NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is now offering low-interest disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofits (PNPs) affected by the drought, flooding, and wildfires in the Peace Garden State. There are three categories for loans, and each has its own criteria. The first type is for drought, heat, and winds, while the second is for excessive rain and flooding, and the third is for the wildfires and high winds that happened in September. Here is the list of counties eligible for each: Primary Counties: Burke, Mercer and OliverNeighboring Counties: Burleigh, Divide, Dunn, McLean, Morton, Mountrail, Renville, Stark, Ward and Williams in North Dakota.Incident Type: Drought, Heat, and WindsIncident Date: July 30– Oct. 6, 2024Primary Counties: Cavalier, Pembina, Ransom and SargentNeighboring Counties: Barnes, Cass, Dickey, LaMoure, Ramsey, Richland, Towner, and Walsh in North Dakota; Kittson and Marshall in Minnesota; Brown, Marshall, and Roberts in South Dakota.Incident Type: Excessive Rain and FloodingIncident Date: April 1–Oct. 1, 2024Primary Counties: SiouxNeighboring Counties: Adams, Emmons, Grant, and Morton in North Dakota; Campbell, Corson, and Perkins in South Dakota.Incident Type: Wildfire and High WindsIncident Date: Sept. 12–Oct. 2, 2024 The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered financial losses because of these disasters. The SBA cannot provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.  Williston Economic Development releases end-of-year report EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster even if the business was not damaged physically. “When farmers face crop losses and a disaster is declared by the secretary of agriculture, SBA working capital loans become a lifeline for eligible small businesses,” said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans are the backbone that helps rural communities bounce back and thrive after a disaster strikes.”Eligibility is based on the size of the business/nonprofit, the type of activity, and its financial resources. These working capital 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 SBA can loan up to $2 million with interest rates of 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms of up to 30 years. Payments aren't due until 12 months after the release of the first loan, and interest does not accrue.The funding for this program was replenished by the American Relief Act of 2025, which was signed into law this month. According to the press release, the SBA issued more than 21,000 loan offers within six hours of the act being signed into law.The SBA says they will continue to offer loans and make sure survivors understand their options. The deadline to apply for a loan is August 25, 2025.To apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information, visit sba.gov/disaster. You can also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, you can dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW