The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced the launch of a new Business Resilience Guide, which aims to provide small businesses with advice and resources for disaster preparation. It includes six sections covering planning and recovering from disasters, with best practices and template forms to help mitigate disasters so business owners can be prepared and rebuild if necessary.

“Small businesses are vital to local economies— creating jobs and providing essential products and services, which is why the SBA is committed to ensuring they can survive and recover quickly from natural and other disasters,” said SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman. “At a time of increasing economic impacts from climate change and natural disasters, SBA’s new Business Resilience Guide equips business owners with the tools and strategies they need to strengthen their operations and preparedness, recover from disruption, and build resilience.”

The guide covers how to understand the current landscape, identify key partnerships, safeguard vital resources, strengthen financial readiness, and embrace protective mitigation. Business owners can learn how to document essential operations and identify dependencies, as well as recognize and nurture relationships with important vendors, suppliers, and collaborators. The guide also includes advice on data backup, cybersecurity measures, and infrastructure protection, in addition to managing cash flow, securing emergency funding, and minimizing financial losses. One section looks at strategies for minimizing the impact of potential disruptions through risk assessment and mitigation tactics.

An example of the type of resources found in the guide is the sample threat calculation table, which illustrates an exercise to determine which threats you should focus on to reduce your vulnerabilities. These are just examples, and might not reflect the threats in your specific area.

Another resource in the guide is this contact tree, which illustrates critical communication among employees in the event of a power outage or internet inaccessibility:

"At the SBA, we understand the critical role small businesses play in their communities and in disaster recovery efforts,” commented Associate Administrator Francisco Sánchez Jr. for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “By proactively planning and preparing, small businesses can significantly enhance their ability to weather any storm.”

The SBA offers several types of disaster loans, including physical damage loans, mitigation assistance, economic injury disaster loans, and military reservist loans. If you are affected by a disaster, you are advised to check disaster declarations to see if the SBA has issued a disaster declaration in your area. If so, you can apply for a disaster loan and check your status by logging into your SBA account.

Businesses of any size can apply for a disaster loan, as can homeowners, renters, and private nonprofit organizations, as long as they are located in a declared disaster area and meet other eligibility criteria depending on the type of loan. Loans can be used for losses not covered by insurance or funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for both personal and business purposes. They can also be used for business operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred.