SACRAMENTO, Calif.
– The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses economically impacted by the Swan Lake Fire that began June 5, 2019, SBA acting Administrator Christopher M. Pilkerton announced today. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster following a request received from Gov. Michael Dunleavy on Oct. 2, 2019.
The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Chugach REAA, Iditarod Area REAA, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Kodiak Island Borough, Lake and Peninsula Borough, Matanuska-Susitna Borough; and the Municipality of Anchorage.
“SBA is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist Alaska small businesses with federal disaster loans. We will be swift in our efforts to help these small businesses recover from the financial impacts of this disaster,” said acting Administrator Pilkerton.
“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,” said Director Tanya N. Garfield of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West.
“These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Disaster loans can provide vital economic assistance to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing,” Garfield added.
Eligibility is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 4 percent for small businesses and 2.75 percent for private nonprofit organizations with terms up to 30 years and are restricted to small businesses without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship.
The Kenai Peninsula Small Business Development Center located at 43335 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Suite 12, Soldotna, AK 99669 is offering free, personalized counseling to help affected businesses in their recovery. Businesses may contact Center Director Cliff Cochran by emailing
cliff.cochran@aksbdc.org
or calling (907) 260-5643 to schedule an appointment.
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 economic injury is July 8, 2020.