The Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the upcoming State of Economy Presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners, an event offering valuable insights into current economic trends shaping the local business community. Speaker Tom Barkin, President & CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, is a leader in economic policy and financial stability. Barkin offers an in-depth analysis of the current economic landscape including inflation trends, labor market conditions, and an outlook for growth in the coming year while providing an opportunity for interactive Q&A.

Event Details:

• Monday April 14th
• 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
• Historic Greer Depot, 300 Randall Street, Greer, SC 29651
• ​Speaker Tom Barkin, President/CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Registration Details
Secure a single spot or full table, either at member or non-member price, online at www.greerchamber.com using our Chamber Calendar. All are welcome.​

• Member Price $40 | Non-Member Price $50
• Member Table $500 | Non-Member Table $650 

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is extending the physical damage loan deadline for disaster declarations affected by the 2024 federal funding lapse. The new deadline to apply is April 27, 2025.

The disaster declaration covers Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, and York counties and the Catawba Indian Nation in South Carolina which are eligible for both physical damage and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for EIDLs: Berkeley, Calhoun, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dorchester, Lancaster, Lee and Sumter in South Carolina; Burke, Chatham, Columbia, Effingham, Elbert, Franklin, Habersham, Hart, Lincoln, Rabun, Richmond, Screven, and Stephens in Georgia; and Cleveland, Gaston, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Mecklenburg, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania in North Carolina.

Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.

"One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage," said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. "I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s mitigation loans."

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.25% for PNPs, and 2.813% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

With the changes to FEMA’s Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and the SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover. FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition.

To apply online, visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is April 27, 2025.