The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the release of its new Business Resilience Guide, a comprehensive resource aimed at small business owners who may not be familiar with disaster preparation. The guide includes six sections to help plan and recover from disasters, featuring best practices and template forms designed to mitigate risks for America's entrepreneurs and assist them in rebuilding stronger.
“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 assists business owners in developing a robust resilience plan by covering crucial areas such as:
- Understanding their current landscape: Documenting essential operations and identifying dependencies.
- Identifying key partnerships: Recognizing and nurturing relationships with important vendors, suppliers, and collaborators.
- Safeguarding vital resources: Emphasizing data backup, cybersecurity measures, and infrastructure protection.
- Strengthening financial readiness: Managing cash flow, securing emergency funding, and minimizing financial losses.
- Embracing proactive mitigation: Minimizing the impact of potential disruptions through risk assessment and mitigation tactics.
"At the SBA, we understand the critical role small businesses play in their communities and in disaster recovery efforts,” said 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.”
In addition to the guide, the SBA provides numerous resources at SBA.gov to help small businesses start, grow, succeed. These include financing options, business counseling, contracting opportunities, and disaster assistance.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As a primary resource backed by federal support for small businesses, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs with resources needed to start, grow or expand their ventures or recover from declared disasters. It delivers services through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations.