CPA Firm services Pensacola, Ft. Walton Beach and Tampa, Florida

Help for small businesses affected by the Deep Water BP Oil Spill

SBA is making low-interest loans available to Florida small businesses suffering financial losses following the Deepwater BP oil spill that shut down commercial and recreational fishing in the Gulf.

Loans up to $2,000,000 provide working capital to a small businesses to meet the ordinary and necessary operating expenses that it could have met, but was unable to meet because of the oil spill.

These loans help small businesses meet financial obligations such as fixed debt payments, payroll, accounts payable and other bills until normal operations resume.

The interest rate is 4 percent with terms up to 30 years. SBA determines loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

The declaration covers eligible small businesses in Alachua, Bay, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, DeSoto, Escambia, Franklin, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Sumter, Taylor, Wakulla, Walton and Washington counties.

Eligible small businesses include those engaged in shrimping, crabbing and oyster fishing in the waters affected by the closure (employees or crew members are not small businesses and are not eligible); small businesses dependent on the catching or sale of shrimp, crabs and oysters, suppliers of fishing gear and fuel; docks, boatyards, processors, wholesalers, shippers, retailers and other small businesses dependent on revenue from fishing, recreational and sports fishing small businesses, and coastal small businesses.

SBA representatives are at the following locations to meet one-on-one with small business owners to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loans, issue loan applications, explain the application process, and help each business owner complete their application. No appointment is necessary.

Bay County
Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce
309 Beckrich Avenue
Panama City, FL 32407

Escambia County
Small Business Development Center
401 E. Chase Street - Ste. 100
Pensacola, FL 32502

Franklin County
Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce
122 Commerce Street
Apalachicola, FL 32320

Gulf County
Chamber of Commerce
150 Captain Fred’s Place
Port St. Joe, FL 32456

Okaloosa County
Community Center Annex (Senior Center)
108 Stahlman Avenue
Destin, FL 32541

Santa Rosa County
Navarre Beach Chamber of Commerce
8543 Navarre Parkway
Navarre, FL 32566

Wakulla County
Wakulla Agriculture Center
84 Cedar Avenue
Crawfordville, FL 32327

Walton County
Walton Area Chamber of Commerce
63 S. Centre Trail
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

Business owners unable to visit one of the centers may obtain applications and information by:

calling SBA at 800-659-2955 Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 5:30 pm EDT (800-877-8339 for people with speech or hearing disabilities)