SBA Disaster Assistance Available to Louisiana Private Nonprofit Organizations

SACRAMENTO, Calif, Sept. 9 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release:

Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to certain private nonprofit organizations in Louisiana following President Biden's federal disaster declaration for Public Assistance as a result of Hurricane Ida that began Aug. 26, 2021, announced Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Private nonprofits that provide essential services of a governmental nature are eligible for assistance.

These low-interest federal disaster loans are available in Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist and Terrebonne parishes.

"Private nonprofit organizations should contact State Applicant Liaison Joseph Costello of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness by calling 225-339-3724, emailing joseph.costello@la.gov or visiting https://louisianapa.com to obtain information about applicant briefings," said Director Tanya N. Garfield of SBA's Disaster Field Operations Center-West. "At the briefings, private nonprofit representatives will need to provide information about their organization," continued Garfield. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will use that information to determine if the private nonprofit provides an "essential governmental service" and is a "critical facility" as defined by law. If so, FEMA may provide the private nonprofit with a Public Assistance grant for their eligible costs. If not, FEMA may refer the private nonprofit to SBA for disaster loan assistance.

SBA may lend private nonprofits up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

For certain private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help with meeting working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster's impact. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the nonprofit suffered any property damage.

The interest rate is 2 percent with terms up to 30 years. The deadline to apply for property damage is Nov. 8, 2021. The deadline to apply for economic injury is June 7, 2022.