Sacramento, CA – Small, non-farm businesses in the following 36 Nebraska counties and neighboring counties in
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and South Dakota are now eligible to apply for low interest disaster loans from the U. S.
Small Business Administration (SBA). “These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by
flooding beginning on May 1, 2011 in the following Nebraska primary counties,” announced Alfred E. Judd, Director
of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West.
Primary Nebraska counties: Boyd, Burt, Cass, Cedar, Dakota, Dixon, Douglas, Knox, Lincoln, Nemaha, Otoe,
Richardson, Sarpy, Thurston and Washington;
Neighboring Nebraska counties: Antelope, Cuming, Custer, Dawson, Dodge, Frontier, Gage, Hayes, Holt, Johnson,
Keith, Keya Paha, Lancaster, Logan, McPherson, Pawnee, Perkins, Pierce, Rock, Saunders and Wayne;
Neighboring Iowa counties: Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Pottawattamie and Woodbury;
Neighboring Kansas counties: Brown, Doniphan and Nemaha;
Neighboring Missouri counties: Atchison and Holt;
Neighboring South Dakota counties: Bon Homme, Charles Mix, Clay, Gregory, Union and Yankton.
“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,” Judd
said.
Small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private,
non profit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) 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 4% for businesses and 3% for private, non-profit organizations, a maximum term
of 30 years, and are available to small businesses and most private, non profits without the financial ability to offset
the adverse impact without hardship,” Judd said.
By law, SBA makes EIDLs available when the U. S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster.
Secretary Tom Vilsack declared this disaster at the request of Governor Dave Heineman.
Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural
enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency (FSA) about the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://
disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling
SBA toll free at (800) 659-2955, emailing [email protected], or visiting SBA’s Web site at
www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Hearing impaired individuals may call (800) 877-8339.
The deadline to apply for these loans is March 19, 2012.