NORTH CAROLINA -- Starting today, small businesses can apply for the Paycheck Protection Program, which funds up to eight weeks of payroll and benefits for companies keeping people employed.

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Unlike the SBA disaster loans, the balances should be forgiven in most cases if the money is used to meet payroll.

According to the National Federation of Independent Business, the program should issue checks in as little as three days after an application is accepted.

Business owners like Paula Brown, who owns Cocoa’s Jamaican Jerk in Charlotte and Rude Boy Jamaican Carryout in Concord, have been forced to layoff staff and say help is needed as fast as possible.

“Not even to be profitable or anything. But if they can just help us survive,” Brown said. “And I’m sure a lot of other small businesses out there just need to survive.”

The Payroll Protection Program is part of the CARES Act.

A small business can borrow two-and-a-half times its monthly payroll, up to $10 million.

Businesses with 500 or less employees can apply through any participating federally insured financial institution.