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Funding Assistance

The Soar Fund

Small business owners and nonprofits across the South can begin applying today for very low interest loans of up to $100,000 and free business support through the Southern Opportunity and Resilience (SOAR) Fund – a new program created by a diverse group of community lenders aimed at helping small businesses and non profits navigate and rebuild from the COVID-19 health and economic crisis.

Learn more here!

 

The Paycheck Protection Program

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provides loans to help businesses keep their workforce employed during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Borrowers may be eligible for PPP loan forgiveness.

This program ended on May 31, 2021 and provided over $800 billion to small businesses and supported over 8.5 million small businesses and nonprofits.

  1. Find a lender:
  1. Identify a loan:
  • First Draw PPP Loans: If you have not received a PPP loan before, First Draw PPP Loans are available to you.
  • Second Draw PPP Loans: If you have previously received a PPP loan, certain businesses are eligible for a Second Draw PPP Loan.

View Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.sba.gov/document/support-faq-lenders-borrowers

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)

SBA recently made changes to the EIDL program, increasing the maximum loan amount. To learn more, view the SBA press release: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USSBA/bulletins/2f0af10?reqfrom=share

In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, small business owners, including agricultural businesses, and nonprofit organizations in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories can apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. The EIDL program is designed to provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue due to COVID-19.

View Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.sba.gov/document/support-faq-covid-19-economic-injury-disaster-loan-eidl

Targeted EIDL Advance

COVID-19 Targeted EIDL Advance was signed into law on December 27, 2020, as part of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Non-Profits, and Venues Act. The Targeted EIDL Advance provides businesses located in low-income communities with additional funds to ensure small business continuity, adaptation, and resiliency.

Advance funds of up to $10,000 will be available to applicants located in low-income communities who previously received an EIDL Advance for less than $10,000, or those who applied but received no funds due to lack of available program funding.

Applicants do not need to take any action at this time.
SBA will reach out to those who qualify.

SBA will first reach out to EIDL applications that already received a partial EIDL Advance (between $1,000 – $9,000). Applicants will be contacted directly by SBA via email in the coming weeks with instructions to determine eligibility and submit documentation.

All communications from SBA will be sent from an official government email with an @sba.gov ending. Please do not send sensitive information via email to any address that does not end in @sba.gov.

Applicants may qualify if they:

  • Are located in a low-income community.To help applicants determine if they are located in a low-income community as defined in section 45D(e) of the Internal Revenue Code, a mapping tool is available.  Note that the business address must be located in a low-income community in order to qualify so SBA encourages potential applicants to check the map to see if they meet the low-income community eligibility requirement before you apply; AND
  • Can demonstrate more than 30% reduction in revenue during an 8-week period beginning on March 2, 2020, or later. If an applicant meets the low-income community criteria, they will be asked to provide gross monthly revenue (all forms of combined monthly earnings received, such as profits or salaries) to confirm the 30% reduction.

Next, SBA will reach out to those who applied for EIDL assistance on or before December 27, 2020, but did not receive an EIDL Advance due to lack of program funding. These applicants will receive an email from SBA with instructions to determine eligibility and submit documentation. Applicants may qualify for a Targeted EIDL Advance if they meet the above criteria (low-income location and reduction in revenue) AND:

  • Have 300 or fewer employees. Business entities normally eligible for the EIDL program are eligible, including sole proprietors, independent contractors, and private, nonprofit organizations. Agricultural enterprises are not eligible.

All applicants may be asked to provide an IRS Form 4506-T to allow SBA to request tax return information on the applicant’s behalf.

Please do not submit duplicate COVID-19 EIDL applications. Only prior applicants will be considered for the Targeted EIDL Advance.

SBA will reach out to you if you qualify!

Supplemental Materials

Shuttered Venue Operator Grant

The Shuttered Venue Operators (SVO) Grant program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, signed into law on December 27, 2020. The program includes $15 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance.

Eligible applicants may qualify for SVO Grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees. Please note that this program is not available to businesses that have received Paycheck Protection Program loans.

For additional details, see our Shuttered Venue Operators Grants Frequently Asked Questions

The program opened on April 8, 2021 but experienced technical difficulties and was closed for applications. The portal is expected to reopen on or about April 23, 2021:

  1. Sign up for email alerts about this program
  2. Register your Business in the Sam.gov system as it is a perquisite for application.

View this video to learn more about the registration process:

  1. Gather materials that you will need:
    • Articles of Incorporation
    • EIN
    • Lease Agreement
    • Utility Bills
    • Financial Statements and Tax Returns demonstrating loss
Who can Apply:

Eligible entities include:

  • Live venue operators or promoters
  • Theatrical producers
  • Live performing arts organization operators
  • Relevant museum operators, zoos and aquariums who meet specific criteria
  • Motion picture theater operators
  • Talent representatives, and
  • Each business entity owned by an eligible entity that also meets the eligibility requirements

Other requirements of note:

  • Must have been in operation as of February 29, 2020
  • Venue or promoter must not have applied for or received a PPP loan on or after December 27, 2020
Amount of SVO Grant:

Grant amount will be either:

  • For an eligible entity in operation on January 1, 2019, grants will be for an amount equal to 45% of their 2019 gross earned revenue OR $10 million, whichever is less.
  • For an eligible entity that began operation after January 1, 2019, grants will be for the average monthly gross earned revenue for each full month you were in operation during 2019 multiplied by six (6) OR $10 million, whichever is less.

SBA Express Bridge Loans

Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program allows small businesses who currently have a business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 quickly. These loans can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing and can be a term loans or used to bridge the gap while applying for a direct SBA Economic Injury Disaster loan. If a small business has an urgent need for cash while waiting for decision and disbursement on an Economic Injury Disaster Loan, they may qualify for an SBA Express Disaster Bridge Loan.

  • Up to $25,000
  • Fast turnaround
  • Will be repaid in full or in part by proceeds from the EIDL loan

Additional Debt Relief for SBA Loans

As a part of the CARES Act, SBA is authorized to pay 6 months of principal, interest, and any associated fees that borrowers owe for all 7(a), 504, and Microloans reported in regular servicing status (excluding PPP loans).  This debt relief to borrowers was originally dependent on the loan being fully disbursed prior to September 27, 2020 and does not apply to loans made under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.

These original provisions were amended on December 27, 2020 through the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Non-Profits and Venues Act (Economic Aid Act).  The Economic Aid Act revised the eligibility criteria for assistance to include all 7(a), 504, and Microloans approved up to September 27, 2020 even if not fully disbursed. All other provisions for initial debt relief remained the same.

Borrowers need not apply for this assistance.  SBA provides this assistance automatically as provided below:

  • For loans not on deferment, SBA will make monthly payments based on the next payment due on eligible loans for a total amount equivalent to no more than 6 months of installment payments.
  • For loans currently on deferment, SBA will begin making monthly payments with the first payment due after the deferment period ends for a total amount equivalent to no more than 6 months of installment payments.

SBA has notified 7(a), 504, and Microloan Lenders that it will pay these borrower loan payments. Lenders are to report to SBA periodically on the amounts due once a loan is fully disbursed. Payments collected after March 27, 2020 may be applied to the outstanding loan balance or returned to the borrower at the borrower’s discretion.

Additional Debt Relief Assistance

The Economic Aid Act also authorized additional debt relief payments to 7(a), 504, and Microloan borrowers beyond the 6-month period prescribed in the CARES Act.  The level of assistance varies based on when the loan was approved and will begin on or after February 1, 2021.  Please contact your Lender for questions on the availability of this assistance for your SBA loan.

The initiatives described above are limited to the level of available funding provided by Congress.

Disaster Home and Business Loans

For current SBA Serviced Disaster (Home and Business) Loans: If your disaster loan was in “regular servicing” status on March 1, 2020, the SBA is providing automatic deferments through March, 31, 2021.

What does an “automatic deferral” mean to borrowers?

  • Interest will continue to accrue on the loan.
  • 1201 monthly payment notices will continue to be mailed out which will reflect the loan is deferred and no payment is due.
  • The deferment will NOT cancel any established Preauthorized Debit (PAD) or recurring payments on your loan. Borrowers that have established a PAD through Pay.Gov or an OnLine Bill Pay Service are responsible for canceling these recurring payments.  Borrowers that had SBA establish a PAD through Pay.gov will have to contact their SBA servicing office to cancel the PAD.
  • Borrowers preferring to continue making regular payments during the deferment period may continue remitting payments during the deferment period. SBA will apply those payments normally as if there was no deferment.
  • After this automatic deferment period, borrowers will be required to resume making regular principal and interest payments.  Borrowers that cancelled recurring payments will need to reestablish the recurring payment.

If you have questions about your current loan and whether or not your loan is automatically deferred, please contact your Loan Servicing Office directly using the following information:

  • Birmingham Disaster Loan Servicing Center:
    • Phone: 800-736-6048
    • Email: BirminghamDLSC@sba.gov
  • El Paso Disaster Loan Servicing Center:
    • Phone: 800-487-6019
    • Email: ElPasoDLSC@sba.gov

Restaurant Revitalization Fund

The American Rescue Plan Act established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open. This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023.

The Application Portal opened on Monday, May 3, 2021.  For the first 21 Days, the Awards will be prioritized for socially and economically disadvantaged individuals as defined below. Thereafter, the Awards will be distributed to other eligible applicants. 

Priority groups

  • A small business concern that is at least 51 percent owned by one or more individuals who are:
    • Women, or
    • Veterans, or
    • Socially and economically disadvantaged (see below).
  • Applicants must self-certify on the application that they meet eligibility requirements
  • Socially disadvantaged individuals are those who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their identity as a member of a group without regard to their individual qualities.
  • Economically disadvantaged individuals are those socially disadvantaged individuals whose ability to compete in the free enterprise system has been impaired due to diminished capital and credit opportunities as compared to others in the same business area who are not socially disadvantaged.

You can apply through SBA-recognized Point of Sale (POS) vendors or directly via SBA in a forthcoming online application portal: https://restaurants.sba.gov. Participating POS providers include Square, Toast, Clover, NCR Corporation (Aloha), and Oracle. If you are working with Square or Toast, you do not need to register beforehand on the https://restaurants.sba.gov application portal.

COVID-19