Small Business Administration

SBA Resources:

FL Hurricane Milton Declaration: https://lending.sba.gov/search-disaster/?disaster=FL-20015

FL Hurricane Helene Declaration: https://lending.sba.gov/search-disaster/?disaster=FL-20012

SBA staff are available to assist survivors one-on-one at all FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers. Center locator tool: https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator

You can download the SBA disaster loan Fact Sheets and flyers packet here. Please note that it is a .zip file. We recommend using 7-zip for Windows to decompress the file when downloaded. Mac users just need to double click the .zip file to decompress it once downloaded.

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Florida Blue Foundation

Florida Blue Foundation is providing donations to various organizations leading efforts to assist those impacted by the hurricanes. If your organization needs recovery assistance, here are some resources:

• Florida Disaster Division of Emergency Management
• Florida Nonprofit Alliance Disaster Resource Page
• Link to Governor DeSantis’s Executive Order
• Volunteer Florida (includes information about cleanups, legal aid, homeowners assistance, and individual services referrals)
• Volunteer Connect (list your volunteer needs)
• Disaster Resiliency and Recovery Resources: A Guide for Rural Communities (FEMA)
• Tools to Recover (FEMA)
• Florida Chamber Safety Council Hurricane Resources
• County Emergency Management website list

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Hurricane Milton Recovery Resources

Was your small business impacted by Hurricane Milton? Help is here. The Florida SBDC Network and our state and federal partners remain committed to helping you access the disaster capital and resources your business needs to recover and reopen.

As during any disaster, we are here to help your business recover. Our team of disaster specialists are available to provide confidential, no-cost consulting and direction to help you assess and prepare disaster loan applications and assist with other post-disaster challenges.

Business Damage Assessment Survey (BDA)

Florida’s Business Damage Assessment Survey is now activated to assess the needs of Florida business owners impacted by Hurricane Milton. If your business was affected by the storm, please fill out the survey here.

Available Assistance

Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan – Apply Now

Deadline to Apply: December 4, 2024

The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program provides short-term, zero-interest working capital loans that are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a disaster impacts a business and when a business has secured longer term recovery funding such as federally or commercially available loans, insurance claims or other resources. Loans are available up to $50,000 per eligible applicant.

Eligibility requirements

• Your business must be located in Florida.
• Your business must have been established prior to October 5, 2024.
• Your business must be located in an eligible county: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union and Volusia.
• Your business must have been economically injured or physically damaged by Hurricane Milton.
• Businesses with less than 100 employees, including sole proprietors, are eligible.
• Credit Score of 600 or above.

Loan terms

• Max Amount: up to $50,000 (Maximum Amount for Agriculture or Aquaculture is $100,000)
• Term: One year
• Loans may only be made to individuals who own at least 51% of an Eligible Business.
• The Borrower(s) and Eligible Business must serve as guarantors for the loan. 
• Only one loan may be made per Eligible Applicant.

Ineligible Businesses include short term rentals, those engaged in illegal activities, loan packaging, speculation, multi-sales distribution, gambling, investment or lending or where the owner is on parole.

Required Documents

The following documents are required for all owners on the application to be considered complete:

1. A copy of the owner(s) driver’s license(s) or passport(s) for all owners on the application. This must include the front and back of the document.
2. Current Business Tax Return, Most Current Year (All Pages) at a minimum, previous year’s Federal income tax returns for the applicant’s business, including all schedules, such as Form 1040, Form 1065, Form 1120, and Form 1120S (as applicable).
3. Current Personal Tax Return, Most Current Year (All Pages) for all owners on the application.
4. Documentation showing minimum of 2 employees – independent contractors or 1099s do count as employees. Documentation can be copies of employees’ W-2s, IRS Form 941 and/or Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return.
5. Copy of a voided check

IRS transcripts are accessible at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

Apply now

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Hurricane Helene Recovery Resources

Was your small business impacted by Hurricane Helene? Recovery resources are now available to help you get back on your feet. 

State Assistance

FloridaCommerce has activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan (EBL) Program. This loan program provides short-term, zero-interest loans to small businesses who experienced economic injury or physical damage due to Hurricane Helene.

Businesses in the following counties, including sole proprietors, are eligible to apply: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties.

Loans approved through the Emergency Bridge Loan Program are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a disaster impacts a business and when a business has secured longer term recovery funding, such as federally or commercially available loans, insurance claims, or other resources. Visit www.FloridaJobs.org/EBL to learn more about the program, eligibility requirements, and to apply. The deadline to apply is November 24, 2024. 

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has established the Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program to make low-interest or interest-free loans to agricultural and aquaculture producers. Those eligible may apply for loans of up to $500,000 to restore, repair, or replace essential physical property, including fences, equipment, greenhouses, and other buildings, or to remove vegetative debris.

Visit https://disasterloan.fdacs.gov/ to learn more about the program, view the lending guidelines and required documentation, and to complete an application.

Federal Assistance 

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are also available to those in eligible counties for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Applications for disaster loans may be submitted online using the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is November 27, 2024.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 30, 2025. 

Physical and Economic Injury disaster loans available in these Florida counties:

Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Taylor, and Wakulla;

Economic injury loans only available in these Florida counties:

Alachua, Collier, DeSoto, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Leon, Liberty, Marion, Polk, Sumter, and Suwannee

Business Damage Assessment Survey

If your business experienced any physical damage or loss in revenue from the storm, we strongly encourage you to complete the state’s Business Damage Assessment Survey. To take the assessment, please click here.

Please be aware that the survey is not an application for disaster assistance. Rather, the results of the survey help state and federal officials determine the need for assistance and help expedite disaster recovery resources.

On behalf of the Florida SBDC Network, our thoughts are with you, your family, and your community. We will do everything we can to help your small business rebuild, reopen and recover from Hurricane Helene.

For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org/Helene

November 2024

Thursday November 21

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

JTA Pre-Proposal Meeting - P-25-010, P-25-010 State of Florida Pre & Post Bus Inspections

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (the “Authority” or the “JTA”) hereby requests Sealed Proposals for P-25-010, P-25-010 State of Florida Pre & Post Bus Inspections.

In accordance with the State of Florida Heavy Duty Bus State Schedule, the contractor shall provide bus inspection services for 30-foot, 35-foot, 40-foot and 60-foot articulating foot low-floor Diesel, CNG, Hybrid Electric Drive or Electric heavy duty transit buses manufactured by Gillig, LLC, or  New Flyer of America, Inc. (Buses) as meeting the specifications set forth below in this Scope of Services on an as-needed, indefinite delivery indefinite quantity basis. Contractor shall comply with the Post-Delivery Buy America Audit Process (Per 2017 FTA Buy America Audit Handbook, effective 03/21/2017). All FTA required Buy America documents will be delivered to the purchasing agency. The inspections will take place at the manufacturer’s site during bus build.

DBE Goal: No DBE Goal

Pre-Bid Meeting(Non-Mandatory): November 21, 2024, 3:00 PM
Due Date: Wednesday, December 18, 2024 2:00 PM

Microsoft Teams link to join

https://jtafla.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4794a5de9c33281dfd716fefe&id=c63ab59c73&e=0b2ff904b8

Meeting ID: 267 701 218 50
Passcode: MWyC2i
________________________________________
Join on a video conferencing device
Tenant key: jtafla@m.webex.com
Video ID: 119 011 491 3

https://jtafla.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4794a5de9c33281dfd716fefe&id=c63ab59c73&e=0b2ff904b8

Small Business Enterprise Program

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is proud to announce the launch of its Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program, a groundbreaking initiative designed to support and empower small businesses by way of growth, innovation, and sustainability.

Exciting Opportunities for Small Business Entrepreneurs

The SBE Program offers a dynamic platform for small business entrepreneurs to thrive. Participants will gain access to:

• Sustainability: Create and sustain opportunities for small businesses to participate in project opportunities at the JTA.
• Inclusivity: The SBE Program is race and gender neutral and seeks to increase small business participation through structuring opportunities to facilitate competition by small business concerns and taking reasonable steps to eliminate obstacles to their participation.
• Equal Opportunity: Firms wishing to participate as an SBE must meet the same criteria of the DBE Program but are not required to be socially disadvantaged.

A Commitment to Community and Innovation

We are thrilled to launch the SBE Program, which underscores our commitment to nurturing small business talent and driving economic development.

About Jacksonville Transportation Authority

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Jacksonville by providing safe, reliable, and efficient transportation services. Our mission extends beyond transportation, as we strive to support small businesses and foster economic growth through innovative programs and initiatives.

For more information about the SBE Program, please visit the landing page at https://www.jtafla.com/work-with-jta/sbe/.  To apply for the SBE Certification, please go tohttps://jtafla.dbesystem.com. 

Should you have any questions or concerns about the SBE Program or the certification process, please feel free to contact us at DBE1@jtafla.com.

T.H.R.I.V.E.
Thrive, Hope, Rise, Innovate, Venture, Elevate
Emerging Leaders Reimagined
Join the entrepreneurs shaping the future in Gainesville, Florida this summer!

T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging Leaders Reimagined program assists small business owners in growing their business, creating jobs, and strengthening their communities. This innovative program is an intense 6-month course that includes in-person, self-paced, instruction, mentoring, and class room time. Providing small businesses the opportunity to work with experienced professionals at no financial cost.

This training is not for start-ups or people who are thinking about starting a business. T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging Leaders Reimagined advanced training series is open to small business owners and executives that:

• Have annual revenues of at least $250,000
• Have been in business for at least three years
• Have at least two employees, other than self

Learn more!

Check out these SBA resources:

Free business counseling
SBA-guaranteed business loans
Home & business disaster loans
Federal government contracting

Watch SCORE’s Previous Webinars. Click here to browse SCORE’s pre-recorded webinars.

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USHCC encourages you to sign up for FREE courses from the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program. Learn more here.

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SBDC Online Training Events: click here to check out their on-demand training videos and upcoming workshops.

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Career Coach – Florida State College at Jacksonville – take a Career Assessment to learn about yourself and Career Coach will give you career suggestions based on your interests.

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The Florida SBDC at UNF provides business owners with confidential consulting and training in all aspects of business startup, management and growth…from business plans and marketing strategy to financial analysis and lending options, we have a consultant ready to help make your business dreams come to life. Appointments are open during non-business hours – so you can meet with us in the early morning or after work or even over the weekend, we’re here to help you with your business needs!

Your entrepreneurship journey with the Florida SBDC at UNF starts by simply clicking the link below and getting registered in our system. As soon as you register, we will get you connected to one of our consultants. One-on-one consulting is provided at no-cost and is currently held virtually.

Click here to make an appointment! Or, contact them directly to learn more at 800-450-4624 or email smallbiz@unf.edu

SCORE Jacksonville

SCORE is a national service organization that supports small businesses nationwide. SCORE has a network of over 11,000 volunteers operating in 340+ local chapters around the country. The organization is supported by the US Small Business Administration (SBA). Locally in Jacksonville, our counselors’ skills include: accounting, consulting, distribution, financial planning, franchising, human resources, marketing, operations, publishing, retail sales, strategic planning, sales, consumer products, Internet, technology and nonprofit management, and doing business with the government. SCORE provides support to business owners in several ways, including FREE confidential mentoring for startups and existing businesses, Workshops to help entrepreneurs start and run a successful business, advice on how to get a business loan, and assistance with putting together a successful business plan.

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Small Business Development Center

The Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida (Florida SBDC at UNF) provides management assistance and training to any prospective or existing small-business owner in North Florida (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee and Union counties). The Florida SBDC Network is state designated as Florida’s Principal Provider of Business Assistance [ § 288.001, Fla. Stat.] and recognized as Florida’s “premier source” for business assistance. With this assistance, clients can become more successful and, in turn, contribute positively to the area’s economic growth and stability. More than 35 SBDC offices operate in Florida from Key West to Pensacola under the guidance of seven state universities, including the University of North Florida, and state colleges.

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Small Business Administration

The Small Business Administration North Florida District provides help with SBA services including funding programs, counseling, federal contracting certifications, and disaster recovery. We can also connect you to our partner organizations, lenders, and other community groups that help small businesses succeed. This office serves 43 counties in northern Florida. We have offices in Jacksonville and Orlando.

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Visit our calendar of events to see upcoming webinars and workshops from these organizations!