WASHINGTON–The U.S. Small Enterprise Administration (SBA) introduced the provision of low curiosity federal catastrophe loans for Georgia companies, non-public nonprofits, and residents affected by the flooding occurring Aug. 12, 2025. The SBA issued a catastrophe declaration in response to a request obtained from Gov. Brian Kemp on Aug. 25, 2025.
The catastrophe declaration covers the counties of Catoosa, Walker and Whitfield in Georgia in addition to Hamilton County in Tennessee that are eligible for each bodily injury loans and Financial Harm Catastrophe Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA.
Small companies and personal nonprofits are eligible to use for enterprise bodily catastrophe loans and should borrow as much as $2 million to restore or exchange disaster-damaged or destroyed actual property, equipment and gear, stock, and different enterprise belongings.
Householders and renters are eligible to use for residence and private property loans and should borrow as much as $100,000 to exchange or restore private property, resembling clothes, furnishings, automobiles, and home equipment. Householders might apply for as much as $500,000 to exchange or restore their major residence.
Candidates might also be eligible for a mortgage enhance of as much as 20% of their bodily injury, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation functions. Eligible mitigation enhancements embody strengthening buildings to guard towards excessive wind injury, upgrading to wind rated storage doorways, and putting in a protected room or storm shelter to assist defend property and occupants from future injury.
“One distinct benefit of SBA’s catastrophe mortgage program is the chance to fund upgrades decreasing the chance of future storm injury,” mentioned Chris Stallings, affiliate administrator of the Workplace of Catastrophe Restoration and Resilience on the SBA. “I encourage companies and householders to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to enhance their storm readiness whereas profiting from SBA’s mitigation loans.”
SBA’s EIDL program is obtainable to small companies, small agricultural cooperatives and personal nonprofit (PNP) organizations with monetary losses straight associated to the catastrophe. The SBA is unable to offer catastrophe loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, aside from small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are for working capital wants brought on by the catastrophe and can be found even when the enterprise didn’t undergo any bodily injury. They might be used to pay mounted money owed, payroll, accounts payable, and different payments not paid because of the catastrophe.
Rates of interest are as little as 4% for small companies, 3.625% for PNPs, and three% for householders and renters, with phrases as much as 30 years. Curiosity doesn’t start to accrue, and funds usually are not due, till 12 months from the date of the primary mortgage disbursement. The SBA units mortgage quantities and phrases, based mostly on every applicant’s monetary situation.
Starting, Friday, Aug. 29, SBA customer support representatives can be available on the Catastrophe Mortgage Outreach Facilities within the major county of Catoosa to reply questions on SBA’s catastrophe mortgage program, clarify the appliance course of and assist people full their software. Stroll-ins are accepted, however you possibly can schedule an in-person appointment prematurely at appointment.sba.gov.
The DLOC hours of operation are listed beneath:
Catastrophe Mortgage Outreach Middle (DLOC)
Catoosa County
Fort Oglethorpe Structure Corridor
205 Forrest Rd
Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742
Opening: Friday, Aug. 29, 9 a.m. to five p.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to five p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Quickly Closing: Saturday, Aug. 30 and Monday, Sept. 1, Labor Day
Closed: Sunday
Completely Closing: Saturday, Sept. 13 at 2 p.m.
Catastrophe survivors mustn’t wait to settle with their insurance coverage firm earlier than making use of for a catastrophe mortgage. If a survivor doesn’t understand how a lot of their loss can be lined by insurance coverage or different sources, SBA could make a low-interest catastrophe mortgage for the full loss as much as its mortgage limits, supplied the borrower agrees to make use of insurance coverage proceeds to cut back or repay the mortgage.
To use on-line, go to sba.gov/catastrophe. Candidates might also name SBA’s Buyer Service Middle at (800) 659-2955 or electronic mail [email protected] for extra data on SBA catastrophe help. For people who find themselves deaf, arduous of listening to, or have a speech incapacity, please dial 7-1-1 to entry telecommunications relay providers.
The submitting deadline to return purposes for bodily property injury is Oct. 27, 2025. The deadline to return financial harm purposes is Might 26, 2026.
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Concerning the U.S. Small Enterprise Administration
The U.S. Small Enterprise Administration helps energy the American dream of enterprise possession. As the one go-to useful resource and voice for small companies backed by the power of the federal authorities, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small enterprise house owners with the assets and help they should begin, develop or broaden their companies, or get well from a declared catastrophe. It delivers providers via an in depth community of SBA subject workplaces and partnerships with private and non-private organizations. To study extra, go to www.sba.gov.
