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WASHINGTON - The U.S. Small Business Administration announced the availability of low-interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in South Dakota to offset economic losses caused by drought beginning April 15.
The declaration covers the Nebraska counties of Boyd, Cedar, Cherry, Dawes, Dixon, Knox, Sheridan and Sioux: the South Dakota counties of Aurora, Bennett, Bon Homme, Brule, Charles Mix, Clay, Custer, Douglas, Fall River, Gregory, Haakon, Hutchinson, Jackson, Jones, Lawrence, Lincoln, Lyman, McCook, Meade, Mellette, Minnehaha, Oglala Lakota, Pennington, Todd, Turner, Union, Yankton and Ziebach; as well as and the Wyoming counties of Niobrara and Weston.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and private nonprofit organizations — including faith-based organizations — with 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 small business or private nonprofit did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills which could not be paid due to the disaster.
“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, Associate Administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as four percent for small businesses and 3.625 percent for private nonprofits with terms of up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months after the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] 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.
Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than Feb. 1, 2027.
