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​Individual Assistance Programs

In the event of a Presidential Declaration of Major Disaster, the Individual Assistance program provides help for individuals, businesses, homeowners, and renters as they recover from disasters.

These programs are largely funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), although other federal, state and local agencies support the overall Individual Assistance program.

If you are an individual, business, homeowner, directly affected by a disaster and have significant damages, contact your county emergency management office.

Small Business Administration Loan Program

If a federal disaster declaration is not made available, the commonwealth may still request a Small Business Administration (SBA) declaration.

SBA serves as the federal disaster bank for homeowners, renters, businesses, and some nonprofit entities in the wake of hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes, and other physical disasters. SBA loans provide federal low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, and businesses.

Due to a lower level of damages required for a disaster declaration by the SBA, usually confined to a specific community or county, disaster declarations by the SBA are more common than Federal Declarations of Major Disaster for smaller events such as major fires, localized flooding, and events disrupting business and commerce.

To be eligible for an SBA declaration, at least 25 households and/or businesses must have a minimum 40-percent uninsured loss, or at least five businesses must have a significant economic loss. The SBA low-interest loan program is available to homeowners, renters, and businesses. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements.

If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner and have suffered damages resulting from a hurricane, flood, earthquake, wildfire, tornado, or another physical disaster, you should contact your county emergency management office.

Remember: SBA disaster loans cover uninsured or underinsured losses only.

Individual Assistance Forms