How To Get $1,000 If You Are A Freelancer, Gig Worker, or...

Under the CARES Act passed on March 27, 2020, independent contractors, gig workers, and freelancers affected by the coronavirus crisis are eligible to receive a government grant of $1,000. The SBA sometimes refers to these grants as “advances,” but you are not required to repay this money to the government.

The application process involves filling out a simple SBA form requesting an Economic Injury Disaster Recovery Loan (EIDL), which provides for the advance even if the loan is not granted.

Initially, $10 billion was allocated by the government for these grants, but due to the overwhelming amount of applications, the SBA suspended accepting new applications in mid-April 2020 due to lapse in appropriations for the grants.

But now the SBA is lifting the suspension because legislation passed on April 23, 2020, allocated another $60 billion for EIDL and grants thereunder.