Freelance & Full-Time Journalism, Communications and Writing Jobs for the Week Ending October 27

Advice for Freelancers, Freelance Journalism Jobs of the Week, Managing Your Content Business

Freelance work seems to be ROARING back (as expected), and there are some very good leads on gigs and calls-for-pitches for the week ending October 27.

Welcome to this weeks’ update with new journalism, writing and communications jobs and calls-for-pitches, all of which are remote, pay at least $1 per word or a minimum of $100,000 per year in salary, and include relevant editor email addresses so you know who to pitch when you have your next great idea!

If this is your first time here, welcome! I send out the newsletter every week on Wednesday around 9am PT. Every week the listings are new and different.

In case you’re curious about why this jobs newsletter stands out above the rest, read this post.

Want access? Become a paid subscriber!

This Week in Journalism Jobs

This week, I’ve included calls for pitches with editor emails from everyone from The New York Times, Well Blog, to Vox, Inverse, Fast Company, Slate, Reader’s Digest, Insider, and more. All pay $1 per word or more. There are some great full-time remote and hybrid opportunities too, including Travel & Leisure, Fortune, Seeking Alpha, Architectural Digest, and NBC. 

Thought of the Week: Why Pay Transparency Matters & Why We Do What We Do

If you’ve been a subscriber here for a little while, you know that I am a huge NPR fan (and I frequently share available remote jobs at NPR)  and regularly listen to a lot of their financial/economics content because I was recently hired to book and host a weekly economics podcast which is launching in the next 3-4 weeks.

Basically, I need to brush up on my business/economics news consumption to stay on top of the topics that I think will be interesting to a very wide population of people. (I’ll keep you posted on when the show officially launches.)

Last week, I listened to an episode of Planet Money that featured a female comedienne who is completely transparent about her earnings, income, and how she pays those who work with her. She had some great advice for negotiating rates (JUST ASK!) and advocating for yourself when it comes to financial topics. I found it really refreshing, and it just underscored a further need for pay transparency across all kinds of sectors. Feel free to check it out on Spotify, here. And yes, it’s funny and entertaining (and it gets to the heart of what I’m trying to do with this newsletter!). 


I also sat down and read this David Brooks Op-Ed over the weekend, and wow, did it resonate for me. Being an “illuminator” (as he calls it) is one of the many reasons I love being a journalist. I also really like that term for the way it feels to do the work I do. I’m going to try and pre-order his book (and even look into his Weave Community) because it just feels like we need more of this–especially with how horrific the world has gotten recently.

7 Reasons This Weekly Journalism & Communications Jobs Newsletter is Different From All the Rest

Advice for Freelancers, Content Badasses, Freelance Journalism Jobs of the Week, How Do You Find the Best Freelancers?, Managing Your Content Business, Video Content, Why You Need a Freelancer

I’ve been a successful freelance journalist for more than ten years and I have tons of strategies, techniques and talent for finding relevant, high-paying, and worthwhile full-time and freelance journalism, communications, video, television, social media and editing jobs on the market.

Here are seven reasons that this paid journalism and communications jobs newsletter is different from all the others on the market. I’ve been a successful freelance journalist for more than ten years. I have many strategies, techniques, and talent for finding relevant, high-paying, and worthwhile full-time and freelance journalism, communications, video, and editing jobs on the market.

Here are seven reasons why this paid journalism and communications jobs newsletter differs from all the others on the market.

All Freelance Journalism Gigs Pay a Minimum of $1 Per Word

There was a time when $1 per word was a minimum. Today, with the advent of AI, mass layoffs, and more, it’s getting more difficult to find calls-for-pitches that pay this minimum. Each week, I curate freelance gigs and calls directly from editors that pay a minimum of $1 per word or offer an excellent byline opportunity (especially if you’re looking to broaden the type of coverage you do or want to move into a new beat). Paid subscribers to my jobs newsletter get a different curated list in their inbox each week. I also do my best to include outlets you’ve heard of (or those with outstanding reputations).

Editor’s Email Addresses are Included in Calls-For-Pitches

Stop wasting your valuable time trying to construct an editor’s email address. Each freelance call includes a way to contact the right editor. No searching is necessary on your part.

I always recommend that monthly paid subscribers archive these emails as a valuable way to update your contacts and keep the right editor contacts on hand when you have a great pitch that you want to send.

All Jobs & Freelance Gigs are Fully-Remote

I have been a remote worker for most of my career and know that being remote is tremendously valuable as a freelancer and full-timer. All jobs included in this weekly paid newsletter are full-remote unless they offer a fantastic opportunity, in which case, I note where they are located.


In the cases where the job is not remote, I note it at the end of the listing like this:

All Full-Time Journalism & Communications Jobs Pay a Minimum of $100,000 Per Year

Yes. Really. I work hard to find these jobs for paid subscribers and include them in each weekly newsletter. After all, we’re skilled, talented, and highly-experienced professionals.

newsletter, every single week. After all, we’re skilled, talented and highly-experienced professionals and we should be paid professional salaries.

I Have Been Working in Journalism & Communications For More Than 10 Years & Provide Insights You Won’t Find Anywhere Else

Want to know what an office environment is really like? I’ve got you. I have worked in many places with many talented (and, sadly, horribly untalented) people. This newsletter is for you if you want the inside scoop on many major media outlets. I pull no punches (and you can always email me for more details if you have questions about my “Editor’s Notes.”)

If you’d like to know more about me and my work, you can check out my bio at my portfolio site at abigailbassett.com

You Don’t Have to Troll the Job Listings Each Week Yourself

I do the work for you every single week. The newsletter goes out on Wednesday mornings at 9 a.m. PT.

When you sign up for a monthly $5 subscription, I send you the most recent newsletter and add you to the ongoing list.

If you opt for the $3 option to access just the current week’s content, you’ll only get the most recent newsletter.

Freelance & Full-Time Journalism, Writing, Editing & Communications Jobs for the Week Ending September 8

Advice for Freelancers, Freelance Journalism Jobs of the Week, Managing Your Content Business

Hey, Freelancing Friends!

Welcome to a shortened work week! I’m off to Las Vegas this week for some hosting work for Fast Company and Inc. Magazine, so I’ll be a bit laggy in my responses if you reach out.

I’m surprised by how robust this week’s newsletter is (as I mentioned last week, things generally start to pick up in the fourth quarter when companies have money to burn before the end of the year). 

If you’ve been a subscriber for a while, you already know that all of the opportunities in this newsletter are remote (unless noted next to the listing), and pay a minimum of $1 per word, more than $100,000 per year, OR offer a REALLY good byline opportunity. I’ve noted the ones that fall below the threshold but offer good bylines.

This week features jobs and gigs from everyone from Nike (a contract position for you sneakerheads!), USA Today, Vox, Autodesk, National Geographic Society, The Obama Foundation, the NRDC, Sports Illustrated, Nike, Byrdie, Michigan State University, AP, Quartz, the LA Times, The Street Insider and a whole lot more. While good freelancing gigs are relatively sparse this week, there are a ton of solid full-time remote positions that you might be able to freelance on the side with. Pay is up to $286,000 per year, and at least a $1 per word. Become a paid subscriber to take a look. 

Also! If you attended one of my free monthly freelance advice sessions over the last few months, you know that I share some tips and tricks for the best way to leverage free tools and find great stories. Most recently, I talked about the value of LinkedIn for Journalists. If you’re a full-time freelance journalist with public clips over the last six months, you can get LinkedIn Premium for free. I wrote a short post about this recently (and included how you can sign up and get access,) so go check it out and SIGN UP! I can’t stress how worth it, this is. 

Oh, and speaking of my free monthly freelance advise sessions – come to one and ask all the questions you want! I have one coming up next week on September 13 (Wednesday) at 12 pm PT. Sign up through the link–or share with your friends if they’re thinking of making the jump. 

Also, given how many AWFUL job postings I look through, I’m going to start regularly including the Dishonorable Mentions of the Week at the end of the newsletter (I was surprised how many of you liked it in last week’s newsletter!), and this week I’ve included TWO terrible postings. You’ll have to become a paying subscriber below and scroll all the way to the end to find out how media companies (and others) are exploiting skilled journalists for pennies or to just know more about what to avoid. 

Not a paid subscriber yet? You’re missing out! Get the most recent jobs listings when you become a paid subscriber, below!


If you’re not a subscriber yet, choose from one of the two options and get all the details of this week’s calls-for-pitches and the latest jobs. You can choose to access this post for just $3, or get four a month for just $5.

I do all the work for you and send you a weekly email newsletter with details of these gigs, how to apply, what editors to email (with their email addresses), and any insider knowledge I have about the employer and the environment. You can cancel at any time and as soon as you subscribe I’ll send you the most recent jobs newsletter.


The Best (Free) Tools For Journalists: LinkedIn for Journalists

Advice for Freelancers, Content Badasses, Managing Your Content Business

When I first began in television, I used to have to go down to the public library in New York City and pull public records to get in touch with everyone from the Governor of New York to my next-door neighbor to book them on the show I worked for. It was labor intensive, frequently difficult, and almost always a pain in the ass. 

These were the days when you maintained a massive Rolodex (which I had!) and protected it at all costs, taking it with you from job to job, because you never knew when you might need to call up the head of the UAW, or reach out to that popular stylist that worked with a guest on your show.

If you’re a freelancer or a full-time journalist, you know far too well how much work it takes to track down contacts, get anecdotes, and find the right person to connect with to book an interview. Just trying to find and connect with the right expert can take hours of research and more than a few wrong turns.

The Evolution of the LinkedIn Pay Wall

Yet, ever since the advent of LinkedIn, (which admittedly has its pros and cons in the modern era), that task has become as simple as typing a few keywords into a search bar and hitting enter. At least, it was much more convenient until LinkedIn started pay-walling the stuff you really need and want as a journalist–like contact information and free messaging with people you’re not connected with. 

During my tenure at CNN, LinkedIn introduced a system tailored for journalists. They verified us as professionals and granted free access to the previously restricted features. This access led to numerous exclusive stories, as our team could spot key company movements or executive changes. LinkedIn became an indispensable tool for trend stories and leads and a must-have for every journalist.

How to Get Free Access to LinkedIn Premium as a Freelance or Full-Time Journalist

When I transitioned to freelancing a decade ago, I feared losing this invaluable access and facing steep subscription fees, which now go into the $30 and up per month range. However, my former colleagues, now leading LinkedIn’s editorial side, recognized the significance of freelancers. They ensured our continued access to the LinkedIn for Journalists Program with an annual renewal process.

If you’re wondering what the Premium tier of access gets you versus what the free model gets you, check out the table below, courtesy of LinkedIn. By far, the most valuable services are the free InMail credits and the ability to get more details about someone you’re not connected with directly. 

I’ve been a part of the LIJP for the last ten years, and I cannot say enough good things about it. Sure, I’ve accidentally let it lapse, but it’s always been easy to re-up when the application period opens each quarter. It’s worth the five minutes of work you have to do and the (now) three-month wait to find out if you’ve been accepted. When you get accepted into the program, you get a premium code that unlocks your access. 

Applications are Open Through October 31, 2023

Applications are now open, and it’s well worth putting together five links to current stories (dated within the last six months)  and a few words about yourself to get access to one of the most valuable databases of professional contacts in the world. You can learn more about the application process here and fill out the form, here. Applications close in October, so make sure you don’t miss the window. 

How to Handle the “Unpaid-Work” Interview

Advice for Freelancers, Content Badasses, Managing Your Content Business, Why You Need a Freelancer

What do you do when the job opportunity you’re interested in wants story ideas and “sample” work before they decide to interview or pay you?

It’s the age-old question: Do you do a whole bunch of free work to possibly land a gig? The answer is frequently fraught and often frustrating–but here’s what you need to know. 


“Send me three well-researched pitches…” and Maybe I’ll Pay You for Them, or Maybe I’ll Assign Them to my Full-Time Staff

I was recently trolling the job listings and came across a freelance ghostwriting gig that looked promising on LinkedIn. It was an “Easy Apply” gig, but upon reading the description, it turned out that the poster wanted applicants to email them directly with as many as 10 (!!!) links to relevant bylines, a cover letter, and a resume. 

“Ok, fine.” I sighed and got to emailing. I also clicked that “Easy Apply” button, just to indicate that I was a serious applicant and interested in the spot. 

A few hours later, I got a note in my LinkedIn Messages. There, the job poster enumerated a proposed “exercise” assignment, as he called it. 

He requested that I come up with a “provocation,” which immediately set alarm bells off in my head. In today’s hotly partisan world, that generally means an “unpopular opinion,” or “hot take,” that frequently smells of rage baiting, a common technique to boost views and interactions on a website. He even went through a list of questions I should ask myself about the topic (cue the deep side eye from experienced journalists). 

His note went on to say that once the company approved my “provocation,” I “will find an excellent expert on the matter,” who could argue that point of view, then I’d reach out to that “expert” to “get their interest,” (MLM anyone?). At that point, the hiring company would decide if I should proceed to “work with that person to write the article.”

The kicker? “We can offer you $500 if we decide to publish the article based on the assignment.

Um…


The Issues Around the Unpaid-Work Interview

If you subscribe to my weekly freelance and full-time journalism job listings, you know I pull no punches about how journalists are paid and what professional-level writers, editors, television producers, podcasters, and broadcasters deserve for their experience and work.

I point out when a job or gig is very well paying (those on my list pay at least $1 per word or more for freelance work, and generally above $100,000 per year if it’s full-time) and offer any insight I may have about the workplace. (In case you don’t know, I’ve worked for a LOT of high-profile outlets and places, and I can tell you MANY of the nitty gritty details about all of them.)

I advocate for a fair, living wage to be paid to those of us who are professional journalists working hard to dig up the truth about the world and share knowledge because I sincerely believe (to quote my CNN sweatshirt that hangs on the back of my office chair) The World Needs Journalists. 

All of this brings me to the core issue of the “Unpaid-Work” interview: Sharing story ideas, pitches, and even doing “exercise” assignments before an employer has even decided if they want to interview or hire you is a SCAM that’s perpetuated by corporate overlords who aim to suck every ounce of creativity out of the largest number of applicants. 

Read that again. The Unpaid-Work Interview Is. A. Scam.

How do I know? I’ve seen it happen–from both inside and outside major media outlets.

I’ve watched a number of major media outlets (who will publicly remain unnamed) put applicants through the “Unpaid-Work” rigamarole because they’ve burned out their own journalists and content creators so fiercely that the full-time employees are mere shells.

I’ve seen those stories, pitches, and “exercise” assignments sent in by job seekers, stolen by management, and assigned to junior staff reporters just so those managers can tout how they have their “finger on the pulse” of what’s happening in the world. “Hey, look at how great our numbers are,” they pronounce, knowing full well they mined hard-working job applicants for the ideas. 

I’ve also seen it from the job seekers’ side of the equation–both in freelance and full-time opportunities. I’ve even gone so far as to do one or two of these Unpaid-Work Interviews because I really did want to work for the outlet or publication.

Sadly, after doing a couple of them and later discovering that my ideas had been stolen by the outlet or publication and assigned to someone else, I refuse to do them anymore. I also have put those outlets (and the editors I dealt with there) on no-fly lists, meaning that I will not work for, write for, or publish with those people or publications. 


How to Handle an “Unpaid-Work” Interview?

There are a couple of ways you can handle the Unpaid-Work Interview:

  • Decide to go for it, expecting your content to be stolen if you are not hired. 
  • Decide to pass, and wish the job poster well. (i.e., “Thank you so much for the opportunity to move forward in the interview process, but unfortunately, I’ll need to withdraw my application for this position. Best of luck in your search…”

At this point in my career, the Unpaid-Work Interview is a major red flag that immediately takes that publication and editor off of my radar. It’s really up to you how you choose to proceed, but if you decide to go for the Unpaid-Work Interview, know that your work will likely end up under someone else’s byline. 

Oh, and funny enough, I got the exact same, word-for-word, email in my inbox about 12 hours after the note landed in my LinkedIn messages about that job.

 If you want to see which freelance job I highly recommend skipping, become a paid subscriber, and I’ll send you this week’s newsletter with that position highlighted as one to avoid. 

Sound off in the comments (or drop me an email) about the WORST job interview requests you’ve seen. I’d love to commiserate.

How to Handle ‘Time Creep’ as a Freelance Journalist

Advice for Freelancers, Managing Your Content Business

We’re frequently hired at a per-word rate, but does that mean we must always be on Slack or attend virtual meetings? It depends…

The freelancing world has undeniably changed a lot in the last few years. It’s only been accelerated by the advent of AI, and every individual contractor out there is working hard to string enough gig work together to pay their rent, put their kids through school or ensure their animals are fed. As we face more layoffs in the media space and more highly skilled journalists go freelance, the market becomes more competitive. It’s simple supply and demand economics, right?

As the supply swells and corporate America continues to seek ways to make more money (but refuses to spend more on skilled and talented employees), freelance journalists are starting to feel the pinch. That means that in order to land a job or simply keep a client happy, many of us are taking lower paying gigs (sub $1-per-word rates are astoundingly common these days, even for VERY high profile publications), and get dragged into doing extra work, without additional compensation just to stay afloat–a thing I call “time creep.”

What is Time Creep?

Time creep is when a publication or client decides that now that they have you under contract, you’re obligated to be available to them at all times as if they are your only client. It frequently happens when there’s turmoil at a publication or company and often indicates that the client (i.e., your “boss”) feels insecure about their skills, job, or even the stories they’ve assigned you.

An Editor With a Planning Issue

For example, a friend and fellow freelance journalist recently told me a story about a client paying a flat fee of $400 per story. It’s relatively easy work. The editor at the publication assigns her a story brief, she does the reporting, turns it in on deadline, and makes one round of edits as requested–a standard deal these days

She’s highly skilled, has name recognition, has been in journalism for a long time, and has a bevy of high-profile bylines under her belt. She’s been looking for more steady freelance work for a while as a way to build a consistent base for those bigger stories she regularly lands, and this gig came to her.

On the surface, the deal makes good business sense because it makes the most of her time, allowing her to freely pitch other big swings and still keep a bedrock of consistent work coming in. She gets big bonus points for getting all of this in writing in a signed contract!

Until…

Recently her editor has decided that he wants her on content calls. Everything from story generation to scheduling calls and meetings come into her inbox. Since the client is new, she says she feels pressured to try and make at least a few of the meetings, but it’s cutting into the time she’s allocated for other clients and other pitches.

It’s also significantly cutting into that nominal $400 per story rate. The editor has also requested that she be available on Slack during business hours, even though she’s not getting any additional pay or benefits. She’s increasingly unhappy with the arrangement but reached out because she didn’t know what to do or how to handle it.

What to Do About Time Creep?

Check Your Contract

Notice any wording that includes some of the additional work you’re being asked to put in, whether it’s creating content ideas, or attending meetings that have very little to do with you; it pays to know what you have in writing.

Find Out Why Your Editor is Demanding More

Human beings don’t deal with stress well, no matter who they are or how strong their meditation practice may be (P.S. I teach meditation and yoga every single week on Zoom, so, yeah, I know.) It’s entirely possible that they got heat for assigning you a bad topic, or your story got tied up in internal politics. Take a breath, and remember that your editor (or client) is human and is probably having a momentary stress freak-out about something that is both well beyond your control and utterly unrelated to your work.

It may make sense to drop your editor a note (resist the urge to CC everyone angrily) on the side and ask why the project parameters have changed. Once you have more information, you can move on to the next step and decide how you want to move forward with the project. Remember (as one of my past, most favorite bosses used to constantly remind me); Business is not personal. Keep it professional.

Set Your Boundaries & Put it in Writing

Once you better understand what is going on with your editor/outlet/publication, it’s time to reset your boundaries and get it all in writing. If you’re willing to take on the extra work requirements after speaking with your editor, set those boundaries via email.

If, however, you’ve determined that the additional demands on your time don’t work for you, be clear about your boundaries, and what it will require from the client, should they want more of your time.

As an example, you could send an email like this:


Hi [Editor or Contact Name],

I really appreciate you clarifying why you need additional time from me, and I’m so glad we connected to discuss this. 

As a freelancer, I juggle several clients and deadlines every week. It’s vital that I understand how your needs have changed from when I was onboarded so we can find the best way to work together. 

I enjoy working with you, but because of these other obligations, and the current scope of work (contract), we have, I will only be able to do X (X being whatever you originally agreed to OR being what you discussed in another email or call regarding your work). Do you have any wiggle room in your budget to pay an hourly rate for those times when you want me to attend meetings or otherwise dedicate my time to this project?

Thanks,

[Your Name]


Give your editor some time to respond to you with details and then handle their response accordingly.

One of the joys of being your own boss is the ability to set your own boundaries around work. That means that sometimes you have to have difficult conversations about time creep. It also means that sometimes you must fire a client and find a new one. Either way, remember that business is not personal and (as one of my favorite food YouTubers might say, “You are the boss of your own dross.”


DON’T HAVE TIME TO FIND GREAT PAY FOR FREELANCE WORK?

I HAVE YOU COVERED!

Do you need help navigating the ever-evolving freelance world? Want one-on-one help with pitches, edits, or dealing with a frustrating client? Come to my office hours or a FREE Freelance Workshop! Sign up here!

Need to find a new client, or looking for new freelance work? I send out a newsletter with more than 30 new gigs that pay at least $1 per word every single week. Become a paying subscriber, today, and let me do the work for you!

How to Check the Status of Your Emergency Disaster Injury Loan (EIDL) from the Small Business Association (SBA)

Content Badasses, Managing Your Content Business

If you’re like me in the time of COVID-19,  you’re working to secure capital while we all hunker down and wait this bug out. Many of you may have already lost clients or had others shut off work for the time being, and keeping money flowing is crucial for any small business.

If you’re also like me, you’ve probably already applied for the EIDL or Emergency Disaster Injury Loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration and are wondering how to check the status of your application. Here’s what I found when I called the SBA.

A little about the EIDL Grant and Loan from the SBA

A little over a week ago, I applied for the Emergency Disaster Injury Loan from the U.S. Small Business Association. The loan is designed to help bridge the gap for small businesses, that have taken a hit to income streams as a result of COVID-19. There are a few requirements for eligibility and you apply directly through the SBA (not through your SBA-approved lender). I’d reached out to my accountant to find out more about the program, but he proved to be useless so I did the legwork myself.

As safer-at-home regulations continue to move forward, many of my clients are starting to constrict their freelance and contractor spending. As a full-time freelance journalist, personal and small business finance writer, and digital media consultant, I know to keep up on what’s happening around my business especially in these unprecedented times, and thanks to the newshound in me, I got in on the EIDL program early.

I applied late on the evening of April 1, after reading a Forbes story on federal relief for freelancers by a former Fortune Magazine colleague of mine, Elaine Pofeldt.  I applied when the loan applications first opened up on the SBA site, after double verifying that I was, in fact, using the SBA site and not some scammer site.  Scams are common in times of chaos and need, and the Better Business Bureau has recently offered warnings about a number of scam SBA sites and how to protect yourself.

The application itself was relatively simple. If you keep good financial records and keep up with your invoices and outstanding accounts, it’s as easy as inputting your financials for the previous twelve months. At the very end of the application, there’s a checkbox that allows you to request the $10,000 advance that’s supposed to show up within “three days” of application. In order to get that, though you have to submit your banking information including account number and bank routing number. That, of course, makes everyone nervous given the data breaches that the SBA has had. Regardless, I crossed my fingers, and hit submit, and then waited for an email confirmation, or really anything from the SBA.

Days passed…When I didn’t hear anything back for more than a week, got no email confirmation after submitting the required banking information, and had no contact with the SBA, I finally decided to call them directly (800-659-2955) and check on the status of my EIDL application.

Luckily when I applied, I created a PDF of the application confirmation number that appeared at the end of completing the application. If you’re applying for an EIDL via the SBA, make sure you save that number. They will not email it to you and, as it turns out, the SBA cannot look it up.

Call to Check the Status of an EIDL Application

When you first call the SBA phone number above, about the status of your EIDL application, you are shuttled into the automated system. Keep selecting the option for disaster loans, and eventually, after about three menus you’ll get put into a queue for the next available human representative.

I started at caller number 732, at 8:15 am PT on Friday, April 10. I even tweeted about it, expecting it to be a painful affair.

About 15 minutes later, after some surprisingly ok hold music, the automated system jumped on to tell me that I had moved up in the cue to caller number 438.

Roughly 10 minutes later, I was greeted by a lovely woman who gave her name as Peggy and gave me her ID number (if you’re calling, be sure to write this down and keep it with your other loan application details!).

She asked for my confirmation number and checked her two systems using that unique identifier. It turns out the SBA is keeping track of the incoming calls associated with your application in one system and tracking the status of your account, in another. They don’t talk to one another, but the representatives have to toggle between the two to get the information you request.

Once Peggy located my application she told me that I am currently sitting in a “very, very, very,” (her words) long line of applications that are waiting to be assigned a loan officer. She wasn’t able to give me a timeline on when I might get a loan officer, but told me I should keep an eye on my email (with that confirmation number reference), which will alert me when I am finally assigned a loan officer.

I let her know that my business income had changed in the week since I had applied and she said that when the loan officer is assigned they will double-check and update those numbers you initially put into the application. After asking a couple more questions, I hung up.

Below, I’ve put together a few of the questions I had about checking on the status of an EIDL loan during COVID-19 and I hope they help you as we navigate this new territory together. I’ll be updating this story if and when I hear from the SBA so that it can help other small businesses looking for support.

Can I check the status of my EIDL application online?

Despite what a few of the old PowerPoint PDFs you might find from the SBA online say, as of this time, you cannot check the status of your EIDL application online. You can only call the SBA and wade through the system to speak to a human who will pull the details for you.

You must have your confirmation number. More on that below.

Do you really get the EIDL $10,000 Advance (“Grant”) deposited to your account within 3 days of application?

No. The $10,000 advanced or “grant” that you can get with the EIDL does not show up in your account within three days.

The advance, as the SBA calls it, (which can potentially be turned into a grant if used for the right kinds of business expenses), does not just show up in your account within three days as the SBA reports it does. You won’t see any movement on that front until you are assigned a loan officer.

The advance could show up in your account within three days after you’ve been assigned a loan officer, however, which is something that the SBA site does not mention when you are applying.

Is the EIDL forgivable?

At this point, only $10,000 of the EIDL (the advance, or “grant”) part, is forgivable. That means, (in theory) that you will not have to pay it back.

As the SBA says on its site, “In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, small business owners in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories are eligible to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance of up to $10,000. This advance will provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. Funds will be made available following a successful application. This loan advance will not have to be repaid.”

What can I use an EIDL loan for?

The EIDL loan is used to help small business owners bridge the gap as we work through this worldwide pandemic. According to the Benefits.gov site (run by the U.S. government), an EIDL loan can be used to help keep businesses afloat at this time.

From their site: “The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) can provide up to $2 million of financial assistance (actual loan amounts are based on amount of economic injury) to small businesses or private, non-profit organizations that suffer substantial economic injury as a result of the declared disaster, regardless of whether the applicant sustained physical damage.

An EIDL can help you meet necessary financial obligations that your business or private, non-profit organization could have met had the disaster not occurred. It provides relief from economic injury caused directly by the disaster and permits you to maintain a reasonable working capital position during the period affected by the disaster. EIDLs do not replace lost sales or revenue.”

What if I don’t know my EIDL Application Confirmation Number?

From what the representative I spoke to, told me, there’s no way for the SBA to look up your loan number, thanks to privacy regulations and rights. You’ll essentially just have to sit tight until you get an email from the SBA once your application has been assigned to a loan officer.

That means, if you are just applying for the EIDL loan for COVID-19 now, you need to make sure you keep that confirmation number that pops up when you submit the application. Don’t assume that it will be emailed to you. The SBA has been struggling with the number of applications they have had and they don’t have an email confirmation system in place. Nor do they have an online platform to check the status of your application in place. The only option is to call.

For more on the SBA EIDL advance and loan, check out the links below.

Get an overview of the SBA EIDL loan from the SBA, here.

Apply for the SBA EIDL and $10,000 advance via the SBA, here.