ANCA program uses grant to help small firms recover from pandemic

SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. — North Country small businesses can sign up for free technical services through the Adirondack North Country Association’s (ANCA) Center for Pandemic Response (CPR).

CPR is a new program designed to help businesses “build resilience in the wake of the COVID-19 economic crisis,” ANCA contends. 

ANCA is an independent, nonprofit corporation that works to promote economic development across a 14-county region of Northern New York, with a focus on entrepreneurship, local agriculture, and clean energy. 

In ANCA’s July 30 announcement, the organization said small businesses in its 14-county service area may complete an inquiry form at www.adirondack.org/ANCA-CPR to begin the enrollment process.

ANCA CPR staff and partner organizations — including the Adirondack Diversity Initiative, Adirondack Economic Development Corporation, CITEC and Cooperative Development Institute — will work closely with participating businesses to develop strategic plans, access new markets, expand e-commerce functionality, reduce supply-chain inefficiencies, decrease energy costs, and create succession plans. 

The ANCA CPR program is funded through a combined grant of nearly $1.27 million that it was awarded in May. The funding is from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) and Mastercard. This includes a $1 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant and $250,000 from the Mastercard Impact Fund, which is administered by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. 

“The ANCA CPR program provides an incredible opportunity for North Country businesses that are regrouping and rebuilding from the COVID-19 crisis,” Elizabeth Cooper, executive director of ANCA, said. “A solid, well-informed strategic plan can make all the difference for a company’s stability. Yet it is often one of the things that gets put on the back burner while owners are occupied with the day-to-day affairs of their businesses. We are eager to help local businesses become stronger and more resilient by supporting them through this important planning process.”

Once businesses enroll, ANCA CPR program navigators will connect them with individualized technical services and expert knowledge through working-group discussions, webinars, and one-on-one consultations. The ANCA CPR team will work with participating businesses, at no cost, to develop strategic plans that focus on topics that include reducing fixed and variable costs, developing online sales and e-commerce functionality, reducing overhead and energy costs, and applying for business-funding assistance.

The topic areas also include mitigating supply-chain inefficiencies through shared sourcing, shipping, and/or aggregation facilities; creating a succession plan; developing employees to take on leadership roles; and building belonging for diverse staff and visitors.

ANCA CPR program navigators began conducting interviews with businesses on a rolling basis, starting in mid-August. Depending on needs that are identified through the enrollment process, businesses will take part in customized programs ranging from three to six months in duration, ANCA said.