Assistance and Resources
State Assistance
The Governor's Response and Recovery Fund was created to provide flexible financial resources for current and future unmet disaster recovery needs for government agencies, non-profit organizations, businesses, and farmers or foresters.The initial application is intended for eligible applicants affected by Tropical Storm Helene in Northeast Tennessee. Counties eligible for assistance include Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi or Washington.
Federal Assistance
Federal Emergency Management Agency
It is important that you keep FEMA informed of your current contact information. This will ensure any benefits you are eligible for reach you without delay.
If more information is needed to process your application, FEMA may call you. These calls may come from an unfamiliar area codes or phone numbers. It is important to answer the call. The specialists will already have your nine-digit FEMA registration number and will not ask for it. Always verify a caller is from FEMA to avois scams and fraud.
A Major Disaster Declaration was declared on October 2, 2024. Through the declaration, FEMA has been able to provide survivors with assistance through federal assistance programs. The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance was Tuesday, January 7.
U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has reopened the application period for loans of survivors from Tropical Storm Helene. The deadline for Physical Disaster Loans is April 27, 2025 and the new deadline for Economic Injury is July 2, 2025.
- Business Physical Disaster Loans – Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) – Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.
- Home Disaster Loans – Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles.
