Business Continuation Services

Ensuring Florida is Open for Business

Research shows that approximately 40 percent of businesses that close following a disaster never reopen. You spent a lot of time, money, and effort building up your business, so you want to protect it. Disasters of all types, whether man-made (cyber-attack or data breach, loss of a key employee, road construction that displaces traffic, supply chain interruption, etc.) or a natural disaster (hurricane, flood, drought, freeze, etc.), can threaten businesses no matter where they are located. These interruptions can make it difficult for small businesses to keep the doors open. To improve your chances of staying in business should the worst happen, every business owner should have a plan in place.

How We Can Help

Business Continuity, Emergency Preparedness, and Disaster Recovery Plans

As a principal responder in the state's Emergency Support Function (ESF) 18 for Business & Industry, the Florida SBDC Network is a key economic development organization that supports disaster preparedness, recovery, and mitigation through its Business Continuation Services. Our professionally certified business consultants provide consulting at no cost, and training events to help you minimize losses and increase survivability when affected by natural and man-made disasters. Our specialists can help you develop a comprehensive business continuity, emergency preparedness, and disaster recovery plan tailored for your business at no cost.

Training Events

The Florida SBDC also provides online and in-person educational training on disaster preparedness, tips, and resources. Watch this video to learn more and discover a helpful app that can walk you through the steps you'll need to get prepared for anything that may happen, whether man-made or natural.

Disaster Assistance App

As part of its service offering, the Florida SBDC offers Bizaster, a free mobile disaster assistance app. Bizaster, available in both English and Spanish for Android and iOS, features risk assessments, customizable checklists, and other resources to help businesses prepare, respond, and recover from natural and man-made disasters. Bizaster can be downloaded from the App Store or via Google Play.

• View a short video about the Bizaster app.
• View an informational webinar about the Bizaster app.

Disaster Recovery Assistance

In the event of a disaster, our professionally certified business consultants, many of whom are Disaster Recovery Institute (DRI) Certified Business Continuity Professionals, can assist affected businesses apply for state and federal disaster loans, as well as other post-disaster challenges, at no cost. Visit our Disaster Recovery page to learn more.

Additional Resources

• FloridaDisaster.org– Florida Division of Emergency Management
• FloridaDisaster.org/GetAPlan– Get a Family or Business Plan
  • Preparedness app from FDEM Google Play iTunes
• Ready.gov – Business– Information for Planning and Protecting Your Business
• Floridadisaster.biz– is a new website developed to provide businesses, small and large, easy access to critical information before, during and after a disaster. FloridaDisaster biz is a partnership between the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and the Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM). Learn more about FloridaDisaster biz and register your business today.
• Floridadisaster.biz/BusinessDamageAssessments– Business Damage Assessment Survey – A tool the state uses after a disaster to determine the deployment of resources.
• FloridaDisasterLoan.org– Florida Emergency Bridge Loan Application – In the event of a disaster, the Governor of Florida has the option to activate the Emergency Bridge Loan Program by Executive Order.
• SBA.gov– Federal Disaster Loans
• fema.gov– Federal Emergency Management Agency