CAMARILLO — The Economic Development Collaborative, as host of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), will open a Small Business Administration Business Recovery Center at 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 16 at its offices in Camarillo. The center will provide a wide range of free services, from specialized consulting to disaster loans, to businesses impacted by the region’s wildfires.
Located at 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd., Suite B, in Camarillo, the Center will operate Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. No appointment is needed, and all services are free of charge. The Center will be closed on Thanksgiving, Nov. 22.
The office will serve all areas affected by recent wildfires, from Malibu and Westlake Village to Simi Valley and the San Fernando Valley. “We’re grateful that our collaboration with the LA SBDC network enabled us to get up and running quickly because the property damage, job and income loss, and other economic hardship hits hard, fast and with deep impacts throughout the community,” said Ray Bowman, director of the SBDC hosted by the EDC.
As a one-stop help center, business owners and managers can receive specialized one-on-one services to help them re-establish their operations and overcome the effects of the disaster. They also can learn how to apply for an SBA disaster loan, which can help finance their recovery. “Services include assessing business working capital needs, evaluating the business’s strength, cash flow projections, loan application assistance and counseling on the options and best course of action to move forward,” said Bowman.
Businesses of any size and private, nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets not covered or fully covered by insurance, Bowman said. In addition, there are other specialized loans available for small businesses and nonprofits that did not have property damage but suffered economic injury due to the fires.
Business owners who are unable to visit the Business Recovery Center in Camarillo may apply online using the SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. For more information on the EDC’s Business Recovery Center and its services, visit https://edcollaborative.com/business-disaster-recovery-resources/
EDC is a private, nonprofit organization that serves as a business-to-government liaison to assist businesses in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties by offering programs that enhance the economic vitality of the region. For more information about the Small Business Development Center, loan programs, manufacturing outreach and international trade programs, or other services available to small businesses through EDC, contact Bruce Stenslie at 805-384-1800 ext. 24 or bruce.stenslie@edcollaborative.com. Or visit www.edcollaborative.com