SBA reopens application portal for disaster loans
Jovita Carranza, administrator of the Small Business Administration, said reopening EIDL applications will allow more small businesses to benefit. Credit: AP/Al Drago
The U.S. Small Business Administration has resumed taking new applications for disaster loans from all eligible businesses and nonprofits, officials said.
SBA shut down its online application portal for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program on April 16 after the funding authorized by Congress was exhausted. The agency didn’t reopen the portal when additional funds were approved, saying more time was needed to process the more than 5 million applications received.
In May, SBA started taking applications again – but only from farms and other agricultural businesses, and only for the EIDL Advance grant of up to $10,000 per applicant. The Advance amount is $1,000 per employee.
SBA is now accepting applications from all comers if they have 500 or fewer employees and have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. To apply, go to covid19relief.sba.gov/#/
“With the reopening of the EIDL assistance and EIDL Advance application portal to all new applicants, additional small businesses and nonprofits will be able to receive these long-term, low-interest loans and emergency grants,” said SBA administrator Jovita Carranza.
Loans are for up to $2 million per applicant and are funded by the U.S. Department of Treasury. The interest rate is 3.75% for businesses and 2.75% for nonprofits, with a 30-year term.
The Long Island Association business group has asked Congress to lower the interest rate to 1%, matching the rate for Paycheck Protection Program loans.
Businesses and nonprofits who previously applied for an EIDL and haven't received a decision from SBA do not need to reapply, said Matt Coleman, a spokesman for the agency's Region II, which includes New York State. "If you’ve applied already, no need to reapply. You’re already in line and your application is being processed," he said on Monday.
Nearly 4.6 million EIDL loans have been made, totaling $101.6 billion, as of June 12. New York accounts for 344,944 loans totaling about $8 billion, according to SBA. The agency hasn’t been able to provide Long Island data.
James T. Madore writes about Long Island business news including the economy, development, and the relationship between government and business. He previously served as Albany bureau chief.
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