Tag: SBA

CONNECTING THE DOTS 2023 – Creating Business Opportunities/SBA Business Expo

July 21, 2023
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Xavier University
University Center
4955 Drexel Drive
New Orleans, LA 70125

Join the U.S. Small Business Administration /Louisiana District for a morning of business connections and networking with procurement agencies and network partners. Register online at the below link, and you will have an opportunity to access information on available contracts, SBA services, small business development assistance, and more.

• Find out how to take advantage of the benefits SBA has to offer/ One on One appointments available on-site,

• Meet Face to Face with Federal, State, Local, and Prime Procurement Agencies,

• Learn how to find out what contracts are available, and

• Network with Management and Technical Assistance providers geared to provide assistance to all small businesses.

 

FREE and OPEN to the Public

 

Register Here

SBA Webinar: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification

Join SBA and Public Private Strategies Institute for a webinar on January 26, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. ET to learn about the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program and what the new CMMC 2.0 requirements are for those looking to demonstrate sound cyber hygiene in order to qualify for work on government contracts. The federal government requires those that develop products, provide services, or manufacture parts as part of the Department of Defense supply chain to protect any sensitive information related to their work.

Speakers include:

  • Aikta Marcoulier, Region VIII Administrator, SBA
  • Mark Madrid, Associate Administrator, Office of Entrepreneurial Development, SBA
  • Dr. Shawn Murray, President, Senior Consultant and Chief Academic Officer, Murray Security Services
  • Margaret Graves, Senior Fellow, IBM Center for The Business of Government and the IBM Partner or Digital Transformation Strategy and Senior Advisor, IBM’s Federal Services
  • Rick Schmidt, President and CEO, Tipping Pont Solutions (TPS)

Register

SBA, Louisiana Announce New HUBZones

SBA Administrator, Louisiana Governor Announce New HUBZones to Expand Federal Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses Across the State, Strengthening One of the Nation’s Critical Manufacturing and Transportation Centers

December 20, 2022 | Release Number 22-103
Contact U.S. Small Business Administration at Press_Office@sba.gov

WASHINGTON – Today, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s 33.2 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, and Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, the state’s 56th governor, announced the expansion of HUBZone across Louisiana, a program that provides small businesses in low-income communities that hire low-income residents with opportunities to compete in the federal marketplace. The announcement grants Governor Edward’s 2022 petition to add twenty-five HUBZone Governor Designated Covered Areas in Louisiana, expanding access and eligibility to SBA’s HUBZone Program to the small businesses in these areas.

“The SBA’s HUBZones continue to be a critical tool in opening up new opportunities for small businesses to sell their goods and services directly to the world’s largest buyer: the U.S. Government,” said Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. “Thanks to Governor Edwards’ vision for Louisiana, the expansion of certified HUBZones will support efforts to empower rural and historically underserved Louisiana small businesses through the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investments in critical infrastructure, broadband access and, restoring Made in America manufacturing.”

“I would like to thank SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman and South Central Region Administrator Ted James for continuing to support my administration’s efforts to drive small business growth in Louisiana,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said. “Small businesses lift up families and communities and drive our economy. This program will provide businesses in historically underutilized areas, including economically challenged rural communities, the opportunity to expand and access new markets.”

“I’m excited that Louisiana has become the first state in Region 6 to take advantage of the program, and it will enable us to strive to reach contracting goals set by President Joe Biden,” said SBA’s South Central Regional Administrator Edward “Ted” James.

Below are the approved areas identified in Louisiana’s 2022 petition:

  1. Census Tract 2, Jefferson Davis Parish
  2. Census Tract 9601.01, Beauregard Parish
  3. Census Tract 9601.02, Beauregard Parish
  4. Census Tract 9518.01, West Feliciana Parish
  5. Census Tract 9608.01, Acadia Parish
  6. Census Tract 9512.01, St. Helena Parish
  7. Census Tract 9504, Allen Parish
  8. Census Tract 203.01, St. Martin Parish
  9. Census Tract 9503, De Soto Parish
  10. Census Tract 9515.01, East Feliciana Parish
  11. Census Tract 310.01, Ascension Parish
  12. Census Tract 110.04, Bossier Parish
  13. Census Tract 242.06, Caddo Parish
  14. Census Tract 24.02, Calcasieu Parish
  15. Census Tract 201, Grant Parish
  16. Census Tract 9526, Iberville Parish
  17. Census Tract 279.04, Jefferson Parish
  18. Census Tract 211.01, Lafourche Parish
  19. Census Tract 9601, Union Parish
  20. Census Tract 106.04, Ouachita Parish
  21. Census Tract 135.02, Rapides Parish
  22. Census Tract 406, St. James Parish
  23. Census Tract 401.03, St. Tammany Parish
  24. Census Tract 9502.02, Vermilion Parish
  25. Census Tract 203.01, West Baton Rouge Parish

There are currently 128 active HUBZone firms in Louisiana. In FY21, firms located in the state received $217,135,255 in federal contract obligations, $43,682,988 of which were HUBZone contracts.

Under the new HUBZone rule, a governor may submit one petition per year requesting that SBA designate certain qualifying areas, including Opportunity Zones as Governor-Designated Covered Areas. In reviewing a request for designation included in the petition, the Administrator may consider how the selections meet the objectives of the state’s economic development strategies.

The newly designated areas will be added to the HUBZone map as “Governor-Designated Covered Areas.” To be eligible for this program, communities must have a population of 50,000 or fewer, an average unemployment rate is at least 120 percent of the average unemployment rate for the U.S. or state (whichever is lowest) and be located outside of an urbanized area.

For information about the HUBZone program, visit www.sba.gov/hubzone.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

Get Certified Week, sponsored by the Louisiana SBA

“GET CERTIFIED WEEK’

New Year, New Certifications

Government Contracting

          

DO NOT miss this opportunity for Training and

One-on-One Assistance!!

 SAM Registration

8(A)

HubZone

Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB)

Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) 

City of Shreveport Fair Share Program

January 19-23, 2023 

2230 Jewella Ave

Shreveport, LA 71109

Presenters : Jo Ann Lawrence, DDD, SBA Louisiana District Office

Kenyatta Sparks, DBE, SSS Program Manager, SJB Group,LLC

  

PLEASE BRING YOUR LAPTOPS

           REGISTER TODAY!!

            Calendar – Shreveport-Bossier African American Chamber (sbaacc.org)

                 FREE and Open to the Public 

  Follow us on Twitter

@SBA_Louisiana

SBA Accepting Nominations for the 2023 National Small Business Awards

NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS

2023 NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS!

Submission Deadline:

  • Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 2:00pm CDT

2023 Award Categories:

  • Small Business Person of the Year
  • Small Business Exporter of the Year
  • 8(a) Graduate of the Year
  • Minority Business Owner of the Year
  • Veteran Business Owner of the Year
  • Woman Business Owner of the Year
  • Women’s Business Center Excellence of the Year Award
  • Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award
  • Veterans Business Outreach Center Excellence in Service Award
  • Young Entrepreneurial of the Year
  • Entrepreneurial Success Award
  • Family-Owned Small Business of the Year
  • Green & Sustainable Champion of the Year

Nomination Guidelines & Forms:

Louisiana District NSBW award guidelines (sba.gov)

Where to Submit Nominations:

CLICK HERE to Submit Your Nomination TODAY!

 

Preparing to Apply: Disaster/Hurricane Assistance

Monday, August 15th

5:30 pm -7:30 pm CST

Monroe Civic Center

401 Lea Joyner Memorial Expy.

Monroe, LA 71201

To register :

Preparing to Apply: Disaster/Hurricane Assistance (lsbdc.org)

FREE and OPEN to the Public

 

TOPIC: DISASTER MITIGATION

As Hurricane Season approaches, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) continues to prioritize equitably supporting impacted communities through disaster assistance, mitigation, and business preparedness efforts. It is more important than ever for residents and small businesses to remember that the best course of action to limit damage from natural disasters is preparing before the disaster hits.

Topics Include:

* Setting up login.gov for SBA portal

* eligibility requirements for assistance

* required documents

* best practices for approval

* roles for SBA and FEMA

SBA Louisiana Hosts Webinar on Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery

Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery 

Business Development Webinar

Tuesday , July 28th 

9:00 am -10:00 am CST

Please join us for this session that will guide you through what you need to know to understand potential impacts, provide recovery strategies, develop a feasible recovery plan, understand the options available when seeking relief and financial assistance after a disaster, and best practices to continue to thrive after the disaster.

Presenters: Jo Lawrence, Deputy District Director, Louisiana District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration

Susheel Kumar, Public Information Officer, Office of Disaster Assistance. Field Operations Center-West, U.S. Small Business Administration

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC:

 

                                                                                  REGISTER TODAY!!

Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Tickets, Thu, Jul 28, 2022 at 9:00 AM | Eventbrite

                                                                                        Hosted by 

Small Business Administration

Louisiana District Office

Upcoming SBA Webinar: Resources for your Small Business

Join SBA and Public Private Strategies Institute on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 for a webinar in celebration of Small Business Month. Connect with resources on several topics including access to capital, contracting and procurement, community navigators, and more. The webinar will feature SBA Associate Administrator for the Office of Entrepreneurial Development, Mark Madrid and other key stakeholders.

Register here

SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center to Close in New Orleans

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Director Tanya N. Garfield of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West announced today that SBA will close its New Orleans Disaster Loan Outreach Center in Orleans Parish at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13.

“SBA opened the center to provide personalized assistance to Louisiana businesses and residents who were affected by the Hurricane Ida that occurred Aug. 26 ‑ Sept. 3, 2021. Until the center closes, SBA customer service representatives will continue to be available to meet with businesses and residents to answer their questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program and close their approved disaster loans,” said Garfield.

Businesses and residents can meet with SBA representatives on the days and times as indicated below. No appointment is necessary.

ORLEANS PARISH

Disaster Loan Outreach Center

New Orleans Public Library – Main Library

First Floor

219 Loyola Ave.

New Orleans, LA  70112

Mondays – Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Fridays – Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Closes 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 13

Even though the deadline to apply for a loan for property damage has passed, small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size still have until May 31, 2022, to apply for an economic injury disaster loan to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage. Business owners may apply online using SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/.

So far, SBA has approved more than $1 billion in federal disaster loans for Louisiana businesses and residents impacted by Hurricane Ida. According to Garfield, SBA has approved $106,768,700 for businesses and $1,181,634,900 for residents to help rebuild and recover from this disaster.

Interest rates are 2.855 percent for businesses and 2 percent for private nonprofit organizations with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To receive additional disaster assistance information, visit SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX  76155.

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National Small Business Week 2022

Save the date! National Small Business Week: Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship will take place May 1-7, 2022. The virtual summit will acknowledge small businesses from across the country for their resilience, ingenuity, and creativity. It will also recognize SBA partners for their involvement in entrepreneurial development, disaster recovery, government contracting, financial development, and overall support for small businesses and entrepreneurship.

WASHINGTON – Today, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s 32.5 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, announced that National Small Business Week (NSBW): Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship will take place May 1-7, 2022. The virtual summit will acknowledge small businesses from across the country for their resilience, ingenuity, and creativity. It will also recognize SBA partners for their involvement in entrepreneurial development, disaster recovery, government contracting, financial development, and overall support for small businesses and entrepreneurship.

“National Small Business Week is a time to honor and celebrate America’s entrepreneurs and innovative startups. This year’s theme, ‘Building a Better America through Entrepreneurship,’ celebrates the resiliency and tenacity of America’s entrepreneurs who are doing their part to power our nation’s historic economic comeback,” said Administrator Guzman. “While there is more work to do, under the Biden-Harris Administration, we are on a path toward building a better, more competitive American economy centered around families, workers, and small businesses. This year’s NSBW will offer entrepreneurs in rural, suburban, and urban communities across America a week-long event that will highlight the tools and information they need to continue to power our economic growth, strengthen our supply chains, and deliver the products and services Americans depend on every day.  I look forward to recognizing our small business giants and their tremendous impact on our economy and communities across the nation.”

The SBA will co-host a free, four-day virtual summit from May 2 through May 5, 2022, along with SCORE, to honor the nation’s 32.5 million small businesses for their perseverance. This year’s summit will feature access to critical federal resources, educational workshops, and networking to help our nation’s entrepreneurs pivot and grow in the face of any challenge, seize new opportunities, and make sure the dream of starting a small business is in reach for every American.

“We look forward to joining the SBA in co-hosting this important virtual summit during National Small Business Week,” said SCORE CEO Bridget Weston. “For anyone thinking about starting or growing a small business, this event will connect entrepreneurs with a wealth of industry experts and crucial information to help them achieve success.”

The 2022 Small Business Persons of the Year award winners from each state, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, will be honored, and the SBA will announce the 2022 National Small Business Person of the Year from among the state winners represented. In addition, National Small Business Week recognitions and educational sessions will occur throughout each of the SBA’s 10 regions and 68 district offices.

Details on National Small Business Week event registration and speaker information will be announced later and posted on www.sba.gov/NSBW.

Women’s Business Summit (Virtual) | March 29-30, 2022

In celebration of Women’s History Month, join the SBA’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership and the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center for the virtual Women’s Business Summit on March 29-30, 2022. The free event will include power-packed panels, inspirational fireside chats, and ‘Ask an Expert’ workshops to help you build, scale, and grow your business. Panels and discussion topics include:

  • Innovation and Investment
  • Building an Equitable Recovery Framework for Women Entrepreneurs
  • From Essential Worker to Essential Entrepreneur: CARE Economy Entrepreneurship Opportunities
  • The $100B Marketplace: Contracting Opportunities for Women-led Firms
  • Exporting & E-Commerce
  • The Changing Landscape for Entertainment and Hospitality Industries

Register

Connecting Businesses with Contracts | Virtual Business Development & Procurement Conference

 

April 12 & 13, 2022  

8:00 am – 12:00 pm CST

FREE and Open to the Public 

Hosted by Southern University AG Center and SBA, Louisiana District Office

This is our annual event that is being conducted virtually in conjunction with the Southern University Ag Center and the Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) at Southern University.  Additional supporters include Louisiana Economic Development (LED) and the Louisiana Procurement Technical Assistance Center (LA-PTAC).

The purpose of this conference is to provide training and assistance to the small business community including small businesses, woman-owned small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, 8(a) certified firms, HUBZone certified firms, and Veteran-Owned (including Service-Disabled Veteran owned) small businesses and to link these various small businesses with Federal, State and Municipal procurement agents and Prime Contractors.  For the 2021 conference, there were more than 600 participants.

Some of the confirmed exhibitors to date include:  2d Contracting Squadron at Barksdale AFB, Kiewit-Boh JV, Louisiana Economic Development, USACE Mississippi Valley Division, USACE New Orleans District, USACE Vicksburg District, GSA, LSU Supplier Diversity, Port of New Orleans, NASA Office of Small Business Programs, SCORE, LA-DOTD, Morial Convention Center, Tulane University, NOLA Public Schools, Veterans Administration, Hornbeck Offshore Operations, Office of State Procurement, Manson Construction Co., Hancock-Whitney, Ruffin Consulting, SJB Group, LLC, LA-PTAC, EEOC, SBA, LSBDC, EDA, Iberia Industrial Development Foundation, Urban League of Louisiana, Secretary of State Director of Small Business Services, BankPlus, VBOC, USDA, TruFund, Marine Forces Reserve…

Proposed sessions will include:  A Procurement Panel in the General Session, Category Management – increasing Small Business Participation in Government Contracting, A Workshop For Veterans – CVE Verification, and SDVOSB/BOSB Certification, Mental Health Wellness – Taking Care of Yourself While Taking Care of Business, Federal Contract Readiness Program, DBE Certification and Technical Assistance, Responding to Proposals and Addressing Contract Disputes, Building Capacity Through Joint Ventures and Mentor Protégé Agreements.

         

                                               REGISTER TODAY!!

                                                To register visit :

                                                 www.sba.gov/la

                                     Small Business Events Calendar

                                                            

SBA EIDL Borrowers Receiving Additional Six-Month Deferment

Today, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration and the voice for America’s 32.5 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, directed the Agency to provide additional deferment of principal and interest payments for existing  COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan program Borrowers for a total of 30 months deferment from inception on all approved COVID EIDL loans. The extended deferment period will provide additional flexibility to small business owners impacted by the pandemic, especially those in hard-hit sectors managing disruption with recent variants, as well as recent supply chain and inflation challenges amid a growing economic recovery.

Since its inception, the COVID EIDL program, a federal disaster relief loan, has allocated more than $351 billion in relief aid to 3.9 million borrowers, including to the smallest of small businesses from historically underserved, disadvantaged communities.

Read more.

Small Business Events from Louisiana SBA

Louisiana District Office

March 2022

Calendar of Small Business Events

 

Women Owned Certification

March 16th 

10:00 am -12:00 pm CST

  Business and Taxes : Where Do I Start

March 17th 

9:00 am -10:00 am CST

2nd Annual 101 Women In Business Conference

March 23rd – March 25th

Beginning March 23rd at 12pm- CST

Building Wealth Through Government Contracting

March 30th 

9:00 am- 11:00am CST

                                          

                                               REGISTER TODAY!!

                                                To register visit :

     Louisiana District Office | The U.S. Small Business Administration | SBA.gov

                 FREE and Open to the Public 

  Follow us on Twitter

@SBA_Louisiana

The SBA Marks Women’s History Month with an Array of Resources

By U.S. Small Business Administration on March 04, 2022

This Women’s History Month, the SBA is proud to share programs and resources that help women entrepreneurs establish themselves in the marketplace — and better compete once they get there.

Women entrepreneurs have made great strides in leveling the playing field of business ownership, an accomplishment worth celebrating this Women’s History Month. In fact, there are more than 11 million women-owned businesses in the country, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. These firms are responsible for billions of dollars in annual revenue to the economy. But though their contributions are substantial, women-owned businesses still represent a smaller share of the small business community — a reality made even more complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite these challenges, there have never been so many reasons for optimism. A recent study shows that there are more new women entrepreneurs now than at any time over the past 25 years. There are also more resources to set them up for success. Alice Kao, co-founder and CEO of Sender One Climbing LLC. in Santa Ana, California, is an excellent example of what can happen when a business owner takes advantage of those resources. When COVID-19 threatened to stall Sender One’s ascent to the peak of the business mountain, Alice turned to the SBA. She applied for both Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance, and she capitalized on two rounds of payment forgiveness granted by her 7(a) loan. This allowed her to convert her facilities into distance learning spaces as she rode out the pandemic.

This March, the SBA reaffirms its commitment to helping women-owned small businesses — like Sender One Climbing — start, grow, expand, and recover.

  1. Women’s Business Centers: Women still face unique obstacles in the business world. The Office of Women’s Business Ownership (OWBO) helps them navigate those obstacles through its Women’s Business Centers (WBCs). WBCs offer business training and counseling, as well as programs on how to win federal contracts and access capital. With over 130 locations, there is likely a WBC near you.
  2. Lender Match: Even the most promising business concepts need help getting off the ground. That is where the right funding makes all the difference. SBA-backed loans make it possible for businesses, especially disadvantaged ones, to access the credit and capital they need. The SBA also offers some grant programs for businesses in specialized fields.
  3. Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contracting Program: Did you know the federal government has a 5% contracting goal for women-owned small businesses? The Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contracting Program helps the government hit that target. With economic disadvantage standards similar to the 8(a) Business Development program, this initiative makes it easier for women-owned small businesses to compete for federal contracts.
  4. Online Learning Platform: The SBA’s online learning platform empowers and equips small business owners with necessary knowledge and tools. It has something for every stage of an entrepreneur’s experience including Ascent, a free online learning platform for women interested in growing their small businesses.

During Women’s History Month, celebrate women entrepreneurs and learn more about SBA’s programs and services that support women in business at sba.gov/women.

www.sba.gov/women

Deadline Approaching in Louisiana for SBA Working Capital Loans Due to a Winter Storm including Ice

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Director Tanya N. Garfield of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West today reminded Louisiana small nonfarm businesses in Allen, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides and Vernon parishes of the Jan. 10, 2022, deadline to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for economic injury. These low-interest loans are to offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by the winter storm including ice in Rapides Parish that occurred Feb. 15-21, 2001.

According to Garfield, small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. “Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact,” said Garfield.

“SBA eligibility covers both the economic impacts on businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disaster and businesses directly impacted by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the applicant suffered any property damage,” Garfield added.

The interest rate is 3 percent for businesses and 2 percent for private nonprofit organizations with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

By law, SBA makes Economic Injury Disaster Loans available when the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster. The Secretary declared this disaster on May 10, 2021.

Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration.

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call (800) 877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX  76155.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program Updates

On September 9, 2021, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced the following major enhancements to the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.

  • Increasing the COVID EIDL Cap. The SBA will lift the COVID EIDL cap from $500,000 to $2 million. Loan funds can be used for any normal operating expenses and working capital, including payroll, purchasing equipment, and paying debt.
  • Implementation of a Deferred Payment Period. The SBA will ensure small business owners will not have to begin COVID EIDL repayment until two years after loan origination so that they can get through the pandemic without having to worry about making ends meet.
  • Establishment of a 30-Day Exclusivity Window. To ensure main street businesses have additional time to access these funds, the SBA will implement a 30-day exclusivity window of approving and disbursing funds for loans of $500,000 or less. Approval and disbursement of loans over $500,000 will begin after the 30-day period.
  • Expansion of Eligible Use of Funds. COVID EIDL funds will now be eligible to prepay commercial debt and make payments on federal business debt.
  • Simplification of affiliation requirements. To ease the COVID EIDL application process for small businesses, the SBA has established more simplified affiliation requirements to model those of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

To learn about eligibility and application requirements and how to apply, visit sba.gov/eidl. The last day that applications may be received is December 31, 2021. All eligible applicants should file their applications as soon as possible.

Learn more

NEXT WEEK: National Small Business Week Virtual Summit

The SBA is gearing up for National Small Business Week, September 13-15, 2021! Join us for the free virtual summit to learn new business strategies, meet other business owners and chat with industry experts. This year’s virtual summit will also feature an impressive list of guest speakers including, but not limited to, Mark Cuban, José Andrés and Cedric Richmond.

For more information, visit National Small Business Week Virtual Summit (sba.gov)

Small Business Administration offers Steps to Recovery

From the Small Business Administration

After a disaster declaration is issued in your area, you can apply for assistance to help your small business recover. Learn the 3-step process: https://lnkd.in/eX-NGmB

SBA Grants for Global Expansion

SBA Grants for Global Expansion | Thursday, September 9, 2021| 2:00pm EDT

Are you aware there is a unique grant program dedicated to helping U.S. small businesses grow their global sales?

Please join the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of International Trade for a brief conversation with two small businesses that have utilized the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant to support global sales growth.

The discussion will last approximately 20-25 minutes. An opportunity for Q & A will be provided after the session for anyone that has additional questions and would like to stay on longer.

If you are interested in growing your global market sales and are not familiar with the STEP grant, this is a 20-minute conversation that you don’t want to miss!

To receive a weblink or call-in number to participate, please pre-register HERE and we will send you that information prior to the event.  (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sba-grants-for-global-expansion-tickets-166531828181)

We hope you will join us and discover how a STEP grant can help take your business global.

 International sales can help you increase profits, reduce market dependence, and stabilize seasonal sales. Learn how you can tap into new markets with help from SBA.