On January 15 this year the possibility of submitting applications for subsidies under the Financial Shield 2.0 was launched for micro-enterprises and SMEs from industries most affected by the second wave of the pandemic. The stream of financial support for Shield 2.0 includes three instruments: the Financial Shield of the FRP for SMEs 2.0, the Financial Shield for Large Companies and the redemption of subsidies for SMEs under the Financial Shield for SMEs 1.0. The pool of subsidies for companies is PLN 6.5 billion, as for the SME sector. In addition, the most disadvantaged sectors have the possibility to redeem the full amount of the subsidy obtained from the Financial Shield for SMEs 1.0 without the need to meet the condition of maintaining employment. The estimated amortization amount will be around PLN 7 billion. As a result, micro-enterprises and SMEs qualified for the Financial Shield for SMEs 2.0 may receive a total of PLN 20 billion.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, in accordance with the new regulations introduced, the Social Insurance Institution provided extensive support to entrepreneurs, employees and people who lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to receive additional downtime benefit, the operating income in the month before the month of submitting the application must be at least 75% lower than the income earned in the same month in 2019. The condition for receiving this benefit is also the use of a parking benefit based on the application. Under the Anti-Crisis Shield 6.0, other industries may apply for exemption from paying contributions for July, August and September 2020. They may submit an application to the Social Insurance Institution from January 26 to March 15, 2021.
Entrepreneurs from the Podkarpackie Voivodeship can also count on help under the local government shield. In 2020, in the area of entrepreneurship, the voivodeship self-government distinguished two products aimed at entrepreneurs: a liquidity loan and grants for working capital. These funds come from the Regional Operational Program of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship 2014 - 2020. The amount of PLN 220 million was allocated to the liquidity loan. Assistance in the form of grants for working capital amounts to PLN 40 million (PLN 12 million for entrepreneurs operating in the tourism and tourism-related industries, while PLN 28 million are funds intended for entrepreneurs operating in other industries). This project is implemented by the Rzeszów Regional Development Agency.
All the time, during the pandemic, new forms of help arrive. Of course, we all believe that soon the pandemic would come to an end and all entrepreneurs would be able to run their activity on a regular basis.
