SBA offers disaster loans to Washington residents, businesses affected by winter storms

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced the availability of low-interest federal disaster loans to Washington businesses, private nonprofits and residents to offset physical and economic losses from severe winter storms that occurred Dec. 5–22, 2025.

The SBA issued the disaster declaration in response to a request from Gov. Bob Ferguson.

The declaration covers the counties of Chelan, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Island, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Okanogan, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom and Yakima.

Businesses and private nonprofit organizations may apply for business physical disaster loans of up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

Homeowners and renters may apply for loans of up to $100,000 to repair or replace personal property, including clothing, furniture, vehicles and appliances. Homeowners may also apply for up to $500,000 to repair or replace a primary residence.

Applicants may qualify for a loan increase of up to 20% of their verified physical damage for mitigation improvements. Eligible improvements include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather-stripping doors and windows and installing storm windows to reduce the risk of future damage.

The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and private nonprofit organizations, including faith-based organizations, that experienced financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA does not provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

Economic injury loans are intended to cover working capital needs caused by the disaster and may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could not be paid because of the disaster. Businesses and nonprofits may qualify even if they did not sustain physical damage.

Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.625% for private nonprofits and 2.875% for homeowners and renters, with terms of up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. Loan amounts and terms are determined based on each applicant’s financial condition.

“Through an agency declaration, SBA provides financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We offer disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses and private nonprofits affected by the disaster.”

As Federal-State Disaster Recovery Centers open in the affected areas, the SBA will provide in-person assistance to applicants. Information about recovery center locations is available by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955.

Applicants may apply online at sba.gov/disaster. The deadline to return physical damage applications is April 27. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Nov. 24.