE is partially funded by SBA Cooperative Agreement No. SBAHQ-14-S-0001.     About the U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

WHAT:               Women’s Business Center (WBC) Grant Program Applicant Workshop On Tuesday, August 17, the U.S. Small Business Administration will host a virtual workshop in partnership with SBA’s Puerto Rico, Buffalo, and Oklahoma District Offices, to educate organizations in Puerto Rico, Tulsa, OK, and Rochester, NY on best practices regarding the Women’s Business Center (WBC) grant application process. The event will also explain how to apply for SBA Women’s Business Center grants for established and aspiring Women’s Business Center host organizations to provide outcome-oriented business services for women entrepreneurs. The workshop will take place in English, but a Spanish version of the slides used during the event will be made available to the participants following the session. WHEN: Tuesday, August 17, 2021, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (ET) WHO: Interested 501(c) nonprofits that provide entrepreneurial development services to women entrepreneurs, especially those in underserved communities. NOTE: Eligible applicants must be private, nonprofit organizations with 501(c) tax-exempt status from the U.S. Treasury/Internal Revenue Service and must provide services to the population within the specified market area. HOW: Registration is required. Click here to register or visit: https://sbawbcworkshop.eventbrite.com This event will be recorded.   The SBA WBC program is a national network of more than 130 centers that offer counseling, training, and access to capital to women seeking to start, grow or expand their small businesses. Applications for these grant opportunities must be posted to www.grants.gov. No other methods of submission will be permitted. Proposals submitted after the stipulated deadline will be rejected without being evaluated. Interested applicants may direct any questions about the WBC funding opportunities to Donald Smith, SBA Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Women’s Business Ownership, at owbo@sba.gov. For issues with grants.gov, please visit www.grants.gov/web/grants/support, call the Grants.gov Support Line at 1-800-518-4726, or email support@grants.gov.   About the Office of Women’s Business Ownership The Office of Women’s Business Ownership’s (OWBO) mission is to enable and empower women entrepreneurs through advocacy, outreach, education, and support.  Since it was established in response to an Executive Order in 1979, OWBO has provided training, counseling, technical assistance, access to credit and capital, as well as marketing opportunities to women. To learn more about SBA’s programs and services for women entrepreneurs, visit www.sba.gov/women. To find other WBC locations and SBA resources, visit www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance.   About the U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

Treasury Plans Permanent Mobile-Friendly and Multi-Lingual Sign-up Tool for Non-Filers, Announces New Sign-up Tool Created by Code for America WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service announced today that more than $15 billion were paid to families that include roughly 61 million eligible children in the second monthly payment of the expanded and newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit from the American Rescue Plan passed in March. The number of payments this month increased and cover an additional 1.6 million children. Eligible families received a payment of up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child age 6 to 17. This tax relief is having a real impact on the lives of America’s children. According to the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey data released earlier this week, parents reported having less trouble covering the costs of food and other household expenses after receiving their first CTC payment. The share of families reporting that they sometimes or often did not have enough to eat in the past week dropped to the lowest percentage since the pandemic began. Parents are using their CTC payments to pay for basics for their kids. Roughly half of those who received a July CTC payment reported using it to pay for food and 1 in 4 spent some of their CTC on clothing. “Today 61 million children across America are benefiting from the advance Child Tax Credit, helping families put food on the table and meet the needs of the next generation,” said Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo. “We want every eligible family to have access to the advance Child Tax Credit, which is why we will continue our outreach efforts to drive enrollment as our children return to school.” Treasury is announcing its commitment — as part of the Administration’s efforts to extend the expanded CTC program — to create a permanent, multi-lingual, and mobile friendly sign-up tool to help more Americans who do not regularly file taxes to claim their CTC. Treasury will work with Congress to ensure the effort is fully resourced. The Administration will also work with Congress to provide the necessary funding for a multi-year effort — leveraging public sector and community-oriented solutions — to reach and sign up more families and children. In the meantime, Treasury and the White House are announcing a new, mobile-friendly, bilingual sign-up tool created by Code for America — a civic technology non-profit — which will be available in the coming weeks. The Administration will make an all-of government effort to enroll eligible families in the CTC, while also supporting the type of outreach and assistance needed over the long-term to ensure the Child Tax Credit is lifting up all our nation’s children. As was the case last month, the vast majority of families received their August payments by direct deposit and the remainder will receive checks in the mail. Due to a technical issue expected to be resolved by the September payments, a small percentage of recipients — less than 15 percent — who received payments by direct deposit in July will be mailed paper checks for the August payment. Families can visit the Child Tax Credit Update Portal to see if they’re receiving a direct deposit or paper check this month. For additional information for taxpayers on how they can access the Child Tax Credit, visit https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021 and see Frequently Asked Questions here. Advance Child Tax Credit Payments Disbursed August 2021, by State [1][2][3] State Total Number of Payments (000s) Number of Qualifying Children (000s) Total Payment Amount ($000s) Average Payment Amount ($s) All Returns, total 36,049 60,918 15,429,789 428 Alabama 560 926 238,321 426 Alaska 83 154 38,769 468 Arizona 795 1,382 352,961 444 Arkansas 348 594 153,254 441 California 4,283 7,088 1,791,473 418 Colorado 599 1,024 254,878 425 Connecticut 360 580 142,342 395 Delaware 106 175 44,571 420 District of Columbia 60 93 23,045 383 Florida 2,296 3,648 933,467 407 Georgia 1,267 2,101 536,573 424 Hawaii 150 255 64,774 432 Idaho 208 398 101,326 488 Illinois 1,362 2,297 578,639 425 Indiana 757 1,322 338,458 447 Iowa 343 619 157,298 459 Kansas 321 579 147,248 459 Kentucky 503 856 220,036 437 Louisiana 550 897 229.787 418 Maine 130 213 54,113 415 Maryland 681 1,117 277,883 408 Massachusetts 664 1,067 256,820 387 Michigan 1,024 1,773 449,614 439 Minnesota 603 1,093 271,601 450 Mississippi 369 597 154,414 418 Missouri 660 1,152 293,004 444 Montana 109 196 49,810 456 Nebraska 223 410 104,134 467 Nevada 354 594 154,047 435 New Hampshire 132 215 52,721 399 New Jersey 981 1,606 392,920 400 New Mexico 233 394 102,026 438 New York 2,012 3,295 828,283 412 North Carolina 1,184 1,953 499,362 422 North Dakota 83 153 38,361 461 Ohio 1,253 2,151 546,944 436 Oklahoma 456 803 207,272 455 Oregon 418 714 180,501 432 Pennsylvania 1,307 2,210 554,211 424 Rhode Island 109 173 43,692 401 South Carolina 577 959 245,810 426 South Dakota 97 183 46,421 477 Tennessee 764 1,287 329,990 432 Texas 3,601 6,231 1,594,468 443 Utah 390 797 201,009 515 Vermont 60 97 24,590 410 Virginia 934 1,563 388,076 416 Washington 798 1,378 343,950 431 West Virginia 180 302 77,475 431 Wisconsin 601 1,056 267,545 445 Wyoming 62 114 29,027 465 Other areas [4] 47 87 22,469 480 [1] Section 9611(a) of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Act), Public Law 117-2, 135 Stat. 4 (March 11, 2021), amended the Child Tax Credit (CTC) rules under section 24 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) for taxable year 2021. For taxpayers who have a principal place of abode in the U.S. for more than half the year or who are bona fide residents of Puerto Rico for the year, the Act made the CTC fully refundable. The Act increased to age 17 the maximum age for which a child may be a qualifying child for the CTC. The Act also increased the maximum amount of the CTC from $2,000 to $3,600 for qualifying children under age 6 and to $3,000 for other qualifying children under age 18. Special rules are provided for U.S. Territories and their residents. [2] The CTC phases out in two different steps based on the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income (modified AGI) in 2021. The first $1,600 of the CTC per qualifying child under age 6 and the first $1,000 per qualifying child age 6 through 17 phase out sequentially at a rate of $50 per $1,000 (or part thereof) of modified AGI in excess of a threshold based on the taxpayer’s filing status. The modified AGI threshold is $150,000 for married joint filers or qualifying widows or widowers, $112,500 for head of household filers, and $75,000 for all other filers. The remainder of the CTC, plus any amount of non-refundable $500 credit for other dependents, is further reduced by $50 for each $1,000 (or part thereof) that exceeds $200,000 ($400,000 for married taxpayers filing a joint return) of modified AGI. Larger families follow a modified phaseout rule that extends the AGI range of the phaseout. [3] Section 9611(b)(1) of the Act added section 7527A to the Code.  Solely for 2021, section 7527A(a) requires the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a program for making periodic advance payments of the CTC, the total amount of which equals the taxpayer’s “annual advance amount.” The “annual advance amount” of a taxpayer is the amount estimated by the Secretary as being equal to 50 percent of the CTC that would be allowed to the taxpayer for 2021 based on information reported on the taxpayer’s 2020 Federal income tax return (or their 2019 return if the 2020 return is not available). The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will disburse these advance payments monthly from July to December of 2021. The taxpayer must file a Tax Year 2021 return to claim the remainder of their CTC (if any). At the time these data were generated, taxpayers may use a designated IRS online tool, referred to as the “Child Tax Credit Update Portal,” to opt out of advance payments. A taxpayer’s Federal income tax will be increased, dollar-for-dollar, if their total CTC advance payments during 2021 exceed the amount of the CTC to which they are eligible for that year. However, safe harbor rules may reduce the additional income tax owed depending on the taxpayer’s modified AGI. [4] Includes residents of U.S. territories, U.S. citizens abroad, and returns filed from Army Post Office and Fleet Post Office addresses by members of the armed forces stationed overseas. NOTES: The numbers shown reflect advance CTC payments disbursed to eligible recipients based on taxpayer account information and do not account for reversed or undeliverable advance CTC payments.  Details may not add to totals because of rounding. Source: Office of Tax Analysis tabulations of Internal Revenue Service data, August 11, 2021   ###

BOSTON– The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent preliminary injunction, which prevents a Holbrook tree service company and its sole officer from retaliating against former and current employees who cooperate with an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division or engage in other activity protected by the Fair Labor Standards Act. The department’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, alleges that Ronan A. De Souza – the director and sole officer of PS Tree Service Inc. – made chilling threats to a former employee and the employee’s family member in retaliation for their participation in the Wage and Hour Division’s investigation of PS Tree. In its complaint, the department alleges De Souza: Sent a teenage employee messages on a texting app, in which he expressed a belief that the employee’s legal guardian had made a complaint about PS Tree. Sent an employee and the employee’s legal guardian intimidating messages concerning the investigation, including one warning that if they did not keep quiet, they both would “pay.” Replied to the legal guardian’s message that they were looking for a lawyer to help address De Souza’s threats, writing, “Go right now, otherwise tomorrow will be too late.” To provide immediate protection to the threatened employee, the employee’s family, and other employees and their families, the department obtained a consent preliminary injunction from the court. Among other things, the order prohibits the defendants and their agents from instructing employees not to speak to the department, and also enjoins them from threatening or inflicting any physical harm or verbal abuse on any current or former employee or their family members because the employee engaged in protected activity under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Under the order, the department also will notify employees that they have the right to speak with the department’s representatives about possible wage and hour violations and participate in the department’s ongoing investigations, free from threats, intimidation, or other retaliation from the defendants. In the ongoing lawsuit, the department seeks a permanent order restraining the defendants and their agents from retaliating against employees who assert their rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act. In addition, the department seeks an order awarding punitive damages for the defendants’ unlawful retaliation against the employee and the employee’s family. “Effective enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act depends on workers feeling safe asserting their rights or simply asking questions about their pay without fear of retaliation,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Carlos Matos in Boston. “This is particularly critical for vulnerable, at-risk workers who may already be hesitant to come forward and make their voices heard.” “Threatening an employee or their family for cooperating with a government investigation is unlawful and egregious,” said Regional Solicitor of Labor Maia Fisher in Boston. “We want employers to understand that the Department of Labor will take swift legal action, as we did in this case, to stop employers from unlawfully threatening or intimidating employees. We also want employees to know that we will take such legal action to defend them against retaliation when they bravely assert their rights.” Workers can call the Wage and Hour Division confidentially with questions – regardless of their immigration status – and the department can speak with callers in more than 200 languages. For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the division, contact the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division.

WASHINGTON - On Monday, August 9, U.S. Small Business Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman and Assistant Administrator Natalie Madeira Cofield joined investors in women-owned small businesses for a webinar on engagement and improving access to assistance for women entrepreneurs.   During the virtual gathering, leaders of the women-owned small business investment community discussed updates on SBA's programs and initiatives supporting investment and innovation for women entrepreneurs. “It’s no secret that the venture capital world is still largely male-dominated. In 2020, only 2.3 percent of funding went to women-led startups and women comprise a mere 12 percent of the decision makers at venture capital firms,” said Administrator Guzman. “At the SBA, we’re working to drive change through our own investment programs. Our Small Business Innovation Research program and Small Business Investment Companies can play an important role in ensuring we’re investing in women entrepreneurs — and giving new women entrepreneurs the tools and support they need to launch, grow and sustain their businesses and reach for new opportunities.” “We have convened leadership from organizations committed to investing in women-owned businesses, and will share updates on SBA’s programs and initiatives in support of investment and innovation for women entrepreneurs,” said Assistant Administrator Cofield. “The Office of Women’s Business Ownership’s mission is to enable and empower women entrepreneurs through advocacy, outreach, education, and support. Through the management and technical assistance provided by the Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), entrepreneurs — especially women who are economically or socially disadvantaged — are offered comprehensive training and counseling on a vast array of topics in many languages to help them start and grow their own businesses.”  Webinar guests received economic aid updates on efforts to aid women restaurant owners through various channels, including the Restaurant Revitalization Fund; the digital online learning platform Ascent, designed to empower women entrepreneurs; the Annual Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC), which prioritizes women; and available funding for WBCs in Puerto Rico, Tulsa, OK, and Rochester, NY. Among event participants were CEOs, founders, and executive directors from organizations including VC Include, Private Equity Women Investor Network (PEWIN), Women in VC, Astia, SteelSky Ventures, First Women's Bank, Fearless Fund, and HBCU VC. The SBA recommends interested parties and qualified entities explore these additional resources for economic aid and vaccination information:   SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center: 1-800-659-2955. Operation Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday; 1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard of hearing.  Local Field Assistance and Local Resource Partners:  https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance or www.sba.gov/asistencia-local. SBA's Guide to Federal Contracting:  https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting. COVID EIDL Loan FAQs: COVID EIDL Loans: Frequently Asked Questions, August 4, 2021 (sba.gov). SBA's National Small Business Week Virtual Summit, September 13-15, 2021: National Small Business Week Virtual Summit Registration (onlinexperiences.com). Subscribe to the SBA's e-newsletter:  www.sba.gov/updates. Follow on Twitter:  @SBAIsabel and @SBAgov. Visit  vaccines.gov and healthcare.gov for healthcare and vaccination resources.     About the U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

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