Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience

The SBA’s Office of Field Operations & Disaster Recovery (FODR) manages the nationwide delivery of SBA disaster loans through two field operations centers: FOC East in Atlanta, GA and FOC West in Citrus Heights, CA. Following a disaster declaration, these centers deploy personnel to operate local Business Recovery Centers and Disaster Loan Outreach Centers as well as staffing federal and state disaster recovery centers. These sites serve as “one-stop shops” where homeowners, renters, and business owners can receive direct assistance in recovering from losses caused by a declared disaster.  

Specifically, FODR helps the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience (ODRR) in its mission to provide low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters to repair or replace real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, inventory and business assets that have been damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster. FODR also coordinates with federal, state, and local partners, to conduct outreach to elected officials, the media and the public, and conducts damage assessments with federal, state, local, and tribal stakeholders. 

For assistance with SBA physical loss and non-COVID EIDL related to natural disasters, call 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.  

Disaster survivors who are unable to visit local business recovery centers may apply for assistance online. 

To determine if you are eligible for an SBA disaster loan visit Disaster Locator to find an open disaster recovery center near you or MySBA Loan Portal to view current disaster declarations.

Disaster Field Operations Center’s Areas of Responsibilities 

Within 72 hours FOCs rapidly deploy recovery assets to deliver the SBA disaster loan program to communities impacted by disaster.  FOCs coordinate with FEMA offices, state and local emergency managers, and elected officials. FOCs coordinate with stakeholders for preliminary damage assessments (PDAs), disaster surveys, processing disaster declaration requests, and identifying locations for SBA led disaster recovery centers.   

Disaster Field Operations Center East

Field Operations Center East (FOCE) provides rapid disaster response across FEMA Regions 1–5 encompassing the following states and territories:  

Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin 

Disaster Field Operations Center West

Field Operations Center East (FOCW) provides rapid disaster response across FEMA Regions 6-10 encompassing the following states and territories: 

Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, the National Government of the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming 

Disaster resources

Spotlight

• Recent disaster declarations and locations
• Disaster loans
• Disaster press releases
• Prepare for emergencies

External resources

• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• American Red Cross
• DisasterAssistance.gov
• DisasterSafety.org
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• HUD Disaster Recovery Assistance
• Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
• National Earthquake Information Center
• National Hurricane Center
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• National Weather Service
• Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
• Pacific Disaster Center
• Ready.gov
• USA.gov

• Current disaster declarations
• Disaster loans
• Emergency preparedness and disaster assistance
• Disaster loan data
• Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience employment

• How to report fraud
• Code of Federal Regulations – Disaster Loan Program
• SOP 50 30 (9) – Disaster Assistance Program
• Glossary of Business Financial Terms
• Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Plan