The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Rowan County and other places in North Carolina of the June 23 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought and excessive heat occurring May 1– July 31, 2024. 

The disaster declaration covers Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Camden, Carteret, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Chowan, Cleveland, Columbus, Cumberland, Craven, Dare, Davidson, Davie, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, Guilford, Granville, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Henderson, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Iredell, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, Madison, Martin, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Polk Randolph, Robeson, Richmond, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Tyrrell, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Watauga, Wayne, Wilson, Wilkes, Yadkin and Yancey in North Carolina, and Cherokee, Chesterfield, Horry, Marlboro, Spartanburg, and York in South Carolina, and Carter, Johnson, and Unicoi in Tennessee, and Brunswick, Independent City of Danville, Grayson, Greensville, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Pittsylvania, Southampton as well as Suffolk in Virginia. 

Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs 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 PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not 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 4 percent for small businesses and 3.25 percent for PNPs with terms 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 disastercustomerservice@sba.gov 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 June 23, 2025.