SBA offers disaster assistance to Illinois small businesses economically impacted by the coronavirus

ATLANTA - The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to Illinois small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza announced today. SBA acted under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by the President, to declare a disaster following a request received from Gov. JB Pritzker on March 17, 2020.

The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in the entire state of Illinois; and the contiguous counties of Clinton, Des Moines, Dubuque, Jackson, Lee, Louisa, Muscatine and Scott in Iowa; Benton, Gibson, Knox, Lake, Newton, Posey, Sullivan, Vermillion, Vigo and Warren in Indiana; Ballard, Crittenden, Livingston, McCracken and Union in Kentucky; Cape Girardeau, Clark, Jefferson, Lewis, Lincoln, Marion, Mississippi, Perry, Pike, Ralls, Saint Charles, Saint Louis, Saint Louis City, Sainte Genevieve and Scott in Missouri; and Grant, Green, Kenosha, Lafayette, Rock and Walworth in Wisconsin.

"SBA is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist Illinois small businesses with federal disaster loans. We will be swift in our efforts to help these small businesses recover from the financial impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19)," said Administrator Carranza.

SBA Customer Service Representatives will be available to answer questions about SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and explain the application process.

"Small businesses, private nonprofit organizations of any size, small agricultural cooperatives and small aquaculture enterprises that have been financially impacted as a direct result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) since Jan. 31, 2020, may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred," said Carranza.

"These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can't be paid because of the disaster's impact. Disaster loans can provide vital economic assistance to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing," Carranza added.