SBA Loans are a Meaningful Option for Arkansas Storm Survivors

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available to Arkansas residents, businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations that are recovering from back-to-back severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that swept across the state March 14-15 and April 2-22. 

Residents and businesses in Greene, Hot Spring, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph, Sharp and Stone counties may now apply if they had damage in the March storms. Similarly, residents and businesses affected by the April storms, tornadoes and flooding in Clark, Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Desha, Fulton, Hot Spring, Jackson, Miller, Ouachita, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Sharp, St. Francis and White counties may also apply.

FEMA partners with other agencies to help meet the needs of disaster survivors. Disaster loans are the largest source of federal recovery funds for storm survivors. They help private property owners pay for disaster losses not covered by insurance, local or state programs. SBA loans also cover deductibles and increased cost of compliance after a disaster. Survivors should not wait for an insurance settlement before submitting an SBA loan application.

Interest rates on disaster loans can be as low as 2.75% for homeowners and renters, 3.62% for private nonprofit organizations and 4% for businesses, with terms up to 30 years for physical damage to real estate, inventory, supplies, machinery and equipment. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Survivors are not required to begin repaying the loan and the interest does not begin to accumulate for 12 months from the date the first disaster loan disbursement is awarded.

Homeowners may be eligible for a disaster loan of up to $500,000 for primary residence repairs or rebuilding. SBA may also be able to help homeowners and renters with up to $100,000 to replace important personal property, including automobiles damaged or destroyed in the storms.

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged property, destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. Applicants may be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. 

Businesses of any size and private nonprofit organizations may apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the applicant suffered any property damage.

In partnership with FEMA and the state, SBA representatives are available to provide one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants at sites throughout the affected areas. SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers are open at the following locations:

INDEPENDENCE COUNTY

Office of Emergency Management – EOC Building

1800 Myers Street, Batesville, AR 72501

Regular hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday

 

SHARP COUNTY

City Hall – Cave City – Conference Room

201 S. Main Street, Cave City, AR 72521

Entrance and parking at back of building

Regular hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday

 

SHARP COUNTY

Hardy Fire Station

203 Church Street, Hardy, AR 72542

Regular hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday

To apply online or to download an application, go to SBA.gov/disaster. You may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov.

The deadline to apply for an SBA physical disaster loan for the March storms is Monday, July 7. The last day for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private nonprofit organizations to apply for an SBA economic injury loan for the March storms is Monday, Feb. 9, 2026.

The deadline to apply for an SBA physical disaster loan for the April storms is Monday, July 21. The last day to apply for an SBA economic injury loan for the April storms is Monday, Feb. 23, 2026.

For the latest information about Arkansas’ recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4865 or fema.gov/disaster/4873. Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x.com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/