SBA Offers Low-Interest Loans for Businesses Impacted by 2025 Illinois Storms

Disaster declaration covers six counties affected by severe flooding and storms in August 2025.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 11:05am

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A minimalist studio still life photograph featuring a stack of business documents, a pen, and a calculator on a clean white background, symbolizing the financial impact and recovery process for companies affected by natural disasters.SBA disaster loans provide vital financial assistance to help businesses in Illinois rebuild and recover from severe weather damage.McHenry Today

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved a disaster declaration for the severe storms and flooding that impacted six counties in northeastern Illinois from Aug. 16–18, 2025. Businesses and some not-for-profits in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties can now apply for low-interest physical disaster loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) through the SBA.

Why it matters

The SBA disaster declaration and loan programs provide critical financial assistance to help businesses in the affected Illinois counties recover and rebuild after the significant damage caused by the August 2025 storms and flooding. This support can help prevent further economic hardship and job losses in the region.

The details

Businesses and some not-for-profits can borrow up to $2 million for physical damages. The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Friday, May 15. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Wednesday, December 16. Residents can apply for the disaster assistance online at sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance.

  • The severe storms and flooding impacted six counties in northeastern Illinois from Aug. 16–18, 2025.
  • The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Friday, May 15, 2026.
  • The deadline to return economic injury applications is Wednesday, December 16, 2026.

The players

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

A federal government agency that provides support to small businesses, including disaster assistance loans.

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What’s next

Residents in the affected Illinois counties can apply for the SBA disaster assistance loans online at sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance or by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955.

The takeaway

The SBA's disaster declaration and loan programs offer a crucial lifeline for businesses in northeastern Illinois that suffered significant damage from the severe storms and flooding in August 2025. This financial assistance can help these businesses recover, rebuild, and maintain operations during the recovery process.