Small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in Utah affected by drought can now apply for low-interest federal disaster loans, according to an announcement from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The assistance is available for economic losses linked to drought conditions that began on May 27.
The SBA’s declaration covers several Utah counties, including Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Emery, Garfield, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, Tooele, Wayne and Weber. The relief also extends to Cassia and Oneida counties in Idaho and Elko County in Nevada.
Eligible applicants include small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and private nonprofits—including faith-based organizations—that have experienced financial losses as a result of the drought. However, agricultural producers such as farmers or ranchers are not eligible for these loans unless they operate small aquaculture enterprises.
The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program provides working capital to cover needs caused by the disaster. These funds can be used for fixed debts, payroll and other bills that could not be paid because of the drought’s impact. Businesses do not need to have suffered physical damage to qualify.
“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.”
Loan amounts can reach up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for private nonprofits. Repayment terms may extend up to 30 years based on each applicant’s financial condition. Interest does not accrue and payments are deferred until 12 months after the first loan disbursement.
Applications can be submitted online at https://www.sba.gov/disaster or by contacting SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Telecommunications relay services are available at 7-1-1 for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Completed applications must be submitted no later than March 24, 2026.
The SBA delivers its services through a network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations nationwide.