This client alert describes the deadlines for seeking grants made available for small businesses recovering from Hurricane Helene and summarizes recent extensions of deadlines for assistance by FEMA and North Carolina’s Department of Commerce.
SBA Deadlines Remain February 6, 2025 and June 30, 2025
Applications for the federal Small Business Administration’s Business Physical Disaster loans are due by February 6, 2025. Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications are open until June 30, 2025. See https://www.sba.gov/article/2025/01/08/sba-extends-deadline-helene-relief-north-carolina-apply-low-interest-disaster-loan-today. No extensions have been announced for either loan program. Our prior post provides a comparison of these two loans here: https://www.brookspierce.com/publication-hurricane-helene-financial-resources-for-businesses.
Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative II Deadline is February 21, 2025
Eligible small businesses recovering from Hurricane Helene may apply for grants of up to $50,000 through a partnership between the State of North Carolina and Dogwood Health Trust called the Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative II. See https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2025/01/31/governor-josh-stein-announces-30-million-public-private-partnership-fund-grants-small-businesses. To qualify, businesses must not have received a grant under the first Initiative, be for-profit entities with 2023 annual gross revenues below $2.5 million, be located within certain counties or the Qualla Boundary, and be operating or have plans to reopen. The deadline to apply is February 21, 2025. More information is available here: https://appalachiancommunitycapitalcdfi.org/wnscb-grant/.
FEMA Deadline Extended to March 8, 2025
At the request of the State of North Carolina, FEMA has extended its application deadline for individual assistance: Helene survivors eligible for relief must now apply by March 8, 2025, for consideration. See https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20250203/fema-extends-application-deadline-north-carolinians-affected-tropical-storm. Note that federal recovery aid available to businesses is provided through the Small Business Administration (SBA), but businesses are encouraged to first apply through FEMA. Certain private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, also may be eligible for FEMA disaster grants. More information is available in our prior post here: https://www.brookspierce.com/publication-hurricane-helene-financial-resources-for-businesses.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance Deadline Extended to March 10, 2025
Federal unemployment assistance is also available on a weekly basis for those out of work because of Hurricane Helene. Financial assistance is provided through the North Carolina Department of Commerce and applications must now be submitted by March 10. More information is available here: https://www.des.nc.gov/dua.
Brooks Pierce joins many other communities and organizations in recognizing the extreme impacts of Hurricane Helene and the substantial recovery effort required. For attorneys and paralegals interested and able to lend pro bono services, add your name with ours at https://www.ncbarfoundation.org/our-programs/disaster-legal-services/disaster-legal-services-volunteer-sign-up-form/#content (NC attorneys) or https://www.ncbar.gov/news-publications/news-notices/2024/10/supreme-court-allowing-non-nc-lawyers-to-provide-pro-bono-legal-services-to-helene-victims/ (attorneys not barred in NC).
