By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says survivors of Kentucky’s three 2025 severe weather events have now received more than $100 million in FEMA Individual Assistance funds to help cover their disaster-caused losses and support their recovery.
The total from all three federal disaster declarations includes:
• $63.3 million for 7,368 households with losses caused by the February storms and floods.
• $32.3 million for 3,727 households experiencing damage from April’s severe storms.
• $3.3 million for 594 households with losses from the May tornadoes.
The federal assistance is provided to eligible individuals and households in designated counties to help with their basic uninsured needs and to supplement their disaster recovery efforts. This includes money for housing repairs, rental assistance or other disaster-related expenses.
The application period has ended for all three disasters. However, FEMA continues to help survivors with questions they may have.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Kentucky of the Sept. 22 deadline to apply for disaster loans to offset losses from physical damage caused by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding on April 2-May 16, 2025.
The disaster declaration covers Allen, Anderson, Ballard, Barren, Bracken, Breathitt, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Campbell, Carlisle, Carroll, Carter, Casey, Christian, Clark, Clay, Crittenden, Daviess, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Floyd, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Garrard, Graves, Grayson, Green, Greenup, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Hart, Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Jessamine, Johnson, Kenton, LaRue, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Lewis, Lincoln, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, Madison, Magoffin, Marion, Marshall, Martin, McCracken, McLean, Meade, Mercer, Metcalfe, Monroe, Morgan, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Nicholas, Ohio, Oldham, Owen, Owsley, Pendleton, Perry, Powell, Rockcastle, Robertson, Simpson, Spencer, Taylor, Todd, Trigg, Trimble, Union, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wolfe and Woodford counties.
Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.
PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. The interest rate is 3.625%, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms, based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Find out more about their loan programs by going to www.sba.gov.