Here is the website for the SBA’s response and information on the $2MM available per business: https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/coronavirus-covid-19
It’s important to communicate to anyone interested that, for now, these loans look to be direct from the SBA and not through third party/bank lenders. However, for any business owner to be able to access these funds, their State’s Governor must make a request of the Government to designate their State as an eligible recipient of the Disaster Relief funding (please read below).
Process for Accessing SBA’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Disaster Relief Lending
The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering designated states and territories low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Upon a request received from a state’s or territory’s Governor, SBA will issue under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by the President, an Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration. I’ve seen some folks think they can get one of these loans for other purposes such as expansion, real estate purchase, etc. I would expect those requests will not be approved and need to go through typical financing channels. I also expect there to be some type of evidence that those businesses are currently suffering a “substantial economic injury”, though I have yet to see any comment about this.
Any such Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance declaration issued by the SBA makes loans available to small businesses and private, non-profit organizations in designated areas of a state or territory to help alleviate economic injury caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance will coordinate with the state’s or territory’s Governor to submit the request for Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance.
Once a declaration is made for designated areas within a state, the information on the application process for Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance will be made available to all affected communities.
These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses without credit available elsewhere; businesses with credit available elsewhere are not eligible. The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%.
SBA offers loans with long-term repayments in order to keep payments affordable, up to a maximum of 30 years. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower’s ability to repay.
SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans are just one piece of the expanded focus of the federal government’s coordinated response, and the SBA is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible.
For additional information, please contact the SBA disaster assistance customer service center.
Call 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or e-mail disastercustomerservice@sba.gov(link sends e-mail).
