WASHINGTON STATE—Two days after Small Business Administration (SBA) Deputy Administrator Bill Briggs visited Washington state to assess disaster relief progress, President Donald J Trump on Saturday, April 11, approved the Major Disaster Declaration request by Governor Bob Ferguson for the record-breaking floods that occurred from December 5-19, 2025.
“This is excellent news,” Governor Bob Ferguson released in a statement to the Lynnwood Times. “I appreciate the president approving a major disaster declaration for Washington state and approving funding. Thanks also to the bipartisan coalition of local, state and federal officials who worked hard to advocate for this approval. We appreciate the support and will be following up with the federal government to get more information.”
Governor Ferguson on February 17 submitted a $182.3 million request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Public Assistance funding to help repair state infrastructure damaged by the December floods. The preliminary damage assessment total of $182.3 million does not include damage to federal highways, nor some state highways, the Governor’s Office confirmed — e.g. damage to US 2 between Skykomish and Leavenworth.
In addition to funding to repair damaged infrastructure, Gov. Ferguson also requested $21.3 million from FEMA’s Individual Assistance program. The notice of approval from FEMA also included this request.
The President’s action now makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Chelan, Grays Harbor, King, Lewis, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom counties, including the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Lummi Nation, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Nisqually Indian Tribe, Nooksack Indian Tribe, Puyallup Tribe, Quinault Indian Nation, Samish Indian Nation, Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe, Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, Squaxin Island Tribe, Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Tulalip Tribes and the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and families recover from the effects of the disaster.
Individuals and families who sustained losses in the designated areas should first file claims with their insurance providers and then apply for assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, provide FEMA the number for that service. More information about the declaration and the portal to apply for release are available here.
Gov. Ferguson on January 21, in unison with the entire bi-partisan Washington state congressional delegation the following day, sent letters to President Trump requesting critical FEMA designation, and funding, to help communities impacted by the December floods. For nearly two weeks in December, many rivers across Washington State experienced between 20 and 30 inches of rain – that’s 300% to 600% higher than normal.
Gov. Ferguson on December 10, 2025, declared emergencies in 13 counties and seven Tribal Nations, directing $3.5 million in state aid and activating relief programs. President Trump approved a federal emergency declaration on December 12, enabling 75% cost-share for protective measures like debris removal in affected counties. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued a public health emergency on Christmas Eve to streamline care access.
“This is great news for the Northwest Washington communities that were hit hard by the December floods and need federal support to recover,” Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA02) released in a statement. “My office will continue working with local jurisdictions and Tribes to ensure everyone eligible for assistance is able to access the federal funds they need. I will continue to work with Secretary Mullin and the President to add resilience funding to this disaster declaration.”
On Friday, April 10, Larsen visited flood-affected communities, including meeting with the mayors of Nooksack, Sumas and Everson, visiting an SBA Disaster Assistance Center, toured a flood mitigation project in Ferndale, and met with the Whatcom County Fire District to discuss flood recovery and mitigation efforts.
Under the declaration, Individual Assistance can help eligible individuals and households with disaster-related needs, while Public Assistance can support emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged public facilities.
Other SBA Disaster Relief
SBA currently has six Recovery Center locations in Washington state:
- King County Auburn DLOC, 1102 Auburn Way, Auburn, WA 98002
- Skagit County Sedro-Woolley DLOC, 325 Metcalf Street, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
- Whatcom County Sumas DLOC, 125 Front Street, Sumas, WA 98295
- Snohomish County Snohomish DLOC, 311 Maple Avenue, Snohomish, WA 98290
- King County North Bend DLOC, 128 West 2nd Street, North Bend, WA 98045
- Burlington Library Walk-Ins, 820 East Washington Avenue, Burlington, WA 98233
For exact hours of operation and to schedule an appointment at one of the recovery centers, visit https://appointment.sba.gov/schedule/.
There are essentially two types of disaster loans immediately available to residents and businesses impacted by the floods with hard deadlines approaching — Physical Damage Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
Physical damages to a property, home, or small business related to the December flooding may be eligible for Physical Damage Loans. Approved applicants may borrow up to $500,000 to repair or replace their primary residence. Both homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to replace personal property such as clothing, furniture, vehicles and appliances damaged in the disaster. The loans cover only disaster losses not fully covered by insurance or other sources, with any insurance proceeds deducted from the eligible amount.
Secondary homes and vacation properties are not eligible. However, qualified rental properties may qualify.
Loan terms include a 12-month deferral of the first payment with no interest accrual during that period. For those unable to obtain credit elsewhere — a determination made by the SBA — the interest rate will not exceed 4%. Physical Damage Loans can run up to 30 years, with no prepayment penalties or fees.
The application deadline for a Physical Damage Loan is April 27, 2026.
The second available loan assistance is the Economic Injury Disaster Loan for small businesses who may not have experienced a physical damage, but suffered an economic injury such as not being able to meet financial obligations because of the floods.
This loan provides working capital to help businesses meet financial obligations and pay regular operating expenses until normal operations resume. To qualify, a business must demonstrate “substantial economic injury,” meaning it is unable to meet its obligations and necessary operating expenses as a direct result of the disaster. A loss of expected profits or a decline in sales alone does not qualify.
Businesses must be physically located in the declared disaster area, directly impacted by the flooding and unable to obtain credit elsewhere, as determined by the SBA. Loan amounts are based on the company’s financial needs and can help cover expenses the business would have met if the disaster had not occurred — even if it suffered no physical damage.
The loans carry a 12-month deferral on the first payment with no interest accrual during that period. The interest rate will not exceed 4%. Repayment terms can extend up to 30 years based on the business’s ability to repay, with no prepayment penalties or fees.
Collateral is required for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan over $50,000. For loans of $200,000 or less, the SBA will not require a business owner to pledge their primary residence as collateral if the owner has other assets of equal quality and value.
The application deadline for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan is November 24, 2026.
Author: Mario Lotmore
