Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness

Disaster Preparedness

Ensuring Tampa Bay area businesses stay open

Business Damage Assessment Survey

The State of Florida opened the Business Damage Assessment Survey for Hurricane Helene on September 27, 2024. Please take a moment to complete the survey. Completion of the survey by as many business owners as possible helps to ensure the proper services will be available for recovery efforts.

When disaster strikes, businesses in the Tampa Bay region can find the education, training and assistance needed to survive through our Business Continuation Services.

40% of all businesses that close following a disaster never re-open.

Our professionally certified business consultants provide consulting at no cost, and training events to help you minimize losses and increase survivability when affected by natural and man-made disasters.

We can help business owners develop a plan tailored for your business, at no cost.

Active Disaster Declarations

STATE OF FLORIDA EMERGENCY BRIDGE LOAN

Incident: Hurricane Helene

Counties: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties.

Details: The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program provides short-term, zero-interest working capital loans that are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a disaster impacts a business and when a business has secured longer term recovery funding such as federally or commercially available loans, insurance claims or other resources.

Loans made under this program are short-term, personal loans using State of Florida funds – they are not grants and must be repaid. Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loans require repayment by the approved applicant. Owners may utilize funding from longer term financial resources, such as U.S. Small Business Administration economic injury disaster loans, to repay the Emergency Bridge Loan.

Maximum Loan Amount: $50,000

Deadline to Apply: November 24, 2024

How to Apply: Visit FloridaJobs.org/EBL to learn more about the program, view the lending guidelines and required documentation, and complete an application by the deadline. Business owners who need further program information may call 833-832-4494 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

Incident: Hurricane Debby

Counties: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Nassau, Pasco, Pinellas, Putnam, Sarasota, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, and Wakulla counties.

Details: The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program provides short-term, zero-interest working capital loans that are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a disaster impacts a business and when a business has secured longer term recovery funding such as federally or commercially available loans, insurance claims or other resources.

Loans made under this program are short-term, personal loans using State of Florida funds – they are not grants and must be repaid. Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loans require repayment by the approved applicant. Owners may utilize funding from longer term financial resources, such as U.S. Small Business Administration economic injury disaster loans, to repay the Emergency Bridge Loan.

Maximum Loan Amount: $50,000

Deadline to Apply: until all available funds are expended

How to Apply: Visit FloridaJobs.org/EBL to learn more about the program, view the lending guidelines and required documentation, and complete an application by the deadline. Business owners who need further program information may call 833-832-4494 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

SBA DISASTER LOANS

Hurricane Helene

Counties: Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Taylor, Wakulla counties are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Alachua, Collier, Desoto, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Leon, Liberty, Marion, Polk, Sumter, Suwannee counties.

Deadline: The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is November 27, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 30, 2025.

Assistance Available: Physical Damage and Economic Injury Disaster Loans

How to Apply: Applications for disaster loans may be submitted online using the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov or other locally announced locations. Please contact the SBA’s Customer Service Center by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or by phone at 1-800-659-2955 for further assistance.

Hurricane Debby

Counties: Alachua, Baker, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee and Taylor counties are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Bradford, Charlotte, Clay, DeSoto, Duval, Hardee, Hernando, Leon, Marion, Nassau, Pasco, Polk, Putnam, Sumter, Union and Wakulla counties.

Deadline: The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is October 9, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is May 12, 2025.

Assistance Available: Physical Damage and Economic Injury Disaster Loans

How to Apply: Applications for disaster loans may be submitted online using the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov or other locally announced locations. Please contact the SBA’s Customer Service Center by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or by phone at 1-800-659-2955 for further assistance.

Drought

Counties: Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota; and the contiguous Florida counties of: Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Pasco and Polk

Deadline: November 25, 2024

Assistance Available: Economic Injury Disaster Loan

How to Apply: Applications for disaster loans may be submitted online using the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov or other locally announced locations. Please contact the SBA’s Customer Service Center by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or by phone at 1-800-659-2955 for further assistance.

OTHER

Incident: Hurricane Helene

The Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program has been established within the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to make low-interest or interest-free loans to agricultural and aquaculture producers who have experienced damage from a declared natural disaster.

Counties: DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota counties.

Applicants must own a bona fide farm operation on land classified as agricultural pursuant to Section 193.461, F.S., or lease sovereign submerged land pursuant to Section 597.010, F.S.

How to Apply: Applications may be submitted online on the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services website at https://disasterloan.fdacs.gov/ or other locally announced locations. Please contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services customer service center by email at AgricultureLoanProgram@FDACS.gov or by phone at (850)617-7200 for further assistance.

Types of Disaster Loans

Florida Small Business Bridge Loan Program

When activated by the Governor, the Florida Small Business Bridge Loan Program, administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity in collaboration with Florida First Capital Finance Corporation (FFCFC) and the Florida SBDC Network, provides short-term, interest-free working capital loans intended to help impacted businesses “bridge the gap” between the time a major catastrophe hits and when a business has secured long-term recovery resources, such as insurance claims or federal assistance. Eligible businesses with two to 100 employees may apply for loans up to $50,000 for 90 or 180-day terms. Visit www.FloridaDisasterLoan.org for full details.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Business Physical Disaster Loans

Businesses and most private non-profit organizations located in a declared disaster area that incurred damage during a disaster may apply for a low-interest loan to help replace or restore damaged property if federal assistance is activated. SBA makes physical disaster loans of up to $2 million to qualified businesses and most private non-profit organizations. Visit www.SBA.gov for full details.

Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.

To find active disaster declarations and associated assistance, please visit www.SBA.gov.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)

If federal assistance is activated and you are in a declared disaster area, have suffered substantial economic injury regardless of physical damage, and you are a small business, small agricultural cooperative, or private nonprofit organizations, you may qualify for an EIDL. EIDLs provide working capital to help businesses survive until normal operations resume after a disaster. SBA can provide up to a maximum of $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses. A business may qualify for both an EIDL and a physical disaster loan, not to exceed the maximum of $2 million. Visit www.SBA.gov for full details.

Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.

To find active disaster declarations and associated assistance, please visit www.SBA.gov.

Two Mobile Assistance Centers (MACs)

The MACs are 38’ RVs outfitted as mobile Florida SBDC Network centers. As a principal responder in the state’s Emergency Support Function (ESF) 18 for Business & Industry, the MACs are deployed during a disaster to provide an on-the-scene workspace for our consultants to assist impacted businesses. When not in use during a time of emergency, the MACs provide services to businesses in rural areas of Florida.

Additional Resources

FAQ

A taxpayer does not have to be located in a federally declared disaster area to be an “affected taxpayer.” Taxpayers are “affected” if records necessary to meet a filing or payment deadline postponed during the relief period are located in a covered disaster area.

An affected taxpayer can be:

  • An individual
  • Any business entity or sole proprietor
  • Any shareholder in an S Corporation

Yes. If the affected partnership or S Corp cannot provide you the records necessary to file your return then you’re also an affected taxpayer. Your filing and payment deadlines are postponed until the end of the postponement period just like the affected partnership or S Corp.

To get the postponement for filing or payment, you must:

  • Call the Disaster Assistance Hotline at 1-866-562-5227
  • Explain that your necessary records are located in a covered disaster area
  • Provide the FEMA Disaster Number of the county where the affected partnership or S Corp is located
  • See Treas. Reg. § 301.7508A-1 and Rev. Proc. 2007-56 for a list of taxpayer acts that may be postponed in response to a federally declared disaster

Penalties for non-payment will begin at the expiration of the established term of each loan, and will be as follows:

  • 12% per annum on the unpaid balance for the first 180 days following expiration of the established term.
  • 18% per annum on the unpaid balance thereafter.
  • Default is subject to normal commercial collection process.

View page 2-5 of A Guide to the Disaster Declaration Process

By law, the interest rates depend on whether each applicant has Credit Available Elsewhere. An applicant does not have Credit Available Elsewhere when SBA determines the applicant does not have sufficient funds or other resources, or the ability to borrow from non-government sources, to provide for its own disaster recovery. An applicant, which SBA determines to have the ability to provide for his or her own recovery is deemed to have Credit Available Elsewhere. Interest rates are fixed for the term of the loan. The interest rates applicable for this disaster are:

No Credit Available Elsewhere Credit Available Elsewhere
Business Loans 3.305% 6.610%
Non-Profit Organization Loans 2.500% 2.500%
Economic Injury Loans 3.305% N/A
Businesses and Small Agricultural Cooperatives 3.305% N/A
Non-Profit Organizations 2.500% N/A
Home Loans 1.750% 3.500%

If your loan application is approved, you may be eligible for additional funds to cover the cost of improvements that will protect your property against future damage. Examples of improvements include retaining walls, seawalls, sump pumps, safe rooms, etc. Mitigation loan money would be in addition to the amount of the approved loan, but may not exceed 20 percent of total amount of physical damage to real property, including leasehold improvements, and personal property as verified by SBA to a maximum of $200,000 for home loans. It is not necessary for the description of improvements and cost estimates to be submitted with the application. SBA approval of the mitigating measures will be required before any loan increase.

You may use your SBA disaster loan to relocate. The amount of the relocation loan depends on whether you relocate voluntarily or involuntarily? If you are interested I relocation, an SBA representative can provide you with more details on your specific situation.

To protect each borrower and the Agency, SBA may require you to obtain and maintain appropriate insurance. By law, borrowers whose damaged or collateral property is located in a special flood hazard area must purchase and maintain flood insurance. SBA requires that flood insurance coverage be the lesser of 1) the total of the disaster loan, 2) the insurable value of the property, or 3) the maximum insurance available.

For more information, contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at http://www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at

https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela

  • SBA can refinance all or part of prior mortgages that are evidenced by a recorded lien, when the applicant (1) does not have credit available elsewhere, (2) has suffered substantial uncompensated disaster damage (40 percent or more of the value of the property or 50% or more of the value of the structure), and (3) intends to repair the damage.
  • Businesses — Business owners may be eligible for the refinancing of existing mortgages or liens on real estate, machinery and equipment, up to the amount of the loan for the repair or replacement of real estate, machinery, and equipment.
  • Homes — Homeowners may be eligible for the refinancing of existing liens or mortgages on homes, up to the amount of the loan for real estate repair or replacement.
  • Uninsured Losses — Only uninsured or otherwise uncompensated disaster losses are eligible. Any insurance proceeds which are required to be applied against outstanding mortgages are not available to fund disaster repairs and do not reduce loan eligibility. However, any insurance proceeds voluntarily applied to any outstanding mortgages do reduce loan eligibility.
  • Ineligible Property — Secondary homes, personal pleasure boats, airplanes, recreational vehicles and similar property are not eligible, unless used for business purposes. Property such as antiques and collections are eligible only to the extent of their functional value. Amounts for landscaping, swimming pools, etc., are limited.
  • Noncompliance — Applicants who have not complied with the terms of previous SBA loans may not be eligible. This includes borrowers who did not maintain flood and/or hazard insurance on previous SBA loans.Note: Loan applicants should check with agencies / organizations administering any grant or other assistance program under this declaration to determine how an approval of SBA disaster loan might affect their eligibility.

Business Recover Centers only open when there is an active declaration of emergency.

FEMA is making Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) available to eligible survivors in the state of Florida, who are unable to return to their pre-disaster primary residence because their home is either uninhabitable or inaccessible. TSA provides disaster survivors with a short-term stay in a hotel or motel. Through direct payments to lodging providers, TSA is intended to reduce the number of disaster survivors in shelters by transitioning survivors into short-term accommodations. Eligible survivors can find the list of TSA-approved hotels on www.DisasterAssistance.gov, and click on the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) Program – Participating Hotel List link. If internet access is unavailable, the FEMA Helpline (1-800-621-3362) can assist with locating a participating property. Survivors should contact the hotel directly to secure a hotel room prior to traveling to the hotel. Rental Assistance. Assistance through FEMA’s Individual and Households Program may be available to eligible applicants to secure temporary housing while repairs are being made to the pre-disaster primary residence, or while transitioning to permanent housing while applicant survivor is displaced from their primary residence.

Depending on the circumstances, the IRS may grant additional time to file returns and pay taxes.

The loan is via electronic transfer (and possibly paper check).

Since they are personally guaranteed, they are made payable in the owner’s name.

Yes.

Either one. The applicant can submit one payment for the whole amount or break it down into smaller payments.

No. Applicant must prove their business was solvent prior to the hurricane.

If the applicant can’t pay the loan within 1 year, they can continue with the loan. However, the zero interest period is only for the first year. After that time, interest will start accumulating on the balance owed. This can become a financial problem if the applicant falls in this situation as the interest is comparable to those from credit cards.

News

Press Release

SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to Residents of Florida Affected by Severe Storms and Tornado in Sarasota County

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Tampa, FL 33612

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Florida SBDC Network

The Florida SBDC at the University of South Florida is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide partnership program nationally accredited by the Association of America’s SBDCs and funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida, and other private and public partners, with the University of West Florida serving as the network’s lead host institution. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for limited English proficient individuals.

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State Designated as Florida’s Principal Provider of Business Assistance [§ 288.01, Fla. Stat.]