Hurricane Ian Business: Emergency Business Funding

10/11/2022

The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, the state’s principal provider of small business assistance, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) opened a Business Recovery Center (BRC) at SWFL Inc. at 25071 Chamber of Commerce Drive, Bonita Springs, FL 34135, and Lee County has opened a Multi-Agency Resource Center at Lakes Regional Library at 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers, FL 33919 as well as a Disaster Recovery Center at the Joseph P. D’Alessandro Office Complex in Downtown Fort Myers at 2295 Victoria Ave., Fort Myers, FL, 33901.

The BRC will be open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM to provide assistance with the following programs:

  • SBA Physical Disaster Loan
  • SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)
  • Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program with SBA and SBDC representatives onsite

The Multi-Agency Resource Center at Lakes Regional Library will be open Monday through Saturday from hours are 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM to aid residents impacted by Hurricane Ian with the opportunity for one-stop service.

The Disaster Recovery Center at the Joseph P. D’Alessandro Office Complex will be open seven days a week from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program 

Southwest Florida businesses that were damaged by Hurricane Ian – either physically or financially – are eligible for short-term working capital loans intended to “bridge the gap” until they can secure longer term recovery funding, including federal or commercial loans, insurance claims and other resources. 

Loan Terms:

  • Amount: up to $50,000 

  • Interest rate: 0% 

Lending Guidelines:

  • Employees: 2 to 100 

  • Credit score: 600+ 

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday in Fort Myers that $50 million is available for the Bridge Loan Program. Loans are on a first-come, first-served basis, but businesses in Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Sarasota counties will be prioritized. For more information, please call 833-832-4494 or email EmergencyBridgeLoan@deo.myflorida.com.

Visit https://deosera.force.com/RebuildFloridaBusinessLoanFund/s/ to apply online.

U.S. Small Business Administration Loans

The Small Business Administration offers several types of loans to assist businesses impacted by federally declared disasters. 

Economic Injury Disaster Loans:

  • Eligibility: small businesses, agricultural cooperatives or nonprofits that are unable to obtain credit elsewhere 

  • Purpose: provide working capital to help small recipients until normal operations resume after a disaster 

  • Amount: up to $2 million 

  • Terms: no more than 30 years, no more than 4% interest 

Physical Disaster Loans:

  • Eligibility: businesses of any size 
  • Purpose: repair or replace real estate, equipment, fixtures, inventory and leasehold improvements
  • Amount: uninsured losses up to $2 million 
  • Terms: no more than 30 years, no more than 4% interest

Visit http://disasterloan.sba.gov/ to apply online.