How to Apply for a Federal Small Business Loan

If your business is impacted by COVD-19, you may be eligible for a Paycheck Protection Program loan through the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Paycheck Protection Program is designed to keep small businesses afloat while keeping employees on payroll and can be used for payroll and benefits costs, rent, utilities, and more. We understand the process of applying for an SBA loan may be confusing, so we compiled some resources to make the application process a little easier. For full eligibility requirements, answers to frequently asked questions [https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/PPP--Fact-Sheet.pdf], visitsba.gov [https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program] . See if you're eligible for a  Paycheck Protection Program loan. [__GHOST_URL__/attune-cares-what-small-businesses-are-eligible-for-sba-loans/] Small businesses, including S corporations, C corporations, LLCs, private nonprofits, faith-based organizations, tribal groups, and veteran groups, with 500 employees may be eligible. Full eligibility requirements and additional information can be found at sba.gov. [https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans] Based on your lender, you may receive additional eligibility requirements. Decide how much you should apply for. All businesses are different and require different loan amounts. The U.S. Treasury created a document outlining how to calculate the maximum Paycheck Protection Program Loan amounts [https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/How-to-Calculate-Loan-Amounts.pdf] by business type. Our partner Bench [https://bit.ly/2WV3CXt], America's largest professional bookkeeping service for small businesses, can streamline this process for you. Bench is there to walk you through every bookkeeping requirement for PPP loan forgiveness, including what statements, records, and documents you’ll need. Attune clients get 20% off their first six months of bookkeeping with Bench [https://bit.ly/2WV3CXt]. Find what lenders are available to you in your area. Via sba.gov [https://www.sba.gov/paycheckprotection/find], you can see which lenders are available to you by simply entering your zip code. You can also see if there are local resources you can leverage during your application [https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/find/]. SBA works with partners across the nation to train and counsel small businesses through the application process. Download, review, and complete the application. To get started, you’ll need to complete the Borrower Information Form - SBA Form 1919 application [https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/SBA%20Form%201919%204-28-14_review.pdf] . Make sure you have all the required documents. This is a time-consuming process, so take extra time to ensure you have all the correct documents [__GHOST_URL__/attune-cares-how-to-apply-for-a-federal-small-business-loan/This%20is%20a%20time-consuming%20process,%20so%20take%20extra%20time%20to%20ensure%20you%20have%20all%20the%20correct%20documents%20needed%20to%20submit%20an%20application.%20These%20can%20include%20business%20and%20personal%20financial%20statements,%20resumes,%20business%20license/certificates,%20statements%20of%20personal%20history,%20and%20the%20history%20of%20your%20business.%20Our%20partner,%20Bench,%20created%20a%20comprehensive%20checklist%20for%20all%20small%20businesses.] needed to submit an application. These can include business and personal financial statements [https://www.sba.gov/document/sba-form-413-personal-financial-statement-7a504-loans-surety-bonds] , resumes, business license/certificates, statements of personal history [https://www.sba.gov/document/sba-form-912-statement-personal-history], and the history of your business. Our partner, Bench, created a comprehensive checklist for all small businesses. [https://bench.co/blog/resources/ppp-loan-forgiveness-checklist/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=attune&utm_campaign=blog&utm_content=attune-cares] Review your application, save a copy, and hit submit. The final and most important step in the SBA loan process is ensuring you submitted all the required documents and all information is accurate. Create a copy for your records and document your application confirmation number for future reference. If you have questions about applying for a Paycheck Protection Program loan and would like to talk to one of our insurance, financial, or legal professionals,  please email attune-cares@attuneinsurance.com and we’ll see how we can help.