Following Hurricane Helene, FloridaCommerce Helps 242 Small Businesses Through the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. - FloridaCommerce has approved more than $10 million to more than 242 Florida small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene through the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program. These funds help to bridge the gap while small businesses wait on other funding, such as insurance, with more applications being approved every day.

Loans approved through the Emergency Bridge Loan Program are intended to "bridge the gap" between the time a disaster impacts a business and when the business has secured longer-term recovery funding, such as federally or commercially available loans, insurance claims, or other resources.

Eligible small businesses with less than 100 employees, including sole proprietors, in 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 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.

FloridaCommerce administers the Emergency Bridge Loan Program alongside its fiscal administrator, Florida First Capital Finance Corporation. 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.

Visit FloridaJobs.org/EBL to learn more about the program, view the lending guidelines and required documentation, and complete an application by the November 25, 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 Daylight Time.