New COVID-19 Loan Funding Will Deplete Quickly: Be Prepared
On Thursday, April 23, Congress passed legislation to replenish funding to small business loan programs, including the new Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which ran out of funding on April 16. Having already advanced through the Senate earlier this week, the legislation is expected to be quickly signed by the President.
Complete applications as quickly as possible
Veterinary practices interested in taking advantage of the new Paycheck Protection Program or other disaster-related loans should move quickly and urgently, working with a lender to get applications completed. The AVMA is pleased additional funding has been provided, but we anticipate the funds will be quickly depleted, in as little as a few days, based on the tremendous demand and requests from small businesses. Some banks seem to be moving more expeditiously than others. If you are experiencing challenges, you may want to talk to a smaller community bank, as some are reporting better success there.
What's in the funding package?
The package approved by the Senate provides over $480 billion in new stimulus aid, including $370 billion for PPP and other loan programs administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), $75 billion for hospitals, and $25 billion for COVID-19 testing.
The SBA funding includes:
• $310 billion for PPP loans, including $60 billion set aside for smaller financial institutions (as defined in the bill)
• $50 billion for SBA Emergency Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
• $10 billion to support EIDL's forgivable cash grants of up to $10,000
The AVMA’s COVID-19 legislative overview webpage includes detailed information about these small business loan programs and how to apply. A free webinar also is available on AVMA Axon to help veterinary business owners consider the various loan options.
Resources for veterinary businesses in the COVID-19 economy
Find additional resources to help veterinary businesses navigate the economic effects of the pandemic in the business and economics section of our dedicated COVID-19 website, avma.org/Coronavirus.
We continue to develop new tools to help veterinarians and veterinary practices navigate COVID-19. To stay informed as new resources are released, subscribe to this blog and follow AVMA’s social media pages.
