Good afternoon, Montana-

How goes the battle?  This week the SBA announced the closure of the PPP program so I wanted to get that announcement (attached) out to everyone along with a few other updates on SBA assistance/information.  Please note as follows:

• PPP Data 2021 (excludes 2020):
• National - 6,681,929 loans for $277,700,108,079
• Montana - 23,463 loans for $823,366,188

• Total PPP (2020 and 2021) for Montana: 
• 47,371 loans for just over $2.6 billion

• Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) –
• Reminder:  The application portal remains open for this program and the maximum loan amount has been increased to $500,000
• Application portal link:  SBA - Disaster Loan Assistance
• Montana EIDL assistance (includes loans and advances) is at nearly $635 million.

• Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) –
• In the first two weeks of opening the portal, the SBA received more than 300,000 applications representing over $75 billion in requested funds for $28.6 billion in available funds for the program.  The application portal is closed and applications are currently being processed.

• Shuttered Venues Operators Grant (SVOG) –
• Following is the press statement regarding notices of awards and funds disbursements. On May 26, the SBA began sending notices of awards to approved Shuttered Venue Operators Grant applicants and will ramp up the rate of notifications in the coming days. Per the federal grant process, once approved applicants receive the notice of award, they must return signed documentation acknowledging acceptance. Upon the SBA receiving the required signed documentation, funds will be disbursed as quickly as possible to get our live entertainment venues back on track.

• Community Navigators –
• OED just added another public information session on Community Navigators.  Can you please share with the District Offices as this is a great place to direct organizations who may be asking the districts to set-up a webinar or other targeted session on this program.  OED will collect questions raised during this session and will subsequently answer the unique questions through a written FAQ document which will be published on grants.gov
• Community Navigators Pilot Program Information Session Tickets, Fri, Jun 4, 2021 at 1:00 PM ET | Eventbrite

• Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) Release (see attached for full release) –
• WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration announced its 6^th Annual Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) with the addition of a new component aimed at spurring investment in underrepresented communities within the innovation economy at scale. The 2021 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Catalyst programs will recognize the nation’s most innovative organizations with inclusive approaches towards supporting entrepreneurs in research and development (R&D). New to this year’s competition, two tracks will run totaling over $5 million in cash prizes.

• Vaccination Clinic Toolkit – I have been asked to share information for on-site vaccination clinics (see attached).  Here also is a link: On-Site Vaccination Clinic Toolkit | WECANDOTHIS.HHS.GOV

That is all for now.  As always, if you have questions on SBA programs don’t hesitate to contact the district office and we will do our best to assist.  We’ve got some summer weather.  Enjoy!

Take care,

-Brent.

Brent E. Donnelly

District Director – Montana

U.S. Small Business Administration

10 West 15^th Street - 1100

Helena, MT  59626

Desk: 406-441-1083

Mobile: 406-439-7613

www.sba.gov