NY Rising Small Business Recovery Program awards $200,000 in flood assistance with more funds available.

BINGHAMTON, NY – It may be 2014, but the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Binghamton University is still working to assist small businesses throughout the region whose buildings and operations were damaged by the floods of 2011. Already $200,000 has been allocated to a handful of businesses throughout SBDC’s seven-county region. Eligible businesses are those located in counties that received a disaster declaration as a result of Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Irene.

The funding comes from New York’s Small Business Storm Recovery Program, which is part of the New York Rising Community Reconstruction Program. The New York Rising initiative was launched last year by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and funded by federal recovery dollars. It is designed to empower communities that suffered significant damage in recent storms and assist those communities as they build back following extensive flood damage.

To be eligible for funding, businesses must have experienced direct damage and/or economic hardships as a result of one of these storms. The SBDC announced that four area businesses have been awarded grants totaling $200,000. However, there is more money available and SBDC representatives want to reach businesses in need of assistance.

"If your small business has uncompensated damage that was the result of Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee, it may qualify for this grant program," said Rochelle Layman, regional director of the SBDC at Binghamton University. "Our NYS Certified Small Business Advisors can assist you in determining if your business qualifies for this program. If your business does qualify, we will also assist you in the application process.

Layman suggests that small companies contact the Small Business Development Center at Binghamton University 607-777-4024 to see if their business is eligible.

The SBDC at Binghamton University is a comprehensive program to provide management and technical assistance to small businesses in a seven county area. Those counties served include: Broome, Cortland, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga and Tompkins counties.

Specializing in direct one-to-one counseling, the SBDC offers assistance in the following business areas: start-up assistance, business plan development, accounting and financial projections, sources of financing, marketing, business expansion and relocation and agribusiness. There is no cost for the counseling services of the SBDC. Reasonable fees may be charged for some training programs and events.