SBA strongly encourages businesses to apply now for COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has updated guidance for COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program applicants to better serve small business owners in need, while funding remains available. Since its inception, the COVID EIDL program, a federal disaster relief loan designed to better serve and support our small business communities still reeling from the pandemic, has approved nearly $300 billion in relief aid.

Specifically, the following updated guidance is being provided:

• EIDL loan and Targeted Advance applications will be accepted until Dec. 31 and will continue to be processed after this date until funds are exhausted.
• Supplemental Targeted Advance applications will be accepted until Dec. 31; however, the SBA may be unable to process some Supplemental Targeted Advance applications submitted near the Dec. 31 deadline due to legal requirements. The SBA cannot continue to process Supplemental Targeted Advance applications after Dec. 31 and strongly encourages eligible small businesses to apply by Dec. 10 to ensure adequate processing time.
• Borrowers can request increases up to their maximum eligible loan amount for up to two years after their loan origination date, or until the funds are exhausted, whichever is soonest.
• The SBA will accept and review reconsideration and appeal requests for COVID EIDL applications received on or before Dec. 31 if the reconsideration/appeal is received within the timeframes in the regulation. This means six months from the date of decline for reconsiderations and 30 days from the date of reconsideration decline for appeals — unless funding is no longer available.

“The COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan and EIDL Advance programs still have billions of dollars available to help small businesses hard hit by the pandemic. More than 3.8 million businesses employing more than 20 million people have found financial relief through SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans,” said Patrick Kelley, associate administrator, SBA’s Office of Capital Access. “Key enhancements have been made to the loan program that will help our nation’s businesses recover and get back on track.”

Back in September, major enhancements were made to the COVID EIDL program. Key changes included:

• Increased COVID EIDL Cap. The SBA lifted the COVID EIDL cap from $500,000 to $2 million. Loan funds can be used for any normal operating expenses and working capital, including payroll, purchasing equipment, and paying off debt.
• Implementation of a deferred payment period. The SBA will ensure small business owners will not have to begin COVID EIDL repayment until two years after loan origination so that they can get through the pandemic without having to worry about making ends meet.
• Establishment of a 30-day exclusivity window. To ensure Main Street businesses have additional time to access these funds, the SBA implemented a 30-day exclusivity window of approving and disbursing funds for loans of $500,000 or less. Approval and disbursement of loans over $500,000 began after the 30-day period ended.
• Expansion of eligible use of funds. COVID EIDL funds are now eligible to prepay commercial debt and make payments on federal business debt.
• Simplification of affiliation requirements. To ease the COVID EIDL application process for small businesses, the SBA established simplified affiliation requirements to model those of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.