The Florida SBDC Network remains committed to helping businesses access the disaster capital, resources and assistance they need to recover and reopen.

Our disaster specialists are available to provide confidential, no-cost consulting to help you understand available recovery resources, prepare disaster loan applications and navigate other post-disaster challenges.

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As a principal responder in Florida’s Emergency Support Function for Business & Industry, the Florida SBDC Network deploys Mobile Access Centers (MACs) directly into impacted communities. These mobile, on-the-scene workspaces allow our professional consultants to assist business owners directly with disaster loan applications and post-disaster recovery challenges. Stop by one of our temporary pop-up locations for in-person assistance:

Thursday, October 29 & Friday, October 30 (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.)

Pensacola State College, Downtown
418 W Garden St.
Pensacola, FL 32501

Century Chamber
7811 N Century Blvd.
Century, FL 32535

Monday, November 2 & Tuesday, November 3 (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.)

Santa Rosa County Economic Development
6491 Caroline St. #4
Milton, FL 32570

Jay City Hall
3695 FL-4
Jay, FL 32565

Wednesday, November 4 & Thursday, November 5 (10 a.m.-6 p.m.)

Santa Rosa County Visitor Information Center
8543 Navarre Pkwy.
Navarre, FL 32566

Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber
34 Miracle Strip Pkwy. SE
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548

Can’t make it to a pop-up location?

In addition to these special pop-up locations, the Florida SBDC at UWF continues to assist businesses through its regular service centers and outreach locations.

Businesses can connect with a consultant for guidance on available resources and next steps for recovery.

Visit the Florida SBDC at UWF website to find a location near you: https://sbdc.uwf.edu/

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Business Damage Assessment (BDA) Survey

FloridaCommerce and the Florida State Emergency Response Team have activated Florida's Business Damage Assessment Survey to help state and federal officials determine the need for disaster assistance and expedite recovery resources. Please take the survey below and select "Hurricane Isaias" as the event/incident:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced tax relief for individuals and small business owners affected by Hurricane Isaias in designated Florida counties.

Federal tax-filing and payment deadlines occurring between October 9, 2026 and February 8, 2027, have been postponed to February 8, 2027. This extension applies to applicable quarterly estimated tax payments, payroll and excise tax returns, and valid extension deadlines.

Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program

Deadline to Apply: November 25, 2026

FloridaCommerce has activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, making $10 million available for businesses impacted by Hurricane Isaias.

The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program provides short-term, zero-interest working capital loans that are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a disaster impacts a business and when a business has secured longer term recovery funding such as federally or commercially available loans, insurance claims or other resources.

Loans made under this program are short-term, personal loans using State of Florida funds – they are not grants and must be repaid. Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loans require repayment by the approved applicant. Owners may utilize funding from longer term financial resources, such as U.S. Small Business Administration economic injury disaster loans, to repay the Emergency Bridge Loan.

Program Highlights

• Loans are available up to $100,000 per business per eligible applicant.
• Loans are available up to $150,000 for eligible agriculture and aquaculture businesses.
• Loans made through this program are one year, zero-interest, personal business loans.
• Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loans require repayment by the applicant.
• Owners may utilize funding from longer term financial resources, such as U.S. Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans, to repay the Emergency Bridge Loan.

Eligibility Requirements

• Businesses in eligible counties are invited to apply
  • Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla, and Washington counties
• Business must have been established prior to the event.
• Businesses with 1-100 employees are eligible.
• Applicants must have a credit score of 600 or above.

Required Documents

The following documents are required for all owners on the application to be considered complete:

1. A copy of the owner(s) driver's license(s) or passport(s) for all owners on the application. This must include the front and back of the document.
2. Current Business Tax Return, Most Current Year (All Pages) at a minimum, previous year’s Federal income tax returns for the applicant’s business, including all schedules, such as Form 1040, Form 1065, Form 1120, and Form 1120S (as applicable).
3. Current Personal Tax Return, Most Current Year (All Pages) for all owners on the application.
4. Documentation showing minimum of 2 employees (independent contractors or 1099s do count as employees). Documentation can be copies of employees’ W-2s, IRS Form 941 and/or Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return.
5. Copy of a voided check

IRS transcripts are accessible at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

Additional Information

If you have any additional questions regarding the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan please call 833-832-4494 (Monday through Thursday 9am-6pm, Friday 8am-4pm) or email EmergencyBridgeLoan@commerce.fl.gov.

SBA Business Physical Disaster Loan

If your business property, real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment, or other items have been damaged in a declared disaster area, you may be eligible for low-interest financial assistance from SBA. Businesses of any size and most private nonprofit organizations may apply to SBA for a loan to recover after a disaster.

Eligibility

• Up to $2 million to qualified businesses or most private nonprofit organizations to cover disaster losses not fully covered by insurance.
• Covers disaster losses not fully covered by insurance or other sources. If required to apply insurance proceeds to an outstanding mortgage on the damaged property, that amount can be included in your disaster loan application.
• Proceeds from insurance coverage on business property may be deducted from the eligible loan amount.

Use of proceeds

Loan proceeds may be used for the repair or replacement of the following:

• Real property
• Machinery
• Equipment
• Fixtures
• Inventory
• Leasehold improvements

Disaster loan funds may not be used to upgrade or expand a business, except as required by building codes. If you apply for mitigation assistance to make improvements that help reduce the risk of future property damage, you may be eligible for up to a 20% loan amount increase above the real estate damage, as verified by SBA. 

Terms

• First payment deferred for 12 months
• No interest accrual for the first 12 months 

For applicants unable to obtain credit elsewhere:

• The fixed interest rate will not exceed 4%

For applicants who can obtain credit elsewhere:

• The interest rate will not exceed 8%

SBA will determine whether an applicant can obtain credit elsewhere.

Maturity

• Up to 30 years, depending on ability to repay the loan
• No pre-payment penalty or fees

Collateral requirements

• Collateral is required to the extent possible for physical damage loans over $50,000 in Presidential declarations and $14,000 in agency declarations.
• Real estate is the preferred collateral. Loans of $200,000 or less will not require the owner of the business to use their primary residence as collateral if it is determined the owner has other assets of equal quality and of a value equal to or greater than the amount of the loan.

How to apply

Apply online for an SBA disaster loan. SBA’s inspectors will estimate the cost of damage once your application is completed and submitted.

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan

If you have suffered substantial economic injury and are one of the following types of businesses located in a declared disaster area, you may be eligible for an SBA EIDL:

• Small business
• Small agricultural cooperative
• Small businesses engaged in aquaculture
• Most private nonprofit organizations

Eligibility

• Substantial economic injury means the business is unable to meet its financial obligations and pay its regular and necessary operating expenses
• Loss of expected profits or a decline in sales is not considered substantial economic injury
• EIDL provides the necessary working capital to help small businesses impacted by a disaster survive until normal operations resume
• EIDL assistance is available only to small businesses when SBA determines they are unable to obtain credit elsewhere
• Businesses must meet the following criteria to qualify for economic injury:
  • The business was directly impacted by the disaster
  • The business cannot cover expenses due to the disaster and/or debt payments
  • The business was physically located in the declared disaster area

SBA can provide loans to help cover the costs and expenses that your business would have been able to handle if the disaster did not happen. The EIDL amount will depend on how much financial impact you have experienced and your company’s financial needs, even if you didn’t suffer any property damage.

A separate SBA Disaster Assistance program known as business physical disaster loans covers property damage. A business may qualify for both an EIDL and a physical disaster loan. The maximum combined loan amount is $2 million. 

Use of proceeds

• Working capital and normal expenses such as the continuation of health care benefits, rent, utilities, and fixed debt payments
• EIDL funds cannot be used for expanding facilities, buying fixed assets, repairing physical damages, refinancing debt, paying out dividends or bonuses, or paying back loans to stockholders or principals

Terms

• First payment deferred for 12 months
• No interest accrual for the first 12 months
• The fixed interest rate will not exceed 4%

Maturity

• Up to 30 years, with repayment term to be determined by ability to repay the loan
• No pre-payment penalty or fees

Collateral requirements

Real estate is the preferred collateral. Loans of $200,000 or less will not require the owner of the business to use their primary residence as collateral if it is determined the owner has other assets of equal quality and a value equal to or greater than the amount of the loan.

Required for loans over $50,000

Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program

You can apply up to one year after the date of the declared emergency or until all available loan funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.

• Interest-free loans up to $500,000 for eligible agriculture and aquaculture producers that have experienced damage or destruction from Hurricane Isaias.
• Loans may be used to restore, repair, or replace essential physical property, including fences, equipment, greenhouses, and other buildings, or to remove vegetative debris.
• Interested producers can learn more or apply here.

Producers who were previously awarded funds for damages sustained from recent hurricanes may be eligible to apply for damage sustained from this disaster. An applicant may not receive more than one loan per storm, more than two loans per year, or more than five loans in any three years.

During a special legislative session in November of 2023, the Florida Legislature passed House Bill 1-C, which provided $75 million to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for a revolving loan fund to support impacted agriculture and aquaculture producers recover from natural disasters. In 2025, the Florida Legislature provided an additional $40 million for the loan program.

For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.