Small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in several Montana counties are now eligible for low-interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to address economic losses resulting from drought conditions that began on May 27.
The SBA's announcement covers Blaine, Cascade, Chouteau, Fergus, Hill, Judith Basin, Liberty, Pondera, and Teton counties in Montana. These loans are part of the agency’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and are intended for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and private nonprofits—including faith-based organizations—that have experienced financial hardship directly related to the drought. However, most agricultural producers such as farmers or ranchers are not eligible for these loans unless they operate small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs provide working capital to help with fixed debts, payroll expenses, accounts payable, and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster. The assistance is available even if there was no physical damage to property.
“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.”
Eligible applicants may borrow up to $2 million with interest rates set at 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for private nonprofits. Repayment terms can extend up to 30 years based on each applicant’s financial situation. No interest will accrue nor payments be due until one year after the first loan disbursement.
Applications can be submitted online through sba.gov/disaster or by contacting SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Telecommunications relay services are available by dialing 7-1-1 for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The deadline for submitting completed loan applications is March 24, 2026.
The U.S. Small Business Administration serves as a primary resource supporting American entrepreneurs and small business owners in starting and growing their enterprises or recovering from declared disasters through a national network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations.