RALEIGH, NC -- The U.S. Small Business Administration announced on Friday today that federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations located in North Carolina as a result of the drought that began on July 28, 2015.

The SBA's disaster declaration includes the following counties: Buncombe, Burke, Cleveland, Gaston, Henderson, Lincoln, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Polk and Rutherford in North Carolina.

Under this declaration, the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster, however the loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits.

Full details and and an application for those potentially eligible can be viewed on the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA's secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.