GNO, INC Update – 5/5/2020

Regional Stakeholders,

During a crisis, timely, accurate, and actionable information is important.  In order to help you get this information, GNO, Inc. is sending out regular updates.  Please see below, and feel free to forward.

May 5, 2020 Update

News

• Compete LA Flat Rate Tuition – The University of Louisiana System announced a flat rate of $275 per credit hour for qualifying Louisiana adults returning to school to finish their degree though Compete LA.  To qualify, students must be Louisiana residents, have some college credit but no degree, and have been out of school for at least two years.  Participating universities include the nine universities that are part of the University of Louisiana System, including the University of New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana University.
• Call on Commercial Auto Insurers to Provide Refunds – The Louisiana Department of Insurance is asking commercial insurance companies to provide relief to businesses in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.  Last month, several personal auto insurance companies started providing refunds to drivers because of the savings from fewer cars on the road.  Now, the Insurance Department is calling on commercial vehicle insurers to review the previous 90 days of claims history and determine if a return of a portion of the insurance premiums is appropriate.
• CDBG Funds to the City of New Orleans – Governor John Bel Edwards announced that the City of New Orleans will receive $10.4 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the State.  The funds will be used to support nine affordable rental housing projects that were awarded by the City in January 2020 and allow the projects to continue on their development timeline.

Information

• GNO, Inc. Webinars – This week, GNO, Inc. will host three webinars that are open to the public.  These webinars include:
  • gener8tor New Orleans Emergency Response Program for Musicians – May 6 – May 8
  • GNO, Inc. Webinar: Getting Back to Work in the New Normal – May 7, 12:00 p.m.
  • GNO, Inc. Webinar: Main Street Lending Program – May 8, 12:00 PM
• “Getting Back to Work, in the New Normal:  Best Practices for Business Reopening” – Lastweek, GNO, Inc. released a plan for restarting the Greater New Orleans economy, and reopening businesses with a responsible and safety-first approach.  The plan provides robust industry-specific recommendations and a framework to safely restart the region’s economy, as well as opportunities for the future.  This plan was developed in partnership with many stakeholders, ranging from regional companies, to industry associations, to national consultancies, to global country examples. You can read the full plan here.

Resources

Are you looking for:

• Online Training? – A catalogue of opportunities for online training from the region’s higher education partners and private training providers can be found here.
• Work? – If you want a job in a sector that is surging right now, new openings are on WorkNOLA.com.
• Employees?
• A database of local talent looking for new job opportunities, including quick employment history and skills summary, is on the WorkNOLA Workforce Directory.
• GNOmatch provides custom connections between companies with lay-offs, and those hiring for transferable skills.
• COVID-19 Customers/Purchasers? – If you have pivoted your business to make a new, coronavirus-related product, register on GNOpivot.
• COVID-19 Supplies/Services? – If you are looking for PPE, sanitizer, food providers, and other related products and services, search the GNOpivot Resource Tool.

As always, general information is on the GNO, Inc. Coronavirus Business Resource Page.

Please feel free to contact me [email protected] or VP Policy Ileana Ledet at [email protected] with any questions or suggestions.

Take care,

Michael

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