Hill Country Disaster Relief Program

Grant Overview

The Hill Country Disaster Relief Program’s 0% interest loan up to $50,000 with 54-month terms is still accepting applications, and LiftFund has already paid out $2.1 million to 281 businesses. What’s the catch? I know you probably came here to check the grant first. The Hill Country Emergency Grant is closed. But the loan side remains open. No application fees, ever. First-come, first-served review.

Key Grant Information

Ongoing

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Hill Country Disaster Relief Program

Funded by LiftFund

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Grant Snapshot

Grant Award

$500,000

Application Deadline

Rolling

Eligible Region

Texas, United States

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Eligibility and Benefits

Eligibility Criteria

• For-profit small business
• Located in a declared disaster county: Bandera, Coke, Comal, Concho, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Reeves, San Saba, Tom Green
• Or outside those counties but suffered flood-related tragedy (loss of loved one or property damage)
• Demonstrated flood-related operational or financial impact from July 2025 floods

Grant Benefits

• $50000
• 0% interest, 54-month terms
• No application fees
• First-come, first-served while funding lasts

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Focus Areas

Hill Country Disaster Relief Program Texas small business flood relief LiftFund 0% loan

Still unsure if you qualify? Run through the interactive tool below. It takes about 60 seconds and checks the core requirements – location, business type, and flood impact.

If the tool says you’re eligible, your next step is to start full application submission with Grantaura’s expert review. If you’re unsure – maybe your documentation is incomplete or your flood impact is hard to prove – book a live 1-on-1 consultation and we’ll walk through your situation. If you’re not eligible, scroll down to the “More Disaster Relief Options” section; we’ve got other active programs.

Hill Country Disaster Relief Program: The Bad News and Good News

The Hill Country Disaster Relief Program covers two completely separate things. The emergency grant side – free money, up to $10,000 – closed sometime after September 2025. The official LiftFund page doesn’t give an exact closure date, which is annoying. But the loan side? Still open. Still at 0%. Still up to $50,000. LiftFund raised over $5 million total for flood recovery, with Bank of America alone putting in $1 million specifically for lending capital. So the money exists. Funds are first-come, first-served, so preparing your application sooner rather than later makes sense.

What the Hill Country Disaster Relief Program Loan Gives You

You can borrow up to $50,000. Interest rate: zero. Term: 54 months. No application fees – LiftFund explicitly states they never charge fees for assistance with applications. That’s rare. Most disaster lenders sneak in origination fees or closing costs. Not here. And here’s the thing about 0% loans: over 54 months, you pay back exactly what you borrowed, nothing more, which means on a $50,000 loan you save roughly $10,700 compared to an SBA disaster loan at 4% over 10 years. That’s rare.

Monthly payments on the full $50,000 come out to roughly $925. Over 54 months, you pay back exactly what you borrowed. Nothing more. Compare that to an SBA disaster loan at 4% over 10 years – you’d pay about $10,700 in interest. So the 0% terms aren’t a gimmick. They’re the whole point.

County list and the tragedy exception

Fifteen counties were declared disaster areas after the July 2025 floods: Bandera, Coke, Comal, Concho, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Reeves, San Saba, and Tom Green. If your business is in one of those, you’re in the primary eligibility bucket.

But here’s the exception most people miss. Even if you’re outside those counties, you can still qualify – if you suffered a flood-related tragedy. That means loss of a loved one or significant property damage caused by the same July 2025 floods. I found this in local news coverage (source S6). Don’t read the county list, not see your town, and click away. Read the exception first.

So what counts as flood-related tragedy? Loss of a loved one or significant property damage from the July 2025 floods. Beyond geography, you need to show flood-related operational or financial impact. That’s the core test. And you need to be a for-profit small business – nonprofits aren’t mentioned, so I wouldn’t assume eligibility there.

Proof This Program Pays Out

I hate vague promises like “funding available.” Show me the money. As of September 2025, LiftFund had disbursed 281 grants totaling $2.1 million and 12 interest-free loans of $50,000 each. That’s from ExpressNews reporting (source S3). The grants are closed now, but the loans kept flowing. The same program, same underwriting, same 0% terms. Why does that matter? Because it proves LiftFund actually moves money.

LiftFund is a CDFI – Community Development Financial Institution – built for speed in disasters. Bank of America, Wells Fargo, H-E-B, and Methodist Healthcare Ministries all funded this program. That’s not a shoestring operation.

What The Money Can (And Can’t) Cover

Allowable uses: lost inventory replacement, temporary closure costs (including payroll while shut down), flood-related cleanup, and essential business continuity stuff like replacing damaged equipment or covering rent during repairs. It’s not for personal expenses or non-flood expansion. Pretty standard disaster relief use categories.

How This Stacks Up Against SBA Disaster Loans

You might be thinking, “Should I just apply for an SBA disaster loan instead?” Fair question. SBA loans have interest – typically 4% for businesses without credit elsewhere. They also have longer terms (up to 30 years). On a $50,000 SBA loan at 4% over 10 years, you’d pay roughly $10,700 in interest. At 0% over 54 months? Zero.

The trade-off: SBA loans can be larger (up to $2 million) and have longer repayment windows. But if you need working capital to get back on your feet, not a decade-long construction project, the 0% loan wins. Also, SBA disaster loans require a credit check and collateral where available. LiftFund’s loan is subject to credit approval too, but the 0% rate makes the math much friendlier.

For other disaster recovery capital options, check out our grant research tools.

The Honest Truth About Applying

Here’s where I have to be honest. The donor page doesn’t publish a document checklist. Neither do any of the news articles or press releases I could find. So what do you actually need to submit? Based on standard disaster relief loans, you’ll likely need proof of business location in an eligible county, documentation of flood impact (photos, insurance claim, FEMA correspondence, repair estimates), business financials (P&L, bank statements), and ownership/entity formation documents. But that’s my best guess.

Your next move: use Grantaura’s application submission service – we handle document gathering and checklist verification as part of the process. You can also call LiftFund directly at 888-215-2373 if you prefer to go direct.

One more thing: no application fees. Ever. If someone asks you to pay to apply for this program, it’s a scam. LiftFund is explicit about this on their page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the grant really closed? Can I still apply for it?
A: Yes, the emergency grant program is closed. No, you cannot apply for the grant portion. But the 0% loan program is still open.

Q: How do I know if there’s still loan money left?
A: LiftFund doesn’t publicly disclose remaining funding amounts. The official page says applications are accepted “while funding is available.” Your best bet is to apply as soon as possible – it’s first-come, first-served. Grantaura’s assessment can help you move fast.

Q: What credit score do I need for the loan?
A: LiftFund hasn’t published specific credit criteria. As a CDFI, they’re generally more flexible than banks. If you’re worried about your credit, a Grantaura consultant can review your situation before you apply. Book a consultation.

Q: My business is in Austin – not in the 15 counties. Do I qualify?
A: Austin isn’t in the list. But if you suffered a flood-related tragedy – loss of a loved one or property damage from the July 2025 floods – you may still qualify under the exception. Read that section again. If you’re unsure, book a consultation and we’ll check.

Q: How long does the application take?
A: LiftFund hasn’t published a timeline. Expect 2-4 weeks from submission to decision if your documentation is complete.

Key Terms You’ll See In This Program

CDFI: Community Development Financial Institution – a mission-driven lender focused on underserved communities. LiftFund is one of the oldest CDFIs in Texas.

Interest-free loan: A loan with 0% APR. You repay exactly what you borrowed. No interest accrual over time.

54-month term: The repayment period. 4.5 years. Monthly payments on $50,000 at 0% would be roughly $925.

Declared disaster county: A county that received a federal or state disaster declaration after the July 2025 floods. The list of 15 counties is official.

First-come, first-served: Applications are reviewed in the order received. No competitive scoring. Funds allocated until exhausted.

Flood-related operational impact: Any disruption to your business caused by flooding – closure, supply chain issues, employee inability to work, property damage.

No application fee: LiftFund explicitly states they never charge fees for application assistance. If anyone asks for money to help you apply, it’s a scam.

Economic injury: Revenue decline attributable to the July 2025 floods, demonstrated through financial records. This qualifies even without physical damage.

Operational impact: Disruption to business operations such as closure, supply chain breakdowns, or employee absences due to flooding.

Rolling deadline: No fixed cutoff date; applications accepted while funds last, reviewed in order received.

How Grantaura Helps You Submit

You’ve read the page. You know the grant is closed but the loan is open. You’ve seen the county list and the 0% terms. Now comes the hard part: the application itself.

Most people stumble here. They don’t know what documents to submit because LiftFund doesn’t publish a checklist. They write their flood impact narrative in a way that gets rejected – too vague, too dramatic, not specific enough. They miss a required form and get kicked back to the end of the queue.

That’s where Grantaura adds value. We don’t re-explain eligibility. We:

• Review your narrative to catch disqualifying phrasing before submission
• Optimize your budget section against what reviewers in this program expect
• Flag missing documents before you hit submit
• Manage deadlines and follow-ups so you don’t lose your place in the queue

This program falls into the complex tier because of the custom portal, unknown document requirements, and the need to frame your flood impact narrative persuasively without a public rubric. Exact pricing appears inside the submission intake after we review your case.

Your next move:

Start Full Application Submission
Book a Live Consultation

About The Author

I’ve been researching and writing about small business grants for years, long before Grantaura existed. My approach is simple: find the actual funding opportunities that real business owners can win, strip away the marketing fluff, and tell you what’s actually available – including what’s closed, what’s confusing, and where you should put your energy. I research every grant personally, calling program officers when needed to verify details. If you want to know more about how I research, here’s my process. If you want direct help with this application, book a consultation.