SBA Adjusts Hours at Vermont Business Recovery Centers

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is adjusting the hours at the Business Recovery Centers located in three Vermont counties. Effective immediately, the centers’ weekday hours will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Centers will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and closed on Sunday. 

Vermont business owners affected by the July severe storms and floods can meet with a business loan specialist, have their questions answered, and apply for an SBA disaster loan for physical damage, economic injury, or both at the following center locations:

The disaster declaration covers Caledonia, Chittenden, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, and Windsor counties in Vermont which 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): Addison, Bennington, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, and Orleans in Vermont; Franklin in Massachusetts Cheshire, Grafton, and Sullivan in New Hampshire; and Clinton, Essex, and Washington in New York.

Disaster survivors with insurance should not wait for their settlement before applying to the SBA. The SBA can make a loan for the total loss and use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan. 

Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage. 

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property. 

Interest rates are as low as 4 percent for businesses, 2.375 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 2.5 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition. 

Applicants may apply via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/  and should apply under SBA declaration # 18016. 

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app or call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362 or 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Disaster loan information and application forms can be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services) or sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.  

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Sept. 12, 2023. The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 15, 2024. 

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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 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.