Owners in Randolph and Saline counties have until Oct. 27 for physical-damage aid, plus a longer window for working-capital loans and mitigation funding.
Missouri businesses damaged by the April 23–28 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding still have a federal funding path open, and the deadline matters. The SBA says eligible businesses and private nonprofits in Randolph and Saline counties can apply for low-interest disaster loans to repair or replace damaged property, with physical-damage applications due Oct. 27 and a 60-day grace period after that date for late filings.
What business owners can finance
According to the SBA notice, businesses and nonprofits may borrow up to $2 million for disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery, equipment, inventory and other business assets. That makes the program relevant not just for rebuilding, but for replacing revenue-producing tools that keep a shop, office, contractor operation or service business running after a storm.
The same notice says applicants may also qualify for a loan increase of up to 20% of verified physical damage for mitigation work. The SBA lists examples such as strengthening structures against high wind damage, upgrading to wind-rated garage doors and installing a safe room or storm shelter. For owners weighing repairs anyway, that can turn a basic restoration project into a resilience upgrade that may reduce future downtime and repair bills.
Why the loan terms matter for cash flow
The SBA says 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. The notice also says interest does not begin to accrue and monthly payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the initial disbursement. For a small business trying to restart operations after a weather event, that delay can preserve cash for payroll, inventory, rent and customer recovery work while repairs are underway.
The agency also says its Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and private nonprofits, including faith-based organizations, that suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. That matters for businesses that were not physically destroyed but still lost sales, had supply disruptions or absorbed extra operating costs because of the storms. The SBA says agricultural producers, farmers and ranchers are not eligible except for aquaculture enterprises.
Who should act now
The notice applies to businesses, nonprofits, homeowners and renters in Randolph and Saline counties. Homeowners may borrow up to $500,000 to repair or replace a primary residence, and renters and homeowners may borrow up to $100,000 for personal property such as clothing, furniture, cars and appliances. For BizTipper readers, the business takeaway is straightforward: if storm damage affected your building, equipment or working capital, this is a time-sensitive financing option that can replace assets and fund resilience improvements at the same time.
Applications can be filed at sba.gov/disaster, and the SBA says applicants can also contact its National Support Network by phone or email for help. The physical-damage deadline is Oct. 27, while the economic injury deadline runs to May 28, 2027. That longer EIDL window gives affected owners more time to document revenue losses, but the physical-damage filing date is the one most likely to close quickly for businesses still focused on repairs.
