SBA - U.S. Small Business Administration

07/16/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/17/2026 14:24

SBA Disaster Relief Still Available to Florida Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Severe Storms and Flooding

Disaster news release FL-20030-05

SBA Disaster Relief Still Available to Florida Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Severe Storms and Flooding

Deadline to apply for economic injury loans approaching
Published on July 16, 2026 by Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in Florida of the Aug. 7 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by severe storms and flooding occurring Oct. 26, 2025.

The disaster declaration covers the Florida counties of Brevard, Indian River, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia, which are eligible for Economic Injury Disaster Loans  from the SBA. 

SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and private nonprofit organizations - including faithbased organizations - with financial losses directly related to the disaster. 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.

"SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery," said Chris Stallings, Associate Administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at SBA. "These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster." 

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for nonprofits, with terms of 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 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] 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 Aug 7. However, after the deadline has passed, there is a 60-day grace period in which SBA will accept applications.

###

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 or 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 https://www.sba.gov.

Related programs: Disaster

Media contacts

Sherrell Pyatt
Email [email protected]
Phone 404-331-9509
SBA - U.S. Small Business Administration published this content on July 16, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 17, 2026 at 20:25 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]