August 30, 2023
Althea's Attic Boutique on State Street in Montpelier undergoing repairs.
BEGAP Update
Governor Scott and ACCD Secretary Lindsay Kurrle provided an update Wednesday on the Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program (BEGAP) and urged more flooded organizations to apply. To date, almost 600 applications have been formerly submitted and 392 are fully complete, up around 50 from last week:
- 66% are currently being reviewed or in the queue to be reviewed.
- 34% are completed and approved for a BEGAP grant.
- A total of $1.8 million in funding has been approved with an average award of around $13,000.
If your organization is interested, please visit the BEGAP page to apply and learn about the information you’ll need to get started, different types of technical assistance offered, and the Contractor Estimate Tool for estimating repair costs.
FEMA Seeking Multi-Family Residences
FEMA wants to hear from multi-family unit owners and landlords as it looks to temporarily house flood victims whose homes are uninhabitable. The Multi-Family Lease and Repair program allows FEMA to make improvements to existing units, bring them up to code, and then house flood victims for a minimum of 18 months.
If interested, you much reach out to FEMA by September 12, 2023. The first step is to send FEMA an email. Here is the information they are looking for.
SBA Business Recovery Centers Update
Vermont’s three SBA Business Recovery Centers in Morrisville, Berlin, and Ludlow will be closed Monday, September 4 for Labor Day. Visit the ACCD Storm Recovery Resource Center for normal operating hours.
SBA Mitigation Assistance
For businesses with an SBA is disaster loan, there is an opportunity for additional funding. The SBA is offering mitigation assistance. It allows those who already have loans to receive up to 20% more to make building upgrade to protect from future disasters. Examples of flood mitigation include:
- Seal a roof deck.
- Landscape to improve runoff and drainage.
- Elevate structures.
- Relocate outside a flood plain.
- Add a sump pump.
- Convert the lowest floor to a flexible space that is less likely to be damaged in a flood.
For more information, visit the SBA Mitigation Assistance web page.
Relief for Flooded Restaurants
There is still time for restaurants impacted by the flooding to receive a $10,000 grant from the Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund. The fund created by Door Dash, Hello Alice, and Global Entrepreneurship Fund gives grants to brick-and-mortar restaurants in declared disaster areas. Restaurants do not need to be a Door Dash partner to apply. This round of grant applications closes September 29, 2023.
Economic Injury Survey
A reminder for businesses that suffered lost income but no physical damage to please participate in ACCD’s Economic Injury Survey. The data will be used to provide a more complete picture of the flooding's toll and inform advocacy for recovery, relief, and resiliency programs. There is currently no grant program for businesses that exclusive suffered economic damage. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete.
*If this is the first time you are receiving this newsletter from ACCD, you have been added as part of reporting your business damages to Vermont 211. If you would prefer not to receive updates from ACCD on business resources related to this flooding event, you can unsubscribe below.
Agency of Commerce and Community Development
