Michael Ward’s Post

Announcement: disaster recovery assistance available due to lack of snow/drought declaration for 42 Michigan counties. https://rb.gy/0pcmee Many of Michigan's loggers, truckers, and other manufacturers have been negatively impacted by the lack of snow this winter. If your business is located in one of the counties listed below, you may qualify for a United States Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan. These loans are designed to help businesses through disaster situations that have impacted their economic well-being. Loans are up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred. Businesses pay no interest on the loan for the first year and a maximum rate of 4% for the rest of the loan period. Businesses must apply by the application deadline for their county. You can submit applications and find additional disaster assistance information at https://lending.sba.gov. Call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information. Applicants may also contact the Michigan Small Business Development Center at 1-833-522-0025 or email sbdcmichigan@gvsu.edu. View https://rb.gy/ww0dm2 for the full press release and additional details from Governor Gretchen Whitmer's office.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has run out of funding for its disaster assistance loans, delaying crucial support for those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. These Economic Injury Disaster Loans are vital for businesses and individuals recovering from the devastation of these storms. While the SBA is facing challenges, FEMA remains a viable alternative for disaster relief. They have assured that they have the necessary funds to assist survivors in the immediate aftermath of these hurricanes. For more information about disaster assistance programs, visit disasterassistance.gov. #DisasterRelief #HurricaneHelene #HurricaneMilton #CommunitySupport #LibertyBank #OwnersBank

As Michigan continues to face record high winter temperatures, Governor Gretchen Whitmer urged Michigan small businesses impacted by lack of snow to apply for federal funding from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Amid the warmest winter on record, with days in February and March topping 60 degrees, federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available because of ongoing federal drought declarations affecting 42 Michigan counties. Submit applications and find additional disaster assistance information at https://lending.sba.gov. Call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech-related disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Applicants may also contact the Michigan Small Business Development Center at 1-833-522-0025 or email sbdcmichigan@gvsu.edu. https://lnkd.in/eANWKagK

I’ve seen a lot of incorrect information about FEMA in light of recent/looming disasters, and since I have a decade of experience in this area, I thought I would weigh in. I will preface by saying that I am against funding proxy wars which seem to only result in bloodshed. That being said, here is how FEMA works, from a high level, and then more granular in the comments: ✅ The $750 is designed to be quick money - get it out fast with little oversight to get money in the hands of survivors to get what they need now. It’s not available in every disaster, and is actually quite uncommon to be deployed when there is a Major Disaster Declaration. ✅ FEMA is not insurance ✅ FEMA is not designed to make you whole, rather to get you back on your feet, which is why if your 2 BR home is destroyed you may only get assistance for replacing one bedroom. ✅ FEMA is not insurance ✅ The benefit cap is $90,000 between multiple programs, indexed for inflation, much higher than the $750 that is circulating. ✅ FEMA is not insurance ✅ FEMA workers usually deploy in the field for months on end and often sleep in shelters in the impacted areas. They deserve a little more respect.

Funding crisis looms for SBA disaster loans post-Helene The Small Business Administration is facing a potential funding shortfall for its disaster loan program following Hurricane Helene. President Joe Biden has warned Congress that funds could run out in weeks without additional federal support, and as Hurricane Milton approaches, the urgency for additional funding grows

It warms my heart to see and have support from my remote colleagues and neighboring communities. My family is safe and we are saving any photos and memories we can as we clean up. In the spirit of resilience I wanted to share some helpful resources for those enduring and recovering in the Tampa area. Reposting Hillborough counties resources and info: FEMA Assistance Now Available FEMA assistance is now available to City of Tampa residents who experienced damages/losses due to Hurricane Helene. This would include financial help for temporary lodging, basic home repairs and other disaster-caused expenses. Apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, the FEMA app, or 1-800-621-3362. Comfort Stations Now Open Two comfort centers are now open in two of our hardest hit neighborhoods. They are providing free food (lunch and dinner), resources, restrooms, showers, water, ice, and laundry services to those in need. They are now open daily from 7am - 7pm until further notice. DeSoto Park: 2617 Corrine St. Marjorie Park: 97 Columbia Dr. Free Laundry Assistance In partnership with Current Initiatives, free laundry assistance will be available for City of Tampa residents on October 1 at Wash Zone (5235 South Dale Mabry Highway) from 11 am - 2 pm. City of Tampa Resident Damage Self Reporting Form Residents can self-report damages to help prioritize the City of Tampa's damage assessment operations using the Resident Damage Self Reporting Form. If it is an emergency situation, residents should always call 9-1-1, but for other non-life-threatening damages, residents can enter the information in the form. Go to tampa.gov/SelfReport to access the form. Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program is now open. Loans up to $50,000 are now available to businesses across Hillsborough County that were impacted by Hurricane Helene. The 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. Florida's Price Gouging Hotline Attorney General Ashley Moody has activated Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline. Anyone who suspects price gouging can report it at MyFloridaLegal.com or by calling 1 (866) 9NO-SCAM. Food Resources Feeding Tampa Bay is operational and distributing food from their Causeway Center. They are also distributing food at Crosswind Church (1510 Hillsborough Ave) from 4 pm - 6 pm on September 30. Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) HART bus service, HARTPlus, HARTFlex, and the Streetcar system are all operational on normal schedules at this time.

New Post: Georgia SBA Disaster Loan Deadline for Storm Damage Nears - https://lnkd.in/gtUWmHyP - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is encouraging businesses and private nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania to apply for economic damage assistance due to the flash flooding and severe storms that struck Berks County on July 9, 2023. The deadline to apply is June 28, 2024. This disaster declaration includes Berks County and the adjacent counties of Chester, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Schuylkill. The SBA provides Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to help cover working capital needs caused by the disaster. These loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private nonprofit organizations. Importantly, this assistance is available whether or not the business suffered physical property damage. Eligible businesses and organizations can apply for loans up to $2 million, with interest rates set at 4% for small businesses and 2.375% for private nonprofit organizations. The loan terms can extend up to 30 years, with loan amounts and terms determined by the applicant’s financial condition. Additionally, interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until twelve months after the first loan disbursement. Eligibility criteria include the size of the applicant, type of activity, and financial resources. These working capital loans can be used to cover fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. However, these loans are not meant to replace lost sales or profits. Applications can be submitted online, and additional disaster assistance information is available at SBA.gov/disaster. For further assistance, applicants can contact the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, telecommunications relay services can be accessed by dialing 7-1-1. Completed loan applications must be submitted to the SBA by June 28, 2024. Image: Envato This article, "Georgia SBA Disaster Loan Deadline for Storm Damage Nears" was first published on Small Business Trends - #news #business #world -------------------------------------------------- Download: #Google #Font #Tester - https://lnkd.in/gKAZYbVN

🌟Economic Relief Announcement for Wisconsin Businesses 🌟 Dear EDC Community, We understand the challenges our local businesses are facing due to the mild winter and low snowfall. Governor Tony Evers and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin have partnered to bring federal disaster loan support through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). 🚀Key Information: Support Offered: Economic Injury Disaster Loans Amount: Up to $2 million Interest: No interest for the first year 🗓️Act Promptly! To check eligibility and apply, visit https://lending.sba.gov/. Application deadlines vary by county, so prompt action is crucial to secure relief. 📞Need Assistance? For more information, contact SBA's Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Let's rally together to ensure our local businesses receive the support they need! 💪🏽 🔗Click the link below to read the full press release. #SupportLocalBusiness #EconomicRelief #CommunityStrong

Hurricane Disaster Relief: Quick Steps to Maximize Your Loan Access 👉 Links to FEMA and SBA Disaster Loans in my most recent blog post! Register with FEMA Complete Damage Assessment Prepare Necessary Documents Submit SBA Loan Application Follow Up on Loan Processing Receive Loan Approval or Denial Stay proactive and get the assistance you need! #DisasterRelief #SBA #FEMAAssistance #HurricaneRecovery #BusinessFunding

Think the incompetance of the Biden-Harris administration in Hurricane disastor response is focused just on FEMA? Nope, from CBN news we get "The Small Business Administration has run out of money for the disaster assistance loans it offers small businesses, homeowners and renters, delaying much needed relief for people applying for aid in the wake of the destruction caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton." What is the problem? "So far, the SBA has received around 37,000 applications for relief from those impacted by Hurricane Helene and made more than 700 loan offers totaling about $48 million. It has received 12,000 applications from those impacted by Hurricane Milton.  The SBA is pausing new loan offers until it gets more funding, which means loans that have not already been offered will be delayed by at least a month. SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman said people should keep applying for the loans, however." Will the SBA get more money? The answer to that question is also infuriating!!!! "House Speaker Mike Johnson assured there would be strong support to provide necessary funds – when Congress returns after the November election." Really? You guys bust a gut to send billions to Ukraine but you can't get off your fat rear ends to help business owners who are often the key employers in these rural regions impacted by these storms? https://lnkd.in/e7qyVux5