What Can We Do to Help?

History has shown that the strength of a community arises when working together to provide support not only in the immediate term, but also throughout the process of rebuilding lives and livelihoods.

Let us know what you need for you, your family, your employees, your company.

CALL – 727-209-1595
EMAIL – charris@fisstate.org
TEXT – 727-415-1180

The Florida Irrigation Society is here to support you in every way we can. Linked below are some resources for Florida businesses who have been effected by Hurricane Ian.

Private Sector Re-entry Guidelines

When disaster impacts the state of Florida, it is critical to ensure essential commodities and services arrive in affected areas. Local elected officials and Law Enforcement Officers work together to determine when a place is safe enough for individuals to return. The statewide private sector re-entry program delineates what documents you will need to present to local officials when seeking re-entry into an impacted area.

Click here to learn more.

Recovery – BUSINESSES

• The United States Small Business Administration
  Helps Families and Businesses Recover from National Disasters
• IRS Tax Relief in Disaster Situations
  Casualty, Disaster, and Theft Losses
• Bridge Loan Program
  Provides Loans to Businesses Affected by Disasters 

Business Disaster Planning

A disaster of any size could have an impact on your business. Taking steps to build a business disaster continuity plan and encouraging your employees to create a family emergency plan can reduce the impact on your business. Considering how a disaster could affect your employees, customers, and workplaces is essential. How would you manage your business if road closures limit access to the workplace, streets are impassable, or communication is limited?

Click here to learn more.

FEMA – Lost Wages Section – For Business & Employees

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today the addition of several Florida counties to the disaster declaration for Hurricane Ian that began Sept. 23, enabling more Florida businesses and residents to be eligible to apply for SBA’s low-interest disaster loan program.

The disaster declaration now covers Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and Seminole counties in Florida, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Brevard, Broward, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lake, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Pasco, Sumter and Volusia in Florida.

Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property.

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 percent 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, elevation, retaining walls, and landscaping to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.

Interest rates are as low as 3.04 for businesses, 1.875 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 2.188 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ and should apply under SBA declaration # 17644.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.

Disaster loan information and application forms can also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services) or sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded from sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 28, 2022. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 29, 2023.