News & Events

Apply Now for Assistance Before the Deadline!

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering low-interest disaster loans to support businesses of all sizes, homeowners, renters, non-profits, and small agricultural cooperatives in Tennessee who have been affected by the recent severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that occurred from March 31, 2023, to April 1, 2023. This assistance aims to help individuals and organizations recover from the devastating impact of these declared disasters.

With just one month left to apply, affected parties are encouraged to take advantage of the SBA’s disaster assistance program. The SBA offers physical damage loans, economic injury loans, and various resources to aid in the recovery process.

To begin the application process or check the status of an existing application, individuals can visit the SBA’s official disaster loan assistance website at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/. Additionally, it is crucial to stay updated on the latest disaster declarations, which can be checked on the SBA website.

The deadline for physical damage loan applications is June 6, 2023, while the economic injury loan application deadline is January 8, 2024. It is recommended to submit applications promptly to ensure eligibility for these critical financial resources.

It is essential to note that FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has also issued a declaration for Tennessee. For more information on FEMA’s assistance and resources, visit www.fema.gov and search for the Tennessee declaration. Refer to https://gis.fema.gov/maps/dec_4701.pdf.

The SBA has determined the primary Tennessee counties adversely affected by the disaster, eligible for both physical damage and economic injury loans. These counties include Cannon, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Lewis, Macon, McNairy, Rutherford, Tipton, and Wayne.

Additionally, contiguous counties are eligible for economic injury loans only. These counties include Bedford, Chester, Clay, Coffee, Crockett, Davidson, Decatur, Dekalb, Fayette, Henderson, Hickman, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Madison, Marshall, Maury, Perry, Shelby, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Warren, Williamson, and Wilson.

To aid in person, the SBA has established Business Recovery Centers in several counties. The centers are as follows:

Macon County:

• Location: Macon County 911 Emergency Operations Centre
• Address: 898 Hwy 52 Bypass East, Lafayette, TN 37083
• Operating Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, Saturday: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

McNairy County:

• Location: The Latta Theater Visitor Centre
• Address: 205 West Court Ave., Selmer, TN 38375
• Operating Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, Saturday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Rutherford County:

• Location: Rutherford County Historic Courthouse
• Address: One Public Square, Suite 303, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
• Operating Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, Saturday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Tipton County:

• Location: Dyersburg State Community College, Jimmy Naifeh Centre
• Address: Learning Resource and Student Centre, Room 183, 3149 Highway 51 South, Covington, TN 38019
• Operating Hours: Monday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, Friday

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