WASHINGTON — Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s more than 34 million small businesses, highlighted SBA’s expanded role with FEMA to build a unified framework that strengthens economic recovery coordination after a disaster. In FEMA’s updated National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) released last month, the SBA contributed specialized expertise and input on its programs to ensure the needs of small businesses and private-sector partners are prioritized in national recovery strategies.
“Recovering and rebuilding after a disaster can be overwhelming for small business owners who face unique challenges, but FEMA’s unified framework provides an invaluable resource,” said Administrator Guzman. “The SBA plays a critical role in disaster recovery in partnership with FEMA and other federal agencies, and our efforts are vital for long- and short-term economic stabilization of disaster-affected communities. We are proud to stand firm as a united front in helping disaster survivors recover as quickly as possible and become more resilient to future threats.”
The updated NDRF identifies small business stabilization as a critical priority in disaster recovery and highlights rapid and early economic recovery as a strategic goal, aligning with SBA’s mission to support communities through disaster recovery and resilience programs. Along with featuring SBA’s low-interest disaster loans, key SBA contributions reflected in NDRF’s third edition are the inclusion of small business recovery needs and expanded recognition of businesses, industry, and non-profits as critical drivers of recovery.
It also now features free, practical SBA resources to help disaster survivors and small businesses recover faster and more effectively, including a business resilience guide, online education and access to preparedness and recovery consulting via SBA’s Small Business Development Centers program, and highlights the Kako’o Maui Resource Hub as a model of coordinated support for disaster-affected small businesses.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and their recovery is critical to broader economic recovery,” said SBA’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience Associate Administrator Francisco Sánchez Jr. “The updated National Disaster Recovery Framework reflects the essential role that businesses play in helping communities recover and rebuild. By prioritizing early and rapid economic stabilization and integrating resources like the SBA’s disaster assistance programs, this framework ensures small businesses have the tools and support they need to not only survive but thrive after a disaster. Our collaboration with FEMA underscores our shared commitment to building stronger, more resilient communities nationwide.”
# # #
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.