ATLANTA - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) encourages businesses, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters in Minnesota with damage from the severe storms and flooding from June 16 through July 4, to apply for physical damage disaster loans by the Sept. 30 deadline. In addition, the Business Recovery Centers will be closed on Monday, Sept. 2 in observance of the Labor Day Holiday and will resume operations on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

The disaster declaration covers the primary counties of Blue Earth, Cook, Cottonwood, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Itasca, Jackson, Lake, Le Sueur, Mower, Nicollet, Nobles, Rice, Rock, St. Louis, Steele, Waseca and Watonwan in Minnesota, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Aitkin, Beltrami, Brown, Carlton, Cass, Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Koochiching, Martin, Murray, Olmsted, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Scott, Sibley and Wabasha in Minnesota; Dickinson, Emmet, Howard, Kossuth, Lyon, Mitchell, Osceola, Winnebago and Worth in Iowa; Minnehaha and Moody in South Dakota; and Douglas, Pepin and Pierce in Wisconsin.

Customer Service Representatives at SBA's Business Recovery Centers will assist business owners complete their disaster loan application, accept documents and provide updates on an application's status. The centers will operate as indicated below until further notice. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment at an SBA Disaster Recovery Center in advance.

Business Recovery Center (BRC)

Jackson County

Minnesota West Community & Technical College

Room B115

401 West St

Jackson, MN 56143

Hours: Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Closed: Saturday and Sunday

Holiday Closure: Monday, Sept. 2, in observance of Labor Day

Business Recovery Center (BRC)

Le Sueur County

247 E Main St

Waterville, MN 56096

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Closed: Sunday

Holiday Closure: Monday, Sept. 2, in observance of Labor Day

Business Recovery Center (BRC)

St. Louis County
City of Cook Fire/Ambulance Hall

111 Second Street Southeast
Cook, MN 55723

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Closed: Sunday

Holiday Closure: Monday, Sept. 2, in observance of Labor Day

With the changes to FEMA's Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and the SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover. FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition. Do not wait on the decision for a FEMA grant; apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster.

Applicants may also call the SBA's Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than Sept. 30, 2024. The deadline to submit economic injury applications is April 29, 2025.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.