Welcome to the US Small Business Administration's (SBA) Guide for Disaster Assistance Programs.This guide is designed to provide an overview of SBA s assistance programs, resources,tips, and regulations.For immediate assistance, please contact FEMA or SBA in your local community.You can reach FEMA by phone at 1-800-621-3362 (or TTY 1-800-462-7585) and SBA at 1-800-659-2955(or TTY 1-800-877-8339).SBA s Disaster Assistance team can be reached via email at DisasterCustomerService sba.gov.Let s begin the overview.In the aftermath of a disaster, such as a hurricane, flood, or tornado, SBA plays animportant role.We assist businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, as well as homeownersand renters with recovery efforts.Our primary disaster assistance is in the form of direct loans.Disaster loans represent the only SBA program that is not limited to small businesses.This is an important point because many people do not realize that SBA provides disasterloans to individual homeowners and renters.In fact, the majority of SBA s disaster loans are made to individuals who are notsmall business owners.SBA and our network of professional business advisors also provide management and technicalassistance to small businesses recovering from a disaster.Resources are available online, in nearby SBA or partner offices, community organizationsand recovery centers.This guide has four objectives: Explain SBA s role in disaster recovery.Define the types of disaster declarations and what they mean.Describe SBA s disaster assistance loan programs.Explain how to apply for assistance and access other resources.SBA has been assisting disaster survivors since 1953.Since that time, it has provided more than 1.9 million disaster loans, totaling over$53 billion dollars.Again, its important to point out that most of SBA s disaster loans are also made toindividual homeowners and renters, and businesses of all sizes and not restricted solelyto small business owners.SBA s disaster loans are a critical source of economic stimulation in communities hitby a disaster, spurring job retention and creation, revitalizing business health andstabilizing tax bases.We will also highlight additional economic tools toward the end of the guide.There are four types of disaster declarations: Presidential Declaration, Agency Declaration,Governor s Certification and, Secretary of Agriculture or Secretary of Commerce DeclarationFor current declarations visit: https://disasterloan.sba.gov Page 2 of 9When the President declares a major disaster for individual assistance, SBA s disasterassistance programs are automatically activated.In all Presidential Declared disasters, FEMA is the coordinating agency.FEMA serves as the hub, making sure supporting federal agencies are synchronizedand focused on assisting a specific disaster relief situation.As such, in a Presidential Declaration, which includes individual assistance, all homeownersand renters must register with FEMA to begin the...
