IWW - Incubator Without Walls of Eastern Maine

08/01/2022

Back to Business - Micro/Small Business Grant
Goal: To assist a business recover in part from the effect of Covid on their business.

Area Scope: Hancock, Knox, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo & Washington

Does your business have any of the following?
Unable to order all the supplies needed
Delayed equipment repairs
Postponed small equipment purchases
Postponed technology upgrades
Postponed marketing
Postpone business education
Postpone professional services (accounting, legal, tax prep)
Postpone business related membership (chambers, professional assoc.)
Postpone buying business insurance
Do you have outstanding power bills, water/sewer bills, heating bills, internet services bills, phone bills, cellular bills, or business property taxes?

Grant Requirements:
Must be a Maine Business
Business must be in the service area
Must have been affected Covid and willing to explain how
Must meet income guidelines based on family size, county and income. (Up to 200% of the Poverty) guidelines.
Must be willing to meet with a business advisor from MaineStream Finance & Penquis
Must be able to provide documents upon request.

Important Dates:
Grant opens by Monday, August 1, 2022
Round 1 will close on Sunday, August 21, 2022
Round 2 if funding is still available will close on Sunday, September 4, 2022

For Questions or to receive the application:
Contact James Macomber at [email protected]
Please put in the subject line “Back To Business”, thanks

The application should take 5 minutes or less to complete.

MaineStream Finance & Penquis

03/01/2022

Are you stressed out by doing your taxes?? We can help you file your taxes for FREE. We are a FREE VITA Tax Site. We offering five “Scan & Go” Sites in Bangor, Belfast, Dover-Foxcroft, Lincoln & Orono. Or do it fully remotely online. We have appointments available as early as this week!
Three Easy Options:
1. Call 211 and ask to schedule your tax appointment. Be sure to tell them what town you are in to get the closest location to you.
2. Go online to https://www.cashmaine.org/free-tax-prep/ and select “Scan & Go” click “Find A Site Now” button then click on “Eastern Maine CA$H” and then select your site to schedule your appointment.
3. Go online to https://www.cashmaine.org/free-tax-prep/ and under Fully-remote Online Tax Assistance (No Appointment Required) and click “Get Started Now” and it will bring you to “GetYourRefund.org”. Click the “Get Started” button and follow the instructions.
Got Questions? Email: [email protected] or Call: 974-2476

01/23/2022

With tax season here for you and your business. The IRS has created some video that you might want to watch.

This workshop is constructed so that the first four segments: Federal Taxes And Your New Business, Schedule C and Other Small Business Taxes, How to File and Pay Your Taxes Electronically, and Business Use of Your Home, may be relevant to you now and are for everyone no matter what kind of business....

11/27/2021

Kick off your Small Business Saturday with a local restaurant or bakery! Be sure to check out all the Maine Small Businesses today and every day! These businesses work hard to provide great products and services plus great customer service. If you don’t see what you are looking for just ask. If you have someone hard to buy for, how about a gift card or gift certificate to a Maine Small Business! If you like to shop online, no problem many of these businesses have online stores. Happy Shopping! Please share your Maine Small Business finds! Thank you for supporting Maine Small Businesses!!

10/25/2021

Business 101 - Thinking Of Starting A Business? (Free 2 hour live online workshop)
This workshop provides an overview of the pros and cons of operating a microenterprise. What a business plan is? Why it is needed and resources for business development assistance. Topics Covered: Being An Entrepreneur, Business Success, Professionalism, Business Plan, Networking, Resources, Budgeting & Planning, Credit and a Review of Upcoming Classes and Workshops. Business Plan, Marketing, Credit, Record Keeping, Financials and Cash Flow, as well as, many other topics.
This workshop is offered online on Tuesday, October 18th @ 6 pm
To pre-register:www.mainestreamfinance.org
& click on “Business” then “Business Classes”
scroll down to “See schedule & Register” then click Fill out the registration
Email: [email protected] or Call 974-2476

MaineStream Finance is a non-profit providing credit, capital, and financial services that are often unavailable from traditional financial institutions.

10/18/2021

We have a seat for you! Business 101 - Thinking Of Starting A Business? (Free 2 hour live online workshop)
This workshop provides an overview of the pros and cons of operating a microenterprise. What a business plan is? Why it is needed and resources for business development assistance. Topics Covered: Being An Entrepreneur, Business Success, Professionalism, Business Plan, Networking, Resources, Budgeting & Planning, Credit and a Review of Upcoming Classes and Workshops. Business Plan, Marketing, Credit, Record Keeping, Financials and Cash Flow, as well as, many other topics.
This workshop is offered online on Tuesday, October 19th @ 6 pm
To pre-register:www.mainestreamfinance.org
& click on “Business” then “Business Classes”
scroll down to “See schedule & Register” then click Fill out the registration
Email: [email protected] or Call 974-2476

10/16/2021

Business 101 - Thinking Of Starting A Business? (Free 2 hour live online workshop)
This workshop provides an overview of the pros and cons of operating a microenterprise. What a business plan is? Why it is needed and resources for business development assistance. Topics Covered: Being An Entrepreneur, Business Success, Professionalism, Business Plan, Networking, Resources, Budgeting & Planning, Credit and a Review of Upcoming Classes and Workshops. Business Plan, Marketing, Credit, Record Keeping, Financials and Cash Flow, as well as, many other topics.
This workshop is offered online on Tuesday, October 18th @ 6 pm
To pre-register:www.mainestreamfinance.org
& click on “Business” then “Business Classes”
scroll down to “See schedule & Register” then click Fill out the registration
Email: [email protected] or Call 974-2476

06/30/2021

Top 5 things you may not know about the Advance Child Tax Credit
1. You can receive the Child Tax Credit even if you had no earned income in 2019 or 2020.
2. If you don’t typically file your taxes, you need to file your 2020 taxes or register with the IRS to receive your money.
3. You will automatically receive half your credit amount in monthly payments from July to December and the other half when you file your taxes in 2022.
4. When providing banking information to the IRS to receive your payment, you may be able to have it added to an existing prepaid card.
5. Watch out for scams and frauds.
CFPB Resource Webtool: Learn whether you need to take additional steps to receive your credit https://www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/managi ng-your-finances/child-tax-credit-flowchart/

05/19/2021

o Are you a Restaurants, Food stands, food trucks, food carts, Caterers, Bars, saloons, lounges, taverns, Snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars, Bakeries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts), Brewpubs, tasting rooms, taprooms (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts), Breweries and/or microbreweries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts), Wineries and distilleries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts), Inns (onsite sales of food and beverage to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts), Licensed facilities or premises of a beverage alcohol producer where the public may taste, sample, or purchase products

Closing Monday the Restaurant Revitalization Fund
From SBA
Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced that eligible eating establishments have until Monday, May 24, 8 p.m. ET, to submit applications to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
Sample RRF Application: https://www.sba.gov/document/sba-form-3172-restaurant-revitalization-funding-application-sample
Restaurant Revitalization Fund Program Guide
https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/Restaurant%20Revitalization%20Fund%20Program%20Guide%20as%20of%204.28.21-508_0.pdf
Restaurant Revitalization Fund Program Guide
https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/Restaurant%20Revitalization%20Fund%20Program%20Guide%20as%20of%204.28.21-508_0.pdf
Apply online with SBA:
https://restaurants.sba.gov/requests/borrower/login/?next=/

Select this option to begin the application process for a Restaurant Revitalization Award. This portal will help you calculate your eligible award amount, monitor status, and interact with the SBA.