SANDPOINT — The Idaho Department of Emergency Management is seeking information on Bonner County small business and nonprofits that were disrupted by the Sunset Fire. 

Jarod Dick, recovery section chief for IOEM, said that the agency is exploring whether those businesses are eligible for low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Association. Dick said that the office needs five businesses to complete the agency’s worksheet so they can petition Idaho Governor Brad Little for assistance.  

"Once we have five qualified worksheets then we can approach the governor's office to put in a request that would open that economic injury, disaster loan program,” Dick said. “[The worksheet] is the means to determine the eligibility of the loan program as a whole.” 

The worksheet has business owners outline how the Sunset Fire impacted their business, from how much revenue they lost compared to last year or other adverse economic effects. Dick said filling out the worksheet is not a loan application, as the agency is only in the information-gathering phase at this time. 

"We rely on businesses in the impact jurisdiction, in this case Bonner County, to report the damages that they are seeing,” Dick said. “We are very much in the fact finding right now, by way of that worksheet." 

Notably farm small businesses are not eligible for assistance from the SBA and should not fill out the worksheet. Eligible businesses do not have to be in the Sunset Fire’s footprint; the only requirements are that it resides in Bonner County and has evidence that it was affected by the fire. 

SBA officials said the loans can be used for any losses not covered by insurance or other federal funding, as well as business operating expenses that the fire interfered with. Dick said that the funds from the SBA are loans, not grant funds, and will need to be repaid. 

If the agency receives enough information in support of the assistance, then applications for loans will open. Dick said that similarly to how the worksheet isn’t a loan application, businesses whose data is used are not guaranteed a loan from the SBA.  

Applications for the loans typically remain open for nine months after the disaster declaration is issued, allowing time for businesses to collect the data necessary to apply.  

The agency has 120 days from Aug. 13, the start of the Sunset Fire disaster, to compile the necessary information. Any non-farm small business and nonprofits are encouraged to fill out the worksheet.  

"Impact businesses may not be interested in a loan, but their neighboring business may want that loan,” Dick said. “Getting us to the five is the first step to making that option available. We appreciate anyone providing any information they can, so we make the best decisions that we can.” 

The worksheet can be found on the Bonner County Emergency Management’s website and should be sent to Dick at [email protected] once completed.