The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and most private non-profit organizations in Florida of the deadline to submit disaster loan applications for economic impact caused by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred from April 28 through May 6, 2014.  The deadline to apply for a working capital disaster loan is Feb. 6, 2015.

Small businesses and most private non-profit organizations in the following counties are eligible to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans:  Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Gadsden, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington in the state of Florida; Baldwin, Covington, Escambia, Geneva and Houston in Alabama; and Seminole in Georgia.

Working capital disaster loans up to $2 million are available at 2.625 percent for private

non-profit organizations and 4 percent for small businesses, with terms up to 30 years. The loans are intended to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other expenses that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.  To be considered for this assistance, eligible entities need to apply by the deadline.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Applications and program information are available by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by sending an email to [email protected]. Loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is February 6, 2015.