Greetings District Small Business Community,
Yesterday, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has accepted the District of Columbia’s declaration for assistance in the form of economic injury disaster loans following the advent of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and D.C. businesses can start applying now.
While the SBA directly administers this loan program, the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) will liaise with the SBA on behalf of the District of Columbia. Through these loans, the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance will provide targeted, low-interest loans of up to $2 million to District-based small businesses that have been severely impacted by COVID-19.
DSLBD continues to proactively represent the needs of the District small and local businesses community as together we navigate these unchartered waters. As you look to apply for these SBA loans, here some things to keep in mind and simplify the process:
- Start the online application process by clicking here and then press “Apply for Assistance”;
- Prepare to apply by reviewing the “Three Step Process” of SBA Disaster Loans to understand what to expect in the application process;
- Remember that the online application requires at least three (3) years of tax returns; and,
- Contact the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 1.800.659.2955 (7 AM to 9 PM - every day) or [email protected] for help in completing the online application.
If you need any additional assistance in the application process, please do not hesitate to contact DSLBD’s DC PTAC Team at [email protected] or 202.727.3900 (select option #7).
And as Mayor Bowser says, “We are all in this together and we will all get through this together.”
Sincerely,
Kristi C. Whitfield
DSLBD Director
