Businesses Devastated by Flooding Can Get Help to Rebuild

Businesses affected by the historic flooding two weeks ago have a chance to get some help as they rebuild.

The United States Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Assistance has set up two Business Recovery Centers in Charleston and Maxwelton in Greenbrier County.

“Businesses can be [a] small business, large business, or non-profit organizations,” explained Mary Gibson, Public Affairs Specialist for the SBA, “They can come into this center and get assistance with their application.”

Gibson says all three are eligible for physical damage assistance, but only small businesses have access to both physical damage and more extensive economic injury assistance.

Businesses can receive up to $2 million through an SBA loan, and pay it back over a period of 30-years with as low as a 4 percent interest rate. The first $25,000 can be obtained without collateral.

Those interested can visit one of the centers for help, or they can also fill out their application online.

Certain paperwork will be needed like tax returns, but the SBA is giving ample time for folks to get ahold of documentation if it was damaged in the floods.

Business owners have until August 24 to submit an application for physical damage, but small businesses seeking economic injury assistance have until March 27, 2017.

W.Va. Business Recovery Centers:

  • Charleston Area Alliance, 1116 Smith Street, Charleston, West Virginia, 25301
  • Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation, 804 Industrial Park Road, Suite 5, Maxwelton, West Virginia, 24957

Author: Liz McCormick

Liz is WVPB's Webmaster/Digital Coordinator and Eastern Panhandle Bureau Chief, based in Shepherdstown, WV on Shepherd University's campus. Liz is a native of Charleston, West Virginia. She received a M.A. in Strategic Communication from American University in 2022 and a B.A. in Communication and New Media from Shepherd in 2014. Prior to her role as webmaster, Liz was WVPB's Eastern Panhandle reporter from 2014-2022, the House of Delegates reporter on "The Legislature Today" from 2015-2017, and she covered K-12/higher education from 2020-2022. Liz has also worked as a technical assistant and associate producer on "The Legislature Today."

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