State of Florida 1 Year Interest-Free Bridge Loan
What is it?
The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program provides short-term, interest-free working capital loans that are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a major catastrophe hits and when a business has secured longer-term recovery resources.
DEO administers the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, in partnership with the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network and Florida First Capital Finance Corporation, to provide cash flow to businesses economically impacted by state-declared disasters.
Keep in mind, loans made under this program are short-term debt loans made by the state of Florida using public funds – they are not grants. You can apply by filling the application out with all your information and submitting before the deadline of May 8th 2020 an you can download it HERE. To be eligible the following is required:
- The business must be physically located in the area of the designated disaster. Designated Area: All 67 counties in Florida per Executive Order 20-52.
- Business must have been established and actively operating prior to the date of the designated disaster. Designated Disaster Date: March 9, 2020. For purposes of this application, actively operating an established business means carrying out the performance of activities for the production of income from selling goods or performing services.
- The business must be a for-profit, privately held small business that has or had a minimum of two (2), but no more than one hundred (100), employees within the previous year of the date of the declared disaster. – For purposes of this program, “employee” means an individual who receive paid wages or salary, which 1) employment taxes (e.g. FICA, FUTA) and income taxes (not self-employment tax or corporate income tax) are withdrawn and remitted to the IRS, as evidenced by business tax returns filed, i.e. IRS Form 941 – Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return; IRS Form W-3 – Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, or IRS Form W-2’s) IRS Form 1099-MISC.
- The business must have repaid, in full, any previous Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan.
- The business applicant must demonstrate that the business has suffered a significant economic injury and unable to meet its obligations to pay ordinary and necessary operating expenses as a result of the declared disaster event.