Business Resources

Assistance for Individual Property and Businesses

On September 29, FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of North Carolina, including Buncombe County, to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by Tropical Storm Helene. The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals, including grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

• FEMA Disaster Assistance for Individuals and Businesses: Grants for temporary housing, home repairs, and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses. Register online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621- 3362, or by using the FEMA App.‍
• US Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance: Loans for homeowners, renters, businesses, and nonprofits affected by the disaster. This includes:‍
• Home Disaster Loans: Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles.‍
• Business Physical Disaster Loans: Loans to businesses for repairing or replacing disaster-damaged property, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery, and equipment. Businesses of any size and private, non-profit organizations are eligible.‍
• Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL): Working capital loans available to help small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture businesses, and non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their financial obligations during a disaster recovery period.
• Always Asheville Fund: Explore Asheville has established the Always Asheville Fund to support our small, independent travel and hospitality businesses across Buncombe County as they work to recover and rebuild. This fund will provide emergency grants—not loans—to help sustain the vibrant, creative, and deeply rooted community that makes the Asheville area unique.
• Mountain BizWorks: The WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund offers rapid relief loans up to $100,000 with 1% interest to small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene. Administered by Mountain BizWorks and supported by The Golden LEAF Foundation and other partners, this fund bridges the gap between the disaster’s impact and the arrival of federal aid, insurance payouts, or business recovery.

The SBA has opened a small business assistance center at the Asheville Chamber of Commerce (36 Montford Ave). The center is focused on providing disaster relief in the form of low-interest loans for businesses, nonprofits, homeowners, and renters impacted by the storm. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Assistance for Employees

• NC Works Disaster Unemployment (DUA): Temporary payments for people whose employment has been impacted as a direct result of a disaster.
• Assistance for Food Service Employees: Giving Kitchen and Southern Smoke Foundation offer assistance for food and beverage workers.
• Assistance for members of the Meetings/Hospitality Industry: The Meetings Industry Fund and SEARCH FOUNDATION offers grants to those in need of financial assistance.
• The NC Hospitality Workers Relief Fund, managed by the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association (NCRLA) foundation, the fund supports hospitality employees affected by Hurricane Helene. Any employee of a North Carolina restaurant, hotel, tavern, or other hospitality-related businesses can apply for financial assistance if they are experiencing hardship due to Hurricane Helene.

Assistance for Artists & Arts Organizations

• Arts AVL has created a webpage of emergency support resources, including relief grants for artists, musicians, and cultural institutions, as well as pro bono legal support.
• Arts North Carolina has created a disaster relief fund and is asking artists to fill out a creative needs assessment form.
• MusiCares provides financial assistance to music industry professionals in geographic areas impacted by natural disasters.
• NCAPER Disaster Resources for Individuals and Arts and Cultural Organizations
• NCAPER Rapid Damage Assessment Forms: If you were impacted, or know artists and cultural institutions impacted for a disaster, please fill out one of the following rapid damage assessment forms.
• Cultural Institutions: Rapid Damage Assessment Form
• Arts Organizations: Rapid Damage Assessment Form
• Individual Artists and Performing Groups: Rapid Damage Assessment Form
• More NCAPER Resources>>

Additional Links & Resources

• City of Asheville Info and Updates
• Quick Guide to Finding Essential Supplies (Updated Oct. 6)
• Love Asheville From Afar: Partner Signup Form
• Buncombe County Info and Updates
• Helene Missing Persons Form
• North Carolina Info and Updates
• NCDOT Road Closure Map
• Duke Energy Power Outage Map
• Waze Map of Road Closures
• Open-source Community Resource Document‍
• The City of Asheville has food and water distribution points, including both potable and non-potable water, set up across the city. More info here.
• ​World Central Kitchen has arrived in Asheville and will begin serving meals 9/30 at noon at Bears Smokehouse on Coxe Ave. More info here.‍
• Water and MRE Distribution Sites became available in Buncombe County starting at 2 p.m. Monday 9/30. More info here.‍
• Some Asheville restaurants are serving food as supplies last. We are updating our Instagram stories and Facebook stories with that information as it comes through.
• Public officials are holding news briefings each day at 11 a.m. The briefings are streamed live on the Buncombe County Facebook Page and broadcasted on Blue Ridge Public Radio 88.1 FM. You can also listen on the iHeart radio stations including 99.9, 104.3, 105.1, 105.9, 96.5, 98.1, 105.5 and 97.3 (Spanish) and 570 AM.
• To lessen the economic impact on area businesses, curfew hours will be adjusted to 11 p.m.- 6 a.m. beginning on October 10, according to the City of Asheville.
• Regular household trash and recycling pick-up schedules are expected to begin Monday, October 14 in locations that are accessible.

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