The Small Business Association (SBA) is offering disaster assistance to businesses & residents of Vermont following the announcement of a Presidential disaster declaration due to damages from severe storms and flooding that began on July 7. Visit disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ or call 1-800-659-2955 to learn more.

Low-interest loans are available to Vermonters for:

• Physical Damage to Business: Loan of up to $2 million to qualified businesses or most private nonprofit organizations
• Economic (non-physical) Damage Assistance: Eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and most private nonprofit organizations could receive additional support for non-physical damage.

SBA Business Recovery Centers are opening for Customer Service Representatives to assist business owners and residents in filling out a disaster loan application, accept documents for existing applications, and provide updates on an application’s status. Centers will operate as indicated below until further notice:

Business Recovery Center – Washington County

Vermont Chamber of Commerce

751 Granger Road

Berlin, VT 05641

Opening: Tuesday, July 18, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hours: Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closed: Sunday

Business Recovery Center – Windsor County

Engel & Völkers Okemo Building

126 Main Street

Ludlow, VT 05149

Opening: Wednesday. July 19, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hours: Monday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Additional resources are available on our flood recovery resources page. 

The Vermont Chamber is here to support businesses statewide with recovery efforts and our experienced and trusted team is on hand to listen, and assist. As we begin to understand the full extent of the damage caused by severe weather, there are initial steps we encourage businesses to take.

State emergency management officials and recovery resources are accessible at vermont211.org and by calling 2-1-1. In the event of an emergency, Vermonters should call 9-1-1. Vermonters should sign up to receive emergency alerts and observe road closures and power outages.

Governor Scott’s request for an emergency declaration for all 14 counties has been accepted by President Biden to allow for federal disaster relief resources to be deployed. State Emergency Management officials will be working with FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration on a disaster declaration which will allow for federal assistance in repairing damage from this storm. The Vermont Chamber is committed to connecting businesses with resources to aid in recovery and will send information as it becomes available.

What businesses can do right now:

• Document the damage to your business and inventory via photos and videos when it is safe to do so.
• Make a list of damaged or lost items and, if possible, include the date of purchase, value, and receipts.
• Contact your insurance company to file a claim or understand what losses may be covered.

The Vermont Chamber is steadfast in our commitment to helping the Vermont business community recover from these catastrophic events. Please tell us what you’ll need to recover so we can connect you with resources and communicate needs with state and federal agencies: info@vtchamber.com