WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Arkansas of the March 3, 2025 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by severe storms, straight‑line winds, tornadoes and flooding that occurred May 24-27, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clay, Craighead, Crawford, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Izard, Johnson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Newton, Randolph, Searcy, Sharp, Stone and Washington in Arkansas as well as the counties of Barry, Dunklin, Howell, McDonald, Oregon, Ozark, Ripley and Taney in Missouri and Adair and Delaware counties in Oklahoma.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
For more information and to apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. 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. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 3.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.