LIFTFUND ENTERS 2026 AS A KEY VOICE & RESOURCE FOR SMALL BUSINESS DISASTER RECOVERY

30-year nonprofit funder featured in Inc. Magazine documentary and article on small business resilience

SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As 2026 begins, communities across the United States are entering the year with heightened awareness that natural disasters and economic shocks are no longer episodic. They are accelerating. LiftFund, a national nonprofit small-business funder specializing in natural-disaster recovery, was recently featured in an Inc. Magazine article and an accompanying documentary on small-business disaster recovery efforts and solutions.

Small businesses are the economic backbone of their communities, yet they remain among the most vulnerable when disaster strikes. As disasters grow more frequent and complex, their recovery and sustainability are increasingly linked to long-term community survival. According to Climate Central's 2025 U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters dataset (tracking costly extreme events through 2025), the U.S. experienced a record 14 events exceeding $101.4 billion in losses. Wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and severe storms are now testing local economies with increasing frequency, leaving small businesses facing a critical question at the start of the year: If it happens to me, will recovery capital arrive in time?

For more than 30 years, LiftFund, a national nonprofit small business funder, has worked at the intersection of disaster recovery and economic resilience. The organization has supported entrepreneurs through a wide range of disruptions, from Hurricanes Harvey and Beryl to Texas Hill Country floods, Los Angeles wildfires, and the COVID-19 pandemic, providing recovery capital when timing and structure mattered most.

The Inc. Magazine feature, part of Inc.'s "America's Rebuilders" series, examines the aftermath of natural disasters for small businesses and explores the growing financial strain entrepreneurs face after extreme weather events and other disruptions. LiftFund's inclusion underscores a growing national conversation at the start of 2026. Recovery does not end when headlines fade. And small businesses require sustained support well beyond the immediate crisis.

"Small businesses are central to how communities recover," said Amy Hereford, President and CEO of LiftFund. "But recovery fails when capital arrives too late, carries terms that don't match operating conditions, or moves through systems that can't respond quickly enough. As we enter 2026, those realities are becoming more pronounced. Small businesses must survive because they employ the residents, provide essential services, and comprise the tax base that keeps schools and roads open."

National data shows the urgency. When small businesses do not receive recovery capital within two weeks of a disaster, almost half risk permanent closure. To address this shrinking survival window, LiftFund is coordinating a National Disaster Recovery Fund designed for speed, continuity, and economic stability, bringing together partners in banking, philanthropy, and corporate resilience to bridge the gap between disaster impact and traditional aid.

Across its history, LiftFund has deployed more than $222 million in disaster recovery capital, supporting over 11,000 small businesses and sustaining approximately 47,000 jobs. In 2025, the organization reached a defining milestone, expanding nationwide and deploying more than $83 million to support 3,500 small businesses and 4,700 jobs across all 50 states.

As communities enter 2026 facing a more volatile risk environment, LiftFund's recovery model emphasizes rapid deployment, flexible financing aligned with post-disaster conditions, and continued engagement beyond the immediate crisis. This approach has helped businesses recover from physical damage, prolonged revenue losses, supply chain disruptions, and workforce displacement, while stabilizing local economies at moments when failure would ripple far beyond individual enterprises.

Small business owners seeking assistance are encouraged to contact LiftFund at 888-215-2373 or visit liftfund.com/funding/special-programs. Partners interested in investing in community impact can visit https://www.liftfund.com/partners.

About LiftFund

LiftFund is a national nonprofit community funder providing small business loans, disaster recovery financing, grants administration, and technical assistance to entrepreneurs across the United States. With more than 30 years of experience, LiftFund operates in all 50 states and focuses on deploying capital through responsible, recovery-focused lending models. In 2025, LiftFund received the Outstanding Community Development Financial Institution Award for its leadership in rebuilding local economies following disasters and economic disruption.

SOURCE LiftFund