The US Small Business Administration launched a new round of Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) assistance – called Supplemental Targeted Advances – on April 22, 2021 that will provide $5 billion in additional assistance to 1 million small businesses and nonprofit organisations that have been most severely affected by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Supplemental Targeted Advance program is the latest SBA relief program to launch as part of the American Rescue Plan Act on March 11, 2021, a release said.
“Many of our nation’s small businesses are still struggling to recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’ve found that the smallest businesses — the majority of which are minority-owned — are hurting the most,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman.
“The SBA’s Supplemental Targeted Advance program aims to reach those businesses with 10 employees or less who need our help today.The Supplemental Targeted Advance funds will help us make sure that no small business falls through the cracks or gets left behind. This program is a crucial part of our efforts to bring businesses back, create jobs and build an equitable economy for everyone,” Guzman added.
This additional relief to the smallest and hardest hit businesses builds on Administrator Guzman’s April 6 action to significantly increase the maximum loan amounts for COVID-19 EIDL assistance from 6 months of working capital with a maximum of $150,000 up to 24 months of working capital and a maximum of $500,000. SBA also announced on March 12 that the agency would extend deferment periods for all disaster loans, including COVID-19 EIDLs, until 2022 to provide more time for businesses to build back.
Effective April 22, the SBA modified the Targeted EIDL Advance application process to determine if businesses also qualify for the additional $5,000 Supplemental Targeted Advance.
SBA will contact eligible business entities to apply and applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. To qualify for the Supplemental Targeted Advance, an eligible business entity must be in a low-income community, suffered greater than 50 percent economic loss, and have 10 or fewer employees, the release added.
The US Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organisations.
