LiftFund, a San Antonio-based nonprofit small business lender, launched the 2026 Texas Hill Country Flood Relief Program on July 17, offering grants of up to $10,000 to small businesses and nonprofit organizations damaged by the July 2026 flooding across the region.
According to a July 17 news release, many Hill Country small businesses were still working to recover from last year’s floods when the latest storms brought new damage, disruptions and financial setbacks. The organization said the compounding losses have deepened the strain on entrepreneurs and the communities that depend on them.
The National Weather Service described the event as catastrophic, reporting in preliminary data that Uvalde received more than 21 inches of rain between Monday and Thursday and Kerrville more than 19. The agency issued a series of flash flood emergencies across the region, a designation it reserves for exceedingly rare situations in which catastrophic damage is expected and lives are threatened.
River gauges showed the Guadalupe River at Comfort rising to as much as 37 feet and the Pedernales River reaching 34 feet at Fredericksburg, according to The Texas Tribune, which reported at least two deaths as of Thursday evening. Gov. Greg Abbott said the area around Comfort took the brunt of the flooding, with damage along the Guadalupe more severe downstream from Kerrville, and that more than 1,300 responders had been deployed and more than 70 people rescued as of Wednesday.
Businesses and community institutions were among the losses. The Tribune reported that post-flood renovations to the Center Point Fire Department were all but destroyed by the new deluge, and that business owners in Burmenthal watched low-water crossings along the Pedernales disappear beneath water carrying tree trunks downstream. “This is the highest I’ve ever seen it in 32 years,” Burmenthal peach farmer Russell Studebaker told the Tribune. A tornado that touched down in San Antonio on Wednesday also damaged homes and businesses, KUT News reported.
Eligible applicants must have been operating on or before July 1, 2025, must demonstrate a negative economic impact from the July 2026 floods, and must be located in one of 16 counties: Bandera, Blanco, Burnet, Comal, Edwards, Gillespie, Hays, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, Mason, Medina, Menard, Real or Uvalde. The release said grant money may be used for rebuilding and repair expenses, replacement of lost or damaged equipment, and general business operating expenses.
“Our hearts are with the Texas small businesses that are facing yet another tragic disaster,” said Amy Hereford, president and CEO of LiftFund. “When disasters strike, they need trusted partners who can respond in a matter of days to sustain the business and its employees. Our team is prepared to help business owners stabilize, recover, and continue serving the communities that depend on them.”
LiftFund said it has deployed 525 grants and loans totaling more than $17 million for small businesses across the Hill Country over the past year. The organization, which has operated for more than three decades, said it has previously assisted businesses affected by hurricanes, wildfires, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic, building disaster recovery systems designed to prioritize speed, accountability and equitable access to capital.
The lender said it is also working with philanthropic organizations, corporate partners and community leaders to expand recovery resources, with additional funding aimed at broadening access to affordable financing, grants and business support services as recovery continues.
“Every small business that reopens strengthens its community,” Hereford said. “When entrepreneurs can recover, employees return to work, families regain stability, and local economies begin moving forward again.” Business owners seeking assistance can apply through LiftFund’s website or by calling 888-215-2373, and organizations interested in supporting the effort may donate at donate.liftfund.com or contact Liliane Spenle at 469-607-0624.