Florida Small Business Emergency Loan Program

Small business owners whose businesses have been adversely affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, may apply for an interest-free loan through the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program. Governor Charlie Crist has allocated $5 million from General Revenue to fund the bridge loan program.

To be eligible for the program, a small business owner (less than 100 employees) must have been operational for one full year prior to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on April 20, 2010, and demonstrate physical damage or economic injury as a result of the incident. Small business owners in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf and Franklin counties may apply for short-term loans of up to $25,000 until October 27, 2010. Affected small businesses in Wakulla, Jefferson, Taylor, Dixie, Levy, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Monroe, Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties have until September 30, 2010, to apply for assistance through this program.

To receive an application or more information about the program, please visit www.floridaoilhelp.com or contact the Florida First Capital Finance Corporation at (850) 681-3601.

top

SBA Loan Information

The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) has made low-interest loans available to Florida small businesses near the Gulf of Mexico suffering financial losses following the April 20 Deepwater BP oil spill that shut down commercial and recreational fishing along the state’s coast.

SBA is offering working capital loans up to $2 million at an interest rate of 4 percent with terms up to 30 years. Businesses in designated counties must demonstrate economic injury as part of their loan application. The loans may be used by small businesses that are unable to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact. These loans can provide vital economic assistance to fishing and fishing-dependent businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing. SBA encourages businesses to also file claims with BP. Borrowers may be required to use any claim payments to help repay these SBA loans.

Eligible small businesses include those engaged in shrimping, crabbing and oyster fishing in the waters affected by the closure (employees or crew members are not small businesses and are not eligible); small businesses dependent on the catching or sale of shrimp, crabs and oysters, suppliers of fishing gear and fuel; docks, boatyards, processors, wholesalers, shippers, retailers and other small businesses dependent on revenue from fishing, recreational and sports fishing small businesses, and coastal small businesses.

Currently covered counties in Florida include: Bay, Citrus, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Levy, Manatee, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Taylor and Walton. Alachua, Calhoun, Charlotte, Desoto, Gilchrist, Hardee, Holmes, Jackson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Polk, Sumter, Wakulla and Washington.

For additional loan information and application forms visit SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance or contact SBA by either calling SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the hearing impaired) or e-mailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. 

For businesses not located in the currently covered SBA counties, please download and complete the Estimated Disaster Economic Injury Worksheet for Businesses. [PDF 13KB] Please send completed forms to Stormy LeBlanc at Stormy.Leblanc@em.myflorida.com or fax it to Stormy LeBlanc at (850) 922-3388.

top

SBA Offices

top