, Calif.
– Small nonfarm businesses in 15 Montana counties and five neighboring counties in South Dakota and Wyoming are now eligible to apply for low‑interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by drought in the following primary counties that began on July 4, 2017, announced Director Tanya N. Garfield of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West.
Primary Montana counties; Carter, Chouteau, Hill, and Powder River;
Neighboring Montana counties: Big Horn, Blaine, Cascade, Custer, Fallon, Fergus, Judith Basin, Liberty, Pondera, Rosebud and Teton;
Neighboring South Dakota counties: Butte and Harding;
Neighboring Wyoming counties: Campbell, Crook and Sheridan.
“SBA eligibility covers both the economic impacts on businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disaster and businesses directly impacted by the disaster,” Garfield said.
Small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred.
“Eligibility for these loans is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 3.215 percent for businesses and 2.50 percent for private nonprofit organizations, a maximum term of 30 years, and are available to small businesses and most private nonprofits without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship,” Garfield said.
By law, SBA makes Economic Injury Disaster Loans available when the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster. The Secretary declared this disaster on Sept. 1, 2017.
Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration. However, nurseries are eligible for SBA disaster assistance in drought disasters.
Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at
https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela
. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email
disastercustomerservice@sba.gov
for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard‑of‑hearing may call (800) 877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The deadline to apply for these loans is May 1, 2018.