Disaster Declaration Recovery
Resources Overview
On April 9th, a Local and County Disaster Declaration was officially issued due to a series of unexpected and severe water infrastructure failures in Van Horn. These failures disrupted essential water services across our community—impacting homes, schools, emergency services, and small businesses. As a result, this declaration allows Van Horn and Culberson County to begin the process of securing critical state and federal support.
The Van Horn Economic Development Corporation (VHEDC) is actively working to support our community’s recovery and ensure that small businesses and residents have access to the tools, funding, and information they need.
If your business has been affected by the recent water system failures, you may qualify for emergency assistance. This includes low-interest loans, emergency relief grants, and other resources designed to help cover operational losses, damages, or unforeseen expenses.
Key Actions for Business Owners:
- Document Your Losses: Maintain thorough records of any damages, closures, lost revenue, or additional costs you’ve incurred. Include receipts, photos, and detailed notes.
- Apply for SBA Disaster Assistance: The Small Business Administration offers low-nterest disaster loans to businesses for physical and economic injury. Visit Website: https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov
- Monitor Updates from Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM): TDEM offers recovery guidance and may distribute aid. Website: https://tdem.texas.gov/recovery
- Sign Up for FEMA Assistance: If federal assistance is activated, FEMA may offer support for business-related losses. Website: https://www.disasterassistance.gov
In addition to SBA and state disaster programs, consider exploring these grant opportunities:
- Amber Grant for Women: Monthly grant awarded to women entrepreneurs. https://ambergrantsforwomen.com
- Hello Alice Small Business Grants: A portal that offers a variety of rotating grant programs. https://helloalice.com
- Nav’s Small Business Grant: Quarterly grant for small businesses. https://www.nav.com/business-grant-contest/
- USDA Rural Development Grants: Programs for rural business assistance. https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services
Residents impacted by the outages may be eligible for relief depending on the level of damage
and availability of state or federal assistance.
Recommended Steps for Residents:
- Save Documentation: Keep receipts and take photographs of any personal costs, damage to your property, or additional expenses (such as bottled water, hotels, or food loss).
- Register with FEMA: Monitor https://www.disasterassistance.gov for any resident aid programs that may be activated.
- Check TDEM Recovery Page: Texas residents can look for resources here: https://tdem.texas.gov/recovery
The Van Horn Economic Development Corporation is actively sourcing and securing funding from multiple partners, including state, federal, and private sources, to establish a dedicated Community Grant Program. This program will aim to support small businesses directly affected by this water infrastructure emergency.
More details—including application timelines, eligibility criteria, and grant amounts—will be shared in the coming weeks as funding is made available.
For questions, updates, or to share how you were affected, please contact us:
Email: VanHornEDC@vanhorntexas.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VanHornEDC
Website: https://www.VanHornEDC.org