Access Financial Business Resources
Your Losses Due to COVID19 - Covered

Good Morning Dear Chamber Members,

Our federal and state agencies have positively responded to requests for support! We strongly encourage you to act now to apply for two federal programs providing financial resources to small business and nonprofits . Act now to take advantage of these opportunities. You can be certain that funds will be disbursed to organizations in need and become unavailable if you wait to act.

As a reminder, we have our first weekly "In the Know" virtual webinar series that will occur Tuesdays at 10 AM starting March 24. Ken Lawson, Executive Director of Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Tom Kindred Jr. Regional Director of Florida Small Business Development Center will discuss these time-sensitive programs and how their agencies have been identified to support our business and nonprofit community during this time. The recordings will be made available after each call for those unable to join live.

We will get through this together. Use facts to make calculated decisions.
In Support of You,
Amber Batchelor
President & CEO
Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce
Economic Injury Disaster Loan Available
Act Today to Sustain Your Business
SBA Announced Disaster Declaration Yesterday Evening! Unlocking Financial Assistance for our area:
Indian River, Brevard, and St. Lucie Counties
What is the S BA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program?

If you have suffered substantial economic injury and are one of the following types of businesses located in a  declared disaster area , you may be eligible for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL):
  • Small Business
  • Small agricultural cooperative
  • Most private nonprofit organizations

Eligibility and Terms
  • The interest rate on EIDLs will not exceed 4 percent per year. The term of these loans will not exceed 30 years. The repayment term will be determined by your ability to repay the loan.

  • EIDL assistance is available only to small businesses when SBA determines they are unable to obtain credit elsewhere.

  • A business may qualify for both an EIDL and a physical disaster loan. The maximum combined loan amount is $2 million.
SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Details.

Loan Amounts and Use
  • Substantial economic injury means the business is unable to meet its obligations and to pay its ordinary and necessary operating expenses.

  • EIDLs provide the necessary working capital to help small businesses survive until normal operations resume after a disaster.

  • The SBA can provide up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred.
  • Your loan amount will be based on your actual economic injury and your company's financial needs, regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.
How to Apply

You must submit the completed loan application and a signed and dated  IRS Form 4506-T   giving permission for the IRS to provide SBA your tax return information.

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 .

Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan
Only Available until May 8. Apply Today.
What is The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program?

It is currently available to small business owners located in all Florida counties statewide that experienced economic damage as a result of COVID-19. These

  • short-term,
  • interest-free working capital loans

are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a major catastrophe hits and when a business has secured longer term recovery resources, such as sufficient profits from a revived business, receipt of payments on insurance claims or federal disaster assistance.

Governor Ron DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program on Monday to provide support to employees and business owners during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The state has allocated up to $50 million for the program. 

Application Period : Applications will be accepted by qualified Florida small businesses under this program Now  through May 8, 2020 , contingent on the availability of funds.
Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program Details:

Designated Disaster Areas :
  • All Florida counties statewide per Executive Order 20-52.

Qualified Applicant :
  • Applications will be accepted by qualified for-profit, privately held small businesses that maintain a place of business in the state of Florida.
  • All qualified applicants must have been established prior to March 9, 2020, and suffered economic injury as a result of the designated disaster (COVID19).
  • Qualified small business applicants must be an employer business with 2 to 100 employees.
Amount :
  • Up to $50,000 per eligible small business. Loans of up to $100,000 may be made in special cases as warranted by the need of the eligible small business.
Term :
  • 1 year.

Limitation :
  • Only one loan may be made per eligible business. All previous bridge loans received MUST be paid in full.
Contact Information
For questions regarding the Emergency Bridge Loan Program, please contact the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network Headquarters. Email:  Disaster@FloridaSBDC.org . Phone toll-free: (866) 737-7232.

To Apply
To submit completed applications and required documents, send by mail or courier to: Florida SBDC Network Headquarters, C/O Florida Emergency Bridge Loan Process, 220 West Garden Street, Suite 301 Pensacola, Florida 32502. Applicants may also submit applications and required documents via email to  Disaster@FloridaSBDC.org  or by fax to (850) 696-2693.

For assistance in completing the application, contact your local Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) office. To locate your local Florida SBDC visit  www.FloridaSBDC.org/locations  or contact us toll-free (866) 737-7232.
"In the Know" Business Briefing | March 24
Be on the Call. Hear from the Experts.
"In the Know" Virtual Series by Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce

Tuesday, March 24 | 10AM

Hear from Ken Lawson, Executive Director, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Tom Kindred, Jr. for Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Regional Director

Following an economic disaster in Florida, the Florida Small Business Development Center at Indian River State College (FSBDC@IRSC) serves as the business community’s primary contact for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program – A state disaster loan program. The program is managed by t he Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO),

This week, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the activation of the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program to support small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The application period opens today, March 17, 2020 and runs through May 8, 2020.

Yesterday, Indian River, Brevard, and St. Lucie Counties were included in the Disaster Declaration to unlock SBA Economic Injury Loans due to the work of Florida DEO and Gov. DeSantis.
Ken Lawson
Executive Director
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
Tom Kindred, Jr.
Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Regional Director