Businesses in a number of counties in Southwest Florida impacted by Hurricane Helene are eligible to apply for a portion of $15 million via FloridaCommerce's Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program.
The program provides short-term, zero-interest loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury or physical damage due to Hurricane Helene. Interested applicants can apply now through November 24, or until all available funds are expended. Those in need of assistance are encouraged to visit FloridaJobs.org/EBL to apply.
Businesses in the following Southwest Florida counties, including sole proprietors, are eligible to apply: Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Manatee, Okeechobee, Sarasota.
Other counties eligible include Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties.
Eligible small businesses may apply for loans of up to $50,000 through the program. Loans of up to $100,000 are available for agriculture and aquaculture small businesses.
Loans approved through the Emergency Bridge Loan Program are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a disaster impacts a business and when a business has secured longer term recovery funding, such as federally or commercially available loans, insurance claims, or other resources.
Loans made under this program are short-term, zero-interest, personal loans using State of Florida funds. They are not grants and loans must be repaid by the approved applicant.
FloridaCommerce administers the Emergency Bridge Loan Program alongside its fiscal administrator, Florida First Capital Finance Corporation.
Visit FloridaJobs.org/EBL to learn more about the program, view the lending guidelines and required documentation, and complete an application by the November 24, 2024, deadline. Business owners who need further program information may call 833-832-4494 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern Time.
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