SBA Makes Disaster Loans Available to Ohio Businesses

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration this morning announced it is now able to offer low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to Ohio small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

SBA acted under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was rsigned by the president, to declare a disaster following a request received March 17 from Gov. Mike DeWine, said SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza.

The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in the entire state of Ohio; and the contiguous counties of Beaver, Crawford, Erie, Lawrence and Mercer in Pennsylvania; Adams, Allen, De Kalb, Dearborn, Franklin, Jay, Randolph, Steuben, Union and Wayne in Indiana; Boone, Boyd, Bracken, Campbell, Greenup, Kenton, Lewis, Mason and Pendleton in Kentucky; Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe in Michigan; and Brooke, Cabell, Hancock, Jackson, Marshall, Mason, Ohio, Pleasants, Tyler, Wayne, Wetzel and Wood in West Virginia.

“SBA is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist Ohio small businesses with federal disaster loans. We will be swift in our efforts to help these small businesses recover from the financial impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19),” Carranza said.

SBA customer service representatives will be available to answer questions about the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and explain the application process.

“Small businesses, private nonprofit organizations of any size, small agricultural cooperatives and small aquaculture enterprises that have been financially impacted as a direct result of the COVID-19 since Jan. 31 may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses, which could have been met had the disaster not occurred,” said Carranza.

“These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Disaster loans can provide vital economic assistance to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing,” he added.

Eligibility for Economic Injury Disaster Loans is based on the financial impact of the COVID-19. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses. The interest rate for private nonprofit organizations is 2.75%. SBA offers loans with long-term repayments in order to keep payments affordable, up to a maximum of 30 years and are available to entities without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship.

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call (800) 877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX  76155.

The deadline to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan is Dec. 21, 2020.

For more information about available SBA resources and services, go to SBA.gov/coronavirus.
 

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