ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today it will permanently close its Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Washington County, Vermont on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. The SBA opened the BRC to help small businesses and nonprofit organizations apply for disaster loans available due to severe storm, flooding, landslides and mudslides that occurred on July 9-11 and July 29-31.
“SBA’s BRCs are a cornerstone of our support for business owners,” said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “At these centers, business owners can meet face-to-face with specialists to apply for disaster loans and access a wide range of resources to guide them through their recovery.”
Customer Service Representatives at the BRC will assist business owners complete their disaster loan application, accept documents for existing applications, and provide updates on an application’s status. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov. The BRC will operate as indicated below.
Business Recovery Center (BRC)
Washington County
Barre Municipal Auditorium
20 Auditorium Hill
Barre, VT 05641
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Permanently Closing: Saturday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m.
“SBA’s disaster loan program offers an important advantage–the chance to incorporate measures that can reduce the risk of future damage,” said Sánchez. “Work with contractors and mitigation professionals to strengthen your property and take advantage of the opportunity to request additional SBA disaster loan funds for these proactive improvements.
Building back smarter and stronger can be an effective recovery tool for future disasters. Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter, sump pump, French drain or retaining wall to help protect property and occupants from future disasters.
On Oct. 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.
Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.
With the changes to FEMA’s Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and the SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover. FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition. Do not wait on the decision for a FEMA grant; apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster.
Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for 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.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage for both incidents is Nov. 25, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications for VT #20478 is May 20, 2025, and VT #20521 is June 26, 2025.
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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.