St. Pete Standard

Small businesses in St. Petersburg affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton can now apply for disaster assistance funding. The City of St. Petersburg's Small Business Disaster Assistance Program is providing support for those businesses yet to fully reopen or resume normal operations due to the storms.

“The devastation wrought by Hurricanes Helene and Milton affected our business community profoundly. We are pleased to announce the distribution of funds to local businesses that are the backbone of what makes St. Petersburg an exceptional place to live, work, and thrive,” stated St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth T. Welch.

The initiative raised over $1 million through the innovative We Are St. Pete Fund. A total of $200,000 from this fund has been allocated to aid businesses with repairing property damage, restocking lost inventory, replacing equipment, and managing relocation expenses.

Eligible applicants must be based in St. Pete and can include nonprofit, brick-and-mortar, home-based, and businesses in shared commercial spaces. Additionally, they must be independently-owned, have 50 or fewer employees, have been in operation since at least September 15, 2024, and provide proof of losses.

Interested businesses can apply at www.stpete.org/recoveryfund, with applications being processed on a first-come, first-qualified basis.

For more details on the funding and other assistance programs, visit www.stpete.org/recoveryfund.