Disaster Assistance
Need disaster assistance for your small business? Click the buttons below to find resources for each disaster event:
All businesses, regardless of size, need to be prepared in case of disaster. The ability of a business to get back up and running after disaster strikes is much easier if steps are taken before the disaster to prepare for such a possibility.
Disasters can take many forms and the severity of impact on the business can vary from power outages that disrupt operations for a short period of time to total destruction of your operations – including all your vital data that is not stored offsite.
As part of our service offering, our disaster specialists can help you develop a comprehensive business continuity and emergency preparedness plan tailored to your business at no cost.
Create a plan
Below please find a disaster preparedness plan template and emergency procedures template to help your business develop an in-depth preparedness plan. Use the guide to help formulate your plan.
Disasters can take many forms and the severity of impact on the business can vary from power outages that disrupt operations for a short period of time to total destruction of your operations – including all your vital data that is not stored offsite.
As part of our service offering, our disaster specialists can help you develop a comprehensive business continuity and emergency preparedness plan tailored to your business at no cost.
Create a plan
Below please find a disaster preparedness plan template and emergency procedures template to help your business develop an in-depth preparedness plan. Use the guide to help formulate your plan.
- Small Business Disaster Preparedness Guide
- Disaster Preparedness Plan Template
- Emergency Procedures Template
- Get A Plan – Get a Plan assists businesses in developing a family and/or business plan utilizing the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s online templates.
- Ready.gov/Business – Ready Business assists businesses in developing a preparedness program by providing tools to create a plan that addresses the impact of many hazards.
- Disaster Assistance App – As part of its service offering, the Florida SBDC offers Bizaster, a free mobile disaster assistance app. Bizaster, available in both English and Spanish for Android and iOS, features risk assessments, customizable checklists, and other resources to help businesses prepare, respond, and recover from natural and man-made disasters. Bizaster can be downloaded from the App Store | Google Play.
We’re here to help.
At the Florida SBDC Network, we’re committed to helping you prepare for and recover from a potential disaster. In addition to helping you prepare an emergency preparedness plan, we also provide online and in-person educational training on disaster preparedness, tips, and resources.
Whether your business has been impacted by a natural or manmade disaster or economic downturn, the Florida SBDC Network is here to provide access to the disaster capital and resources your businesses needs to recover, rebuild, and grow. These problems are not easy to overcome, however the sooner you contact us, the sooner we can begin working with you to help overcome these challenges.
How we can help
Disaster loan assistance
Following a major disaster event, the state and federal government provide disaster loans to help businesses recover. In these circumstances, the Florida SBDC Network works closely with its state and federal counterparts to expedite your recovery by:
The Florida SBDC will also deploy its Mobile Assistance Centers (MAC)—two RVs equipped with laptops, printers, and more—into communities for affected businesses to receive on-site assistance.
As a principal responder in the state’s Emergency Support Function (ESF) 18 for Business, Industry & Economic Stabilization, the MACs provide an on-the-scene workspace for our consultants to assist impacted businesses with preparing disaster loan applications and other post-disaster challenges.
How we can help
Disaster loan assistance
Following a major disaster event, the state and federal government provide disaster loans to help businesses recover. In these circumstances, the Florida SBDC Network works closely with its state and federal counterparts to expedite your recovery by:
- Helping you understand available relief and determining eligibility
- Helping you complete, compile necessary supporting documentation, and submit your application
The Florida SBDC will also deploy its Mobile Assistance Centers (MAC)—two RVs equipped with laptops, printers, and more—into communities for affected businesses to receive on-site assistance.
As a principal responder in the state’s Emergency Support Function (ESF) 18 for Business, Industry & Economic Stabilization, the MACs provide an on-the-scene workspace for our consultants to assist impacted businesses with preparing disaster loan applications and other post-disaster challenges.
