WHAT BUSINESSES ARE ELIGIBLE?
Any small business (fewer than 500 employees), with an Employee Identification Number (EIN), is eligible to receive a grant from the Small Business Readiness for Resiliency Program. Some industries are not allowed, including private clubs, religious educational institutions, and direct sellers. See more in our Terms and Conditions. We do not fund nonprofits of any type.
HOW MUCH IS THE GRANT?
Selected applicants will receive a grant of $5,000. Applicants must report economic and/or physical disaster losses/damages of $5,000 or more to be eligible for the grant and must be able to demonstrate these losses.
WHAT COUNTS AS A DISASTER?
We are using a specific FEMA declaration, “Individual Assistance,” for a major disaster declaration. This does not include all disasters, or all major disasters, and is the benchmark that the federal government uses to open grants and loans for individuals and businesses impacted by a disaster.
DOES EVERY BUSINESS IN AN IMPACTED REGION RECEIVE A GRANT?
No, the number of grants we distribute for any disaster is based on the number of eligible applicants, size of the region, impact of the disaster, and the amount of remaining funds for the year. If there are more eligible businesses than available funding, then we will randomly allocate grants.
Applicants that are not selected to receive a grant in a given year will still be considered, should another disaster strike in their community over the next three years, as long as their application is still current.
Applicants must complete FedEx’s Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Small Businesses (available in English and Spanish), followed by registering their business in our database, prior to a disaster occurring in their area in order to be eligible for the grant.
HOW DO I KNOW IF MY BUSINESS WILL RECEIVE A GRANT?
Our team will track “Individual Assistance” determinations, and as soon as they are made, we will contact you using the information you provide in the registration form (email and phone).
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO AFTER BEING NOTIFIED?
You will have to provide a few additional pieces of information about your business, including an attestation that you have suffered a loss not covered by your insurance (can include deductibles, loss of sales, physical damage, etc.). You will also need to provide a completed and signed W-9 with an employer identification number (EIN) -- social security numbers will not be accepted. All funds will be sent via electronic check (e-check) to the business email address that you provide.
We strongly recommend that you complete and save a W-9 form in advance of a disaster to make the grant application process easier. In the W-9, you must enter your name, business name, full business mailing address, EIN, signature, and date on the form.
WHAT DO I HAVE TO PROVIDE AFTER RECEIVING A GRANT?
Approximately four weeks after you receive the grant, we will send you a post-grant survey that you must complete as part of your grant agreement.
CAN I RECEIVE A GRANT MORE THAN ONCE?
After receiving a grant, a business or owner is no longer eligible for additional funds in subsequent years or disasters.
