(a) The authority may use money from the rural development initiative fund to make loans of up to $150,000 to a person, or loans of up to $300,000 to two or more persons, to be used for working capital, equipment, construction, or other commercial purposes by a business located in a community with a population of 5,000 or less that is not connected by road or rail to Anchorage or Fairbanks, or with a population of 2,000 or less that is connected by road or rail to Anchorage or Fairbanks. For purposes of this subsection,
(1) “community” means a city as defined in AS 29.71.800 or a place in the unorganized borough that is not incorporated as a city and in which 25 or more individuals reside as a social unit; and
(2) “connected by road” does not include a connection by the Alaska marine highway system.
(b) The authority shall require collateral for each loan made under this section and shall require that a reasonable amount of money from other nonstate sources be committed for use on any project or enterprise for which money from a loan will be used. The authority by regulation may establish other conditions for loans. The authority shall by regulation establish rates of interest that are not less than four percent a year and terms of repayment for loans made under this section.