Newtown’s Economic and Community Development team — Christal Preszler and Kim Chiappetta — along with E&CD team member Christine O’Neill have been working throughout the COVID-19 crisis to supply resources to local businesses and nonprofits.

Even after an exhaustive amount of resource information about local, state, and federal business support was posted on the department’s web page (www.newtown-ct.gov/economic-and-community-development), and delivered one-on-one to a database of recipients via e-mails, reiterative information being promoted through the town’s New & Information blasts, and notices in The Newtown Bee, Preszler said Wednesday her department is now engaging through “check-in” calls to business and nonprofit contacts.

“While we are on staggered shifts here day to day, we want these organizations and businesses to know we are here for them,” Preszler said. “We’re making these calls to simply check in and see if there’s anything more we can do, or on the chance someone may have missed important information on a program that could help them during these challenging times.”

The E&CD office is even helping another municipal department.

Preszler said since the town’s Human Services Department and its Director Natalie Jackson have been so occupied with front line response to seniors and other more challenged or compromised residents, O’Neill has temporarily stepped in to help remind the more than 200 Newtown-based nonprofits about Connecticut’s Neighborhood Assistance Act.

This task would normally accrue to the Human Services Department, Preszler said.

Almost six weeks ago, on Monday, March 9, each one of Newtown’s 200-plus IRS registered nonprofits was mailed a letter from the E&CD inviting them to participate in a program that could mean tax benefits for their business donors. This program, known as the Neighborhood Assistance Act (NAA), is run by the State and administered through participating municipalities.

This year (2020) is Newtown’s first participating in the initiative.

How To Participate

The NAA’s mission is to offer tax credits to businesses who make contributions to nonprofit programs that benefit the community. Nonprofits are invited to apply to Newtown with any program they feel fits the definition of “neighborhood assistance” – whether it’s equestrian therapy, a youth sports league, or adult workforce training.

There is no limit to the number of programs that can be approved, so long as they are in the spirit of neighborhood assistance. After the deadline of May 5, public hearings will be held for the programs at a Board of Selectmen meeting.

Finally, with Newtown’s stamp of approval, these programs will be sent to the State as eligible for NAA tax credits. This means that any business who donates between $250 and $150,000 to these program will receive a 60 percent tax credit — in addition to the donation itself being tax-deductible.

“And if the program is related to energy conservation or college loan forgiveness, the tax credit for business donors is 100 percent,” Preszler said. She, along with O’Neill and Chiappetta, are all helping oversee the local debut of this benefit program.

“NAA is a win-win-win for Newtown nonprofits and businesses,” O’Neill said. As Newtown’s NAA Municipal Liaison, O’Neill reminds potential donors that “businesses receive tax credit for donating, so they benefit; nonprofits may net more donations, so they benefit; and of course the community will benefit from better-funded social programs.”

O’Neill said becoming involved with the program is also a great opportunity for E&CD staffers to better familiarize themselves with the community’s many nonprofits.

In order to distribute the application forms, she had to create a database of Newtown’s nonprofits including their contact information, Preszler said.

“The letter we sent encourages the nonprofits to reach out to us even if their work doesn’t fit the definition of ‘neighborhood assistance,’ so we can update their information in the database,” said O’Neill.

All three E&CD staff members said they are always happy to meet the people behind these local service organizations. Preszler said the E&CD Department is currently providing financial underwriting to the Newtown Chamber of Commerce to support ongoing outreach to local businesses as slowdowns and shutdowns continue through the coronavirus public health emergency.

She said she believes this E&CD funding is helping supplement Chamber staff who like many, are working harder than ever on behalf of their constituents to ensure local businesses sustain through the COVID Crisis.

Other Support Offered

Preszler also reminds local businesses and nonprofits that Newtown resident Rajesh Tedla, founder of VRT Management Group and creator of a unique program EGOS – Entrepreneur Growth Operating System — has been assisting small and medium sized companies to overcome challenges and grow for the past dozen years across 18 different countries.

Through the remainder of the COVID emergency, Tedla said he is committed to assisting local business owners overcome these challenges by offering complimentary coaching and consulting services. Local businesses and nonprofits can book an appointment with him using his calendar link — https://calendly.com/rajeshtedla/newtown-ct-small-business-coach.

“All businesses need to fundamentally review and look at their beliefs and assumptions around the new normal and make appropriate changes,” Tedla said. Added information is available on Tedla’s company website www.egosllc.com, or individuals can each him by phone at 203-304-1918.

Other local residents with business coaching and sustainability experience are also making their services available to colleagues in Newtown who may be struggling, Preszler said. Those individuals are Fred Ventresca and Frank Crudo.

Ventresca represents Value Creation Partners, LLC, and provides comprehensive expertise spanning eight functional verticals: finance, sales, marketing, operations, contracts, strategy, engineering, and services. He can be contacted by e-mail at FredV@v-c-partners.com, or visit www.v-c-partners.com.

Crudo has over 35 years of industry experience across different business sectors and business models (distribution, manufacturing, leasing, retail, online B to B and B to C and others). His CFO Business Partners provides Senior Financial, Accounting and Operational Advisory Services on a fractional or part-time basis to both small and mid-level businesses.

Reach him at fcrudo@cfobusinesspartners.net or by calling 203-650-0715.