Summary of Resources Activated to Assist Businesses Impacted by Hurricane Milton

Business Damage Assessment Survey

FloridaCommerce and the State Emergency Response Team activated the Business Damage Assessment Survey in response to Hurricane Milton. Business owners are encouraged to self-report physical and economic damage caused by Hurricane Milton. Survey responses will allow the state to expedite Hurricane Milton’s recovery efforts by gathering data and assessing the needs of impacted businesses.

Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program

This program provides short-term, zero-interest working capital loans intended to “bridge the gap” between when 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. For more information, call 1-833-832-4494 or email EmergencyBridgeLoan@Commerce.fl.gov.

SBA Small Business Loans

The Small Business Administration provides low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters for physical and economic damage caused by a declared disaster. SBA disaster loans can be used to repair or replace real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, and inventory and business assets damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan

This program is for businesses that have suffered a substantial economic injury. If you are one of the following types of companies located in a declared disaster area, you may be eligible for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and most private nonprofit organizations.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance

The purpose of Disaster Unemployment Assistance is to provide benefits and reemployment services to individuals whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted by a major disaster.

• When activated, workers can apply if they worked, were self-employed, or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment and cannot work or perform services because of physical damage or destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of the disaster.
• DUA is available to Florida businesses and residents in FEMA disaster-declared counties whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted due to Hurricane Milton and are not eligible for regular state or Federal Reemployment Assistance benefits.
• To file a claim, visit www.FloridaJobs.org or call 1-800-385-3920. Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, to assist claimants. For DUA claims information, call 1-833-FL-APPLY (1-833-352-7759) to speak with a representative.

Agricultural and Aquaculture Disaster Recovery Loans

These recovery loans may be used to:

• Restore, repair, or replace essential physical property, including fences, equipment, greenhouses, and other buildings or
• Remove vegetative debris from the property. Any structure or building constructed using loan proceeds must comply with storm-hardening standards as defined in Section 604.50(2), Florida Statutes (F.S.).

Hospitality Industry Urgent Aid Relief Grants

In the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, The Above and Beyond Foundation’s Urgent Aid Grant Program awards $500 grants to hospitality industry workers who have gone above and beyond but have been affected by the recent hurricanes and flooding. Up to 10 people may be nominated per hotel/business.

Florida’s Rapid Response 

This program serves as the statewide dislocated worker coordination unit responsible for carrying out statewide Rapid Response activities and overseeing Rapid Response activities carried out by the local workforce development boards. Following a natural or other disaster, CareerSource Resource Coast has local Rapid Response Coordinators who work with employers to prevent or minimize the impacts of layoffs on workers, businesses, and communities. Rapid Response ensures immediate access to affected workers to help them quickly re-enter the workforce. It plays an important role in customer-focused services to dislocated workers and employers. Examples of rapid response services, support, and information supplied following a disaster include:

• Information and support for affected workers for applying for reemployment assistance benefits
• Information and support for affected companies via an on-site informational session
• Information on the impacts of layoff on health coverage and other benefits
• Information on and referral to career services, reemployment-focused workshops as well as job referrals and training opportunities
• Referral to community agencies and workforce programs for supportive services
• Arranging job fairs and other special employment events on behalf of affected companies
• Information on registered apprenticeships and incumbent worker training programs to assist companies in upskilling and retaining their workforce
• Tailored layoff aversion strategies and activities designed to prevent or minimize the duration of unemployment resulting from layoffs, including information on the Short-Time Compensation program.

Visit these BDB landing pages to find previous Hurricane Milton communications and resources.

• Hurricane Milton Communication #6: Disaster Unemployment Assistance from FloridaCommerce
• Hurricane Milton Communication #5: Additional Resources for Other Industries and Needs
• Hurricane Milton Communication #4: Damage Assessment Survey
• Hurricane Milton Communication #3: Emergency Bridge Loans
• Hurricane Milton Communications #1-2: FPL outage info., and Martin County Disaster Assistance