Collaborative Teams to Support Hurricane Sandy Small Business Recovery

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Long-term assistance for small businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy is being made available through expanded funding to the U.S. Small Business Administration's resource partners working in conjunction with state and local organizations.

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"SBA is working to harness the ingenuity of our local communities to make sure that we're not only rebuilding, but building smarter," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills.  "This funding will provide extensive collaborative services to help small businesses recover and rebuild from Hurricane Sandy, so they can do what they do best, grow the local economy and create jobs."

SBA's resource partners will issue a total of $13.1 million to collaborative teams, which will integrate local economic recovery efforts and bring distinct delivery of business services.

This second phase of funding, part of $19 million in emergency appropriations approved by Congress, will be distributed by SBA's resource partners -- the Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), SCORE, and Women's Business Centers (WBCs) -- to collaborative teams in 11 states and a U.S. territory. 

SBA anticipates awarding grants to the follow collaborative teams:

Connecticut – $1,361,000

The University of Connecticut Small Business Development Center (CTSBDC) will coordinate collaborative efforts with seven partners.  CTSBDC's partners in this effort are the Women's Business Development Council, SCORE, Connecticut Association of Chambers of Commerce Executives, CONNSTEP Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), Connecticut Certified Public Accounts, Spanish American Merchant Association, and Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council.

Delaware – $304,000

The Delaware Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC) will lead the Delaware Disaster Prevention and Business Recovery Program to serve the entire state. SBTDC's statewide collaborative approach involves the following partners: WBC - Delaware YWCA Center for Women's Entrepreneurship; Delaware Economic Development Office; Delaware Emergency Management Agency; New Castle County Chamber of Commerce; Lewes Chamber of Commerce; Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce; Greater Seaford Chamber of Commerce; and Southern Delaware Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

Maryland – $91,000

As lead of the Maryland Hurricane Sandy Recovery Consortium, the Maryland Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) Network's objective is to help small businesses refocus their operations and prepare to respond to future disasters.  The SBTDC will collaborate with SCORE and also with the Economic Development Commissions/Agencies in Dorchester, Somerset, Salisbury-Wicomico and Worcester counties.

Massachusetts – $194,000

The Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE) will function as the lead coordinator in Massachusetts to provide integrated training and consulting services to affected small business owners.  CWE's collaborative partner is SCORE. 

New Jersey – $3,582,000

In New Jersey the funds are being used to create community-based partnerships between the SBDC, WBC, SCORE and other local organizations to achieve sustained economic growth for small businesses.  The New Jersey Small Business Development Center (NJSBDC) will serve as the lead coordinator for the project.  In addition to the statewide NJSBDC network the five other collaborative partners:  two SBA Resource Partners – the Women's Center for Entrepreneurship Corporation (WCEC) and SCORE; the Union County Economic Development Corporation (UCEDC); the Rutgers Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and the Economic Development (CUEED) and the U.S. Resilience Project (USRP).

New York – $6,191,000

The State University of New York Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will lead the New York State Sandy Group to include collaboration among SBDC, SCORE and three WBCs--Queens Economic Development Corporation, Women's Enterprise Development Center and Business Outreach Center Network.

Pennsylvania – $1,058,000

The University of Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will lead coordination efforts with the Wharton Small Business Development Center (Wharton SBDC) and Empowerment Group, Inc., a WBC.

Rhode Island – $181,000

The Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE) is the lead coordinator in Rhode Island and will collaborate with SCORE to deliver disaster preparedness workshops, technical assistance and consulting to the disaster-affected areas.

Virginia/North Carolina – $63,000

The Mason Small Business Development Center (SBDC) relief and training effort focuses on disaster in Virginia counties Accomack and Northampton and also covers the four declared counties in North Carolina.  The SBDC will lead collaboration efforts with several entities to deliver services including Women's Business Centers, SCORE and other local organizations.  The Women's Business Center at Old Dominion University will service the four counties in North Carolina.

West Virginia – $118,000

The West Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will coordinate with the Workforce Investment Board Women's Business and Training Center, on long-term technical assistance to small businesses to create economic recovery.

Puerto Rico – $46,000

The Puerto Rico Small Business & Technology Development Centers will lead collaborative initiatives with the Women's Business Institute, Inter American University of Puerto Rico, and University of the Sacred Heart.                                                                                               

In April, SBA awarded $5.8 million to its resource partners to provide targeted small business counseling, training and technical assistance.  Since that time, SBA has helped nearly 4,300 small business clients using those funds.

Small businesses recovering from the physical and economic impact of Hurricane Sandy can get counseling and training services and recovery assistance from these collaborative teams.   Businesses are encouraged to take advantage of these services and can locate the nearest SBA resource partner at http://www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance.

SBA makes low-interest, taxpayer-backed disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses and non-profit organizations of all sizes.  More information about the disaster assistance program is available at www.sba.gov/disaster.

As of August 7, the SBA has approved $2.4 billion in loans to 36,200 business and homeowners needing assistance to repair, rebuild and restart the local economy after Hurricane Sandy.

Contact: Cecelia Taylor (202) 401-3059
Carol Chastang (202) 205-6987

Internet Address: www.sba.gov/news
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Release Number: 13-46

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration