Local small business owners hurt by heavy rains in January can apply for up to $2 million in federal loans.
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced Monday that federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations located in Florida as a result of the excessive rain and flooding that occurred on Jan. 3-29, 2016.
The disaster declaration includes Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, Saint Lucie and Sarasota counties in Florida.
The U.S. Small Business Administration will determine how much you get depending on need, size and business type.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at
https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer
Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email
to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from www.sba.gov/disaster.
Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and
Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than Nov. 16, 2016.
