ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) encourages businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania with economic damage from the severe storms and flash flooding in Berks County, Pennsylvania, on July 9, 2023 to apply before the June 28 deadline. The declaration covers Berks County and the adjacent counties of Chester, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Schuylkill in Pennsylvania.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) 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.
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates of 4% for small businesses and 2.375% for private nonprofit organizations, with terms up to 30 years. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until twelve months from the date of the first loan disbursement.
Eligibility is based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources. These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. The loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits.
Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 6592955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than June 28, 2024.
###
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.