The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the availability of low-interest federal disaster loans for small businesses, private nonprofits, and residents in Oregon affected by the Rowena Wildfire from June 11-19. This follows a disaster declaration requested by Governor Tina Kotek on July 14.
The declaration includes several counties in Oregon: Clackamas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jefferson, Marion, Sherman, Wasco, and Wheeler. It also covers Klickitat County in Washington.
Eligible businesses and nonprofits can apply for business physical disaster loans up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged real estate and other assets. Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $100,000 for personal property repairs or replacements and up to $500,000 for primary residence repairs.
Applicants may qualify for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages for mitigation purposes. Improvements such as insulating pipes and installing storm windows are included.
The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available for eligible small businesses and nonprofit organizations impacted financially by the wildfire. These loans cover working capital needs even if no physical damage occurred.
Interest rates start at 4% for businesses, 3.625% for nonprofits, and 2.813% for homeowners and renters with terms extending up to 30 years. Payments are deferred until one year after the first loan disbursement.
Chris Stallings from the SBA stated that "SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers play a vital role in helping small businesses and their communities recover." The centers will assist applicants with loan applications starting Friday, July 18 at The Gloria Center in The Dalles, OR.
Applications can be submitted online at sba.gov/disaster or through SBA's Customer Service Center. Deadlines are September 15, 2025, for physical damage applications and April 16, 2026, for economic injury applications.