SBA Opens Paycheck Protection Program Direct Forgiveness Portal

New portal will streamline forgiveness for Atlantic region businesses with PPP loans of $150,000 or less

On Jul 29, 2021

The U.S. Small Business Administration will launch a streamlined Paycheck Protection Program forgiveness application portal to allow borrowers with PPP loans of $150,000 or less to apply for forgiveness directly through the SBA. On August 4, the portal will begin accepting applications from borrowers that have a PPP loan with a lender that has opted into the forgiveness portal.

“The SBA’s new streamlined application portal will simplify forgiveness for millions of our smallest businesses — including many sole proprietors — who used funds from our Paycheck Protection Program loans to survive the pandemic,” said Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman.  “The vast majority of businesses waiting for forgiveness have loans under $150,000. These entrepreneurs are busy running their businesses and are challenged by an overly complicated forgiveness process. We need to deliver forgiveness more efficiently so they can get back to enlivening our Main Streets, sustaining our neighborhoods and fueling our nation’s economy.”

“The SBA is making the forgiveness process more efficient for small businesses so they can recover more fully, get back on track and grow,” said SBA Acting Regional Administrator Bernard J. Paprocki. “The largest segment of Paycheck Protection Program loans awaiting forgiveness in the Atlantic Region are $150,000 or less. Small businesses and non-profits with a PPP loan through a lender that opts into this portal will be able to apply for forgiveness through this easier method.”

SBA ATLANTIC REGION PPP LOAN TOP LINES

The new forgiveness portal will help rush relief to over 6.5 million smallest of small businesses which have been the Administrator’s priority since day one. The SBA also is standing up a PPP customer service team to answer questions and directly assist borrowers with their forgiveness applications. Borrowers needing assistance or with questions can call 1-877-552-2692, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Lenders must opt into the program through https://directforgiveness.sba.gov.

“This initiative will allow PPP borrowers to put their concerns of achieving full forgiveness behind them and focus on operating and growing their businesses again,” Patrick Kelley, associate administrator for SBA’s Office of Capital Access said. “We are pleased to be able to assist financial institutions across the U.S. in processing forgiveness applications for small business owners.”

Paycheck Protection Program Summary

• Overall, the SBA and lenders worked to originate over 11.7 million loans totaling nearly $800 billion in relief to over 8.5 million small businesses.
• In 2021:
  • SBA approved over 6.5 million loans totaling over $275 billion
  • The average PPP loan size was approximately $42,000 (compared to $101,000 in 2020)
  • 96% of PPP loans went to businesses with fewer than 20 employees (compared to 87% in 2020)
  • 32% of loans went to businesses in low to moderate income communities (compared to 24% in 2020)

Direct Forgiveness Summary

• Over 600 banks have opted into direct forgiveness, enabling over 2.17 million borrowers to apply through the portal (This represents 30% of loans $150,000 or less that have not yet submitted for forgiveness).

Established by the CARES Act in 2020, the PPP was among the first COVID-19 small business economic aid programs. It provided more than $798 billion in economic relief to small businesses and nonprofits across the nation, keeping employees working, and helping businesses come back stronger than ever.

Other COVID-19 economic aid programs administered by the SBA include Economic Injury Disaster Loans, EIDL Advance, Targeted EIDL Advance, Supplemental EIDL Advance, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, Shuttered Venue Operators Grant and SBA Debt Relief program. To learn more about these programs, visit www.sba.gov/relief.

To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.

Related Articles: