TEXAS BACK IN BUSINESS OVERVIEW
Texas Back in Business (TBIB) is a job creation and/or retention program. Applicants must be willing and able to create or retain jobs to be eligible for federal funding through this program.
Application intake for Texas Back in Business (TBIB) has concluded. The list of applicants was randomized and applications are being processed in order. TBIB will continue contacting applicants to help each qualify under federal requirements until all available funds are expended.
Applicants will receive a “heads up” email from Texas Back in Business approximately two weeks prior to your application being assigned to an eligibility specialist. Once your application is ready for initial eligibility review, your eligibility specialist will contact you directly.
- To expedite the initial eligibility review process, take the following steps now:
1. Locate your DUNS number, if you don’t have one:
2. Register with Duns and Bradstreet at: https://www.dnb.com/duns-number/get-a-duns.html
3. Register your business with SAM.gov at: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/index.jsf. Important: Your SAM.gov registration must be designated as “Public” for your application to move forward in the process.
4. Locate 2016 to 2019 IRS-filed tax returns
5. Locate proof of damages your business suffered as a result of Hurricane Harvey
If you have any questions, please call 1-844-773-5663 or email info@texasbackinbusiness.com.
Thank you for applying and we appreciate your patience as we help applicants meet federal eligibility requirements.
Addition Information:
Have a Question?
Email: info@texasbackinbusiness.com
Phone: 1-844-773-5663
Texas RELAY for speech or hearing impaired: 7-1-1
Application Status:
To check the status of your application, please send an email to: GetStatus@texasbackinbusiness.com
Grant Information
Grant awards will be made for eligible expenses including operating capital, inventory, equipment, supplies, and related expenses with a primary focus of grants that retain and create jobs, especially for low to moderate income (LMI) employees. The grants will ultimately promote local economic development in the local community by directly supporting local small businesses.
Grant awards can only be made after federal eligibility is verified and the underwriting processes are complete. TBIB will continue processing applications until all available funding is disbursed.
What is eligible? In accordance with HUD rules, funds may be used for certain working capital expenses, including payroll, purchasing equipment, financing inventory and similar business costs not associated with construction or expansion of existing facilities.
What is not eligible? Renovations, repairs, or improvements to buildings, purchase of equipment that must be affixed to a building, acquisition of real property, reimbursement for inventory or equipment purchased prior to the award, any pre-hurricane working capital expenses, relieving bad debt, or idle capacity/facility cost recovery are all not eligible justifications for receiving a HUD-funded grant.
Eligibility Requirements:
Each TBIB applicant must meet the following minimum threshold requirements to be eligible for federal funding:
- The applicant business must be a for-profit entity and may not be a privately owned utility;
- The applicant business shall not be debarred from being eligible to receive grant funding from the federal government or State of Texas and shall have a valid Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number as well as a System of Award Management (SAM) Commercial and Governmental Entity (CAGE) code;
- The owners of the applicant business (for all principal owners) and applicant business representative must have lawful presence in the United States.
- The applicant business was in business on or before August 25, 2017 at the time of Hurricane Harvey impact and remains in business;
- The applicant business must be a small business as defined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) in 13 C.F.R. Part 121 or a business engaging in farming operations as defined at 7 C.F.R. 1400.3;
- The applicant business must be current on all federal taxes;
- The applicant business must not be a subject to any form of sanction, suspension or debarment with the Texas Secretary of State (SOS);
- The applicant business or its affiliated location(s), such as storefront, warehouse and other structures that will be receiving TBIB assistance shall be located in one of the 49 disaster-impacted counties listed in the Hurricane Harvey Action Plan;
- The business owner(s) (for all principal owners) shall not be delinquent on their child support payments;
- The applicant business must have sustained a minimum of $50,000 in total economic impact attributable to Hurricane Harvey in physical damage, damage to inventory or equipment, non-physical economic damage, or a combination thereof;
- The applicant business shall agree to use the grant funds in a manner that allows the grant to qualify under one of HUD’s mandatory National Objectives: as identified in 24CFR § 570.208:
- The applicant business must create or retain one or more jobs for each $50,000 of grant funds received, of which at least 51% are for low‐and‐moderate‐income person; or
- The applicant business must create or retain one or more jobs for each $50,000 of grant funds received, of which at least 51% are for persons qualifying for a presumption of low‐and moderate‐income; or
- The applicant business is low- and moderate-income (LMI) owned microenterprise and must create or retain one or more jobs for each $50,000 of grant funds received; or
- The applicant business provides goods or services to residents of a low- to moderate-income residential area and must create or retain one or more jobs for each $50,000 of grant funds received; or
- The applicant business was impacted by the storm in excess of the $50,000 participation eligibility threshold and without grant funding, the business is in danger of failing, and provides a vital service or necessary goods to the immediate area.
- 51% or greater of the Business Owner(s) (for all Principal Owners) must have lawful presence in the United States. Less than 51% domestic ownership results in Program participation ineligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Texas Back in Business?
Texas Back in Business (TBIB) is a private company contracted by the Texas General Land Office (GLO) to administer a $100,000,000 relief program for Texas small businesses directly impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Qualified small businesses in Texas damaged by Hurricane Harvey were encouraged to apply for grants ranging from $50,000 up to $250,000.
Is this a bank loan?
TBIB grants are not bank loans. Texas Back in Business is authorized to award grants from $50,000 to $250,000 to qualified Texas small businesses.
Is this part of the SBA (Small Business Administration)?
Texas Back in Business is an independent organization contracted by the Texas General Land Office. It is not affiliated with the SBA. However, to qualify for funding, your business must be a small business as classified by the SBA. You can find more information on the classification here.
How does a small business qualify for consideration?
- Your company was in business on August 25, 2017 and is still a viable business at the time of underwriting review.
- Your business must be a small business as defined by the Small Business Administration.
- Your business suffered damages from Hurricane Harvey of at least $50,000 in economic impact.
- Your business is not a privately-owned utility or non-profit.
- Your business is located within the 49-county Hurricane Harvey recovery zone.
When is the cut off for applying?
All faxed and/or emailed applications must have been received by March 3, 2020, at 12:01 am. All mailed in applications must been postmarked by March 3, 2020, 12:01 am.
When will grants be awarded?
Grants are being awarded as federal eligibility is verified through an underwriting review process and will continue until all funding is distributed.
How is the amount of loss I qualify for determined?
If your application moves forward with the underwriting process, a Texas Back in Business representative will contact you to help determine your business’ economic impact, and the appropriate amount of funding you may receive in the form of a grant based primarily on the jobs to be retained or created.
Am I required to repay the grant?
So long as you honor your commitment to use the funds as approved in your grant award agreement, no repayment is required.
What can I use the grant for?
In accordance with HUD rules, the funds can be used for hiring and retaining employees, operating capital, machinery, moveable equipment, supplies, inventory and other items directly related to your business. You MAY NOT use the award for renovations, repairs, or improvements to buildings, purchase of equipment that must be affixed to a building, acquisition of real property, reimbursement for inventory or equipment purchased prior to the award, any pre-hurricane working capital expenses, relieving bad debt, or idle capacity/facility cost recovery.
If I commit to hiring new employees, how much time do I have?
You have up to two (2) years to hire new employees, but you should be able to begin the hiring process soon after the grant funds are received.
How will I know if my application is selected?
You will be contacted to begin the initial eligibility review by a Texas Back in Business case manager.
Is there an application fee or any cost to apply?
There is no fee to apply.
How do I check on the status of my application?
Using the email you provided TBIB in your application, send an email to: GetStatus@texasbackinbusiness.com. You will receive an automated email providing the status of your application. See below for examples of application statuses that will be provided. If the status of your application is not readily available, TBIB will notify a case manager to personalize a response.
- Application submitted - Successfully submitted applications in queue to be reviewed by sort number will receive the following email response: “Your application is currently in the line to begin review. You will receive another email when your application review has started.”
- Application ready for initial eligibility review - Applications that have been screened and ready for initial review will receive the following email response: “Your application is currently in the line the to begin review, expect a HEADS-UP email from our team requesting additional information in the next 14 days.”
- Application in underwriting - Applications in Underwriting/GLO Review will receive the following email response: “Your application is now being reviewed for completeness and potential award eligibility. Thank you for your cooperation with our case managers. At this stage we are working with government agencies to ensure that the application is compliant with federal rules and regulations. It is possible we may still need your help to get more documentation to complete the approval package. If necessary, our case managers will reach out to you. Please feel free to check back with us in a few days.”
- Final approval pending - Applications approved by GLO will receive the following email response:
“Your application is pending final approval; the next steps include finalizing the grant agreement package and processing the first payment. Our team will be reaching out to you soon to give you more details.” - Awarded - Applications whose grant agreements have been reviewed and approved for funding will receive the following email response: “Your application is approved, and your grant monitoring period has started. During this period, you should be submitting monthly reports and other supporting documentation related to your compliance with the grant agreement. It is very important that you organize and retain all documentation to support grant related expenditures. The grant payment schedule is dependent on your compliance with the terms of the grant agreement.”
- In Appeal - Applicants who submitted a Level I or Level II appeal will receive the following email response: “Your application is under appeal, either with Texas Back in Business, or with the GLO. You will hear from us once a determination on your appeal has been made.”
- Ineligible - Applications who have been determined to be ineligible will receive the following email response: “Your application has either been reviewed and deemed ineligible, or we have exhausted all funding. If ineligible, you will receive notification via email and/or USPS.”
How do I file a complaint?
Please click the link here to view the complaint procedure document.
How can I appeal if denied?
Please click the link here to view the appeal procedure document.
TBIB allows for a two-stage appeals process:
Level I Appeal: The applicant businesses authorized representative or point of contact must first appeal the decision they are contesting to the Program.
There are three (3) methods for submitting a Level I appeal to TBIB:
- Email appeals@texasbackinbusiness.com
- Call the TBIB at 844-773-5663 for an appeal form.
- Printed appeals form may be mailed to:
ATTN: GLO_CDR_ERP
Texas Back in Business c/o
Texas General Land Office
PO Box 12873
Austin, TX 78711-2873
Level II Appeal: If an applicant business is not satisfied with the outcome of the first level of appeal, they may then appeal on a second level directly to the GLO.
There are four (4) methods for submitting a Level II Appeal:
- Submit an Appeal & Complaint form via email to: cdr@recovery.texas.gov,
- Call GLO at 844-893-8937 or 512-475-5000,
- Complete and submit the Appeal & Complaint form online;
- Letters or printed Appeal & Complaint forms may be mailed to:
ATTN: GLO_CDR_ERP
Texas Back in Business c/o
Texas General Land Office
PO Box 12873
Austin, TX 78711-2873