The McAllen Chamber of Commerce is seeking to help employers and our workforce in McAllen, Texas, respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to take steps to keep jobs and businesses going, as well as protect the health of our community. Information is changing often, we ask readers to rely on official sources first and foremost. Our national, state and local public health agencies are confident that the best strategy to protect our population from further spread of the virus is social distancing. The essence of social distancing is that we avoid gatherings over 10 persons and maintain a physical distance of approximately 6 feet from others when possible.

HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS BEEN IMPACTED BY COVID-19?

It is important for us to hear how your businesses is being impacted by the current pandemic. Please tell us how your businesses is being impacted, and if you would like to receive resources or information to help you during this challenging period.

Steps to help your organization deal with covid-19

The McAllen Chamber of Commerce presents the following recommendations to help businesses weather the slowdown caused by COVID-19. As with any recommendations, we ask readers to evaluate the merit of each, based on their own organization’s needs.

COVID-19 Business Steps

What is an economic injury disaster loan?

Economic injury disaster loans (IEDL) cover vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing. These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Not for potential losses. And the borrower must not have access to “credit elsewhere”. If you have businesses that may meet the criteria above and have been impacted please ask them to contact our office as we are helping gather impact data to submit to our office of disaster and emergency management officials.

The following items must be submitted for all Economic Injury Disaster Loan Applications:

  1. Loan application (SBA Form 5), depending on business structure, completed and signed (this is electronic/ online in the portal), including contact information, business information, insurance information
  2. Tax Information Authorization (IRS Form 4506-T), completed and signed by each applicant, each principal owning 20 per- cent or more of the applicant business, each general partner or managing member; and, for any owner who has more than 50 percent ownership in an affiliate business. Affiliates include, but are not limited to, business parents, subsidiaries, and/or other businesses with common ownership or management
  3. Federal income tax returns: Complete copies, including all schedules, of the most recently filed Federal income tax returns for the applicant business for businesses requesting over $500K and private, non profits. If the most recent Federal income tax return has not been filed, prior tax returns and/or a year-end profit-and-loss statement and balance sheet for that tax year might be requested
  4. Current year-to-date profit and loss statement (SBA Form 1368)
  5. Personal Financial Statement (SBA Form 413) completed, signed, and dated by the applicant, each principal owning 20 percent or more of the applicant business, and each general partner or managing member
  6. Schedule of Liabilities listing all fixed debts (SBA Form 2202 may be used)

All of these forms are available in the Disaster Loan Application Portal. Click here for a Step-by-Step guide on how to file.

Disaster Loan Application

Assistance and contact information: For assistance with an EIDL, call the Disaster Customer Service Hotline at 800-659-2955. For other information, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call (800) 877-8339. For additional program information, please visit the SBA disaster assistance website. Business advisement and assistance with your SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan is also available through the UTRGV SBDC.
Submittal: Online applications are recommended. Alternatively, applications can be emailed to disasterloans@sba.gov (unsecured, attachments less than 5MB); faxed to (202) 481-1505; or mailed toU.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
Deadline to Submit Application: December 21, 2020
Use of Proceeds: Fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster's impact. It does not cover lost sales. It cannot be used to refinance long-term debts.
Amount: SBA determines loan amount based on information provided up to $2 million secured and $25,000 unsecured. Interest rate: 3.75 percent for small businesses; 2.75 percent for private, non-profits
Terms: To keep payments affordable, SBA offers loans with long-term repayments up to a maximum of 30 years, determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower's ability to repay, and without financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship.
Expectations: Use Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge (Chrome allows translation) to access portal; be patient, save often, and access the “help” button; safeguard your password and make note of application number; and expect to receive an email confirmation of submittal and an email confirmation of application under review. Loan payments for a COVID-19 EIDL can be deferred for 12 months.
Existing Borrowers: For bridge loans up to $25,000 and/or current 7(a)/504 loan payment deferral, contact your SBA lender and/or CDC. On March 22, 2020, J. Carranza, U.S. SBA Administrator, implemented automatic deferment for payments on existing home or business disaster loans through end of 2020.

OTHER FORMS OF RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESSES