Yesterday, Governor Tony Evers encouraged Wisconsinites and local businesses affected by severe weather last month to apply for federal disaster loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Federal disaster loans from the SBA will be available for Wisconsinites and businesses impacted by devastating storms that occurred August 9 through August 12.
Please note that the disaster loan offerings through the SBA are complementary to and separate from Individual Assistance programs offered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Businesses and residents in Milwaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties may be eligible for physical damage and economic injury assistance through SBA, while businesses in Dodge, Fond du Lac, Jefferson, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, and Walworth counties may be eligible for economic injury assistance.
Eligible applicants may apply for the following SBA disaster loans:
- Home Disaster Loans – For homeowners and renters to repair or replace damaged real estate and personal property. As noted earlier, this is a complementary and separate program from FEMA’s Individual Assistance program;
- Business Physical Disaster Loans – For businesses and private nonprofit organizations to repair or replace disaster-damaged property, including buildings, equipment, and inventory; and
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) – Working capital loans for small businesses and nonprofits unable to meet financial obligations due to the disaster.
The deadlines for applications are November 10, 2025, for Home Disaster and Business Physical Disaster Loans and June 11, 2026, for Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Applications for the loans can be submitted online via the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov. For assistance, contact the SBA Customer Service Center:
- Phone: 1-800-659-2955
- Email: disastercustomerservice@sba.gov
- TTY: Dial 7-1-1 for relay services
Loan applicants may also be eligible for additional funds to cover mitigation improvements that protect property against future damage. SBA also offers refinancing options for qualified applicants and support for voluntary or involuntary relocation.