Last Updated on March 6, 2025 2:15 pm
To make sure North Carolinians have the resources they need to recover, Governor Josh Stein is encouraging anyone affected by Hurricane Helene to be aware of the upcoming application deadlines for federal support, including for individuals and small businesses.
“As folks across western North Carolina continue to rebuild their lives and businesses after Hurricane Helene, it’s important to know what resources are available to support recovery,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Thousands of western North Carolinians have already taken advantage of these federal resources, but there is still time to apply. I encourage everyone to get the assistance they need from these programs.”
Relevant deadlines:
- March 8, 2025: FEMA Individual Assistance deadline for disaster survivors affected by Tropical Storm Helene. Survivors should apply for FEMA assistance online at disasterassistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362, or by downloading the FEMA app. Available assistance may include funding for housing solutions, reimbursement for hotel costs, funds for repairs to your primary residence and privately-owned access routes, and reimbursement for disaster-causes expenses.
- March 10, 2025: The deadline to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) has been extended to March 10, 2025, for people in 39 North Carolina counties and for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina. This extension maintains consistency with the deadlines set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and allows the Division of Employment Security to continue to provide temporary financial support to people impacted by Hurricane Helene. Visit: des.nc.gov/dua; for English, call 919-629-3857 or Spanish 919-276-5698, Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- March 29, 2025: DUA expiration date (last date for benefits to be paid). Visit: des.nc.gov/dua; for English, call 919-629-3857 or Spanish 919-276-5698, Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- April 27, 2025: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is extending the physical damage loan deadline for disaster declarations affected by the 2024 federal funding lapse. Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov 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. Disaster assistance | U.S. Small Business Administration
- June 30, 2025: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) filing deadline to return economic injury applications is June 30, 2025. Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov 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. Disaster assistance | U.S. Small Business Administration
To apply, please visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to find the center location nearest you, fema.gov/drc. You can also go online to DisasterAssistance.gov., download the FEMA App for mobile devices., or call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 7 a.m. and midnight.
