SBA

America First Credit Union wants to grow 7(a) lending, but its expansion prospects depend on hiring more experienced lenders. That's proved a common challenge for other institutions as the Small Business Administration program continues to grow in popularity.

Since the end of the Small Business Administration's 2022 fiscal year, the average loan size in its flagship program has dropped more than six figures. The addition of three new nondepository lenders could further drive down this figure.

Small Business Administration lending is an arena where community banks and nonbanks compete favorably with some of the largest U.S. financial institutions. Here are the biggest SBA 7(a) lenders based on the value of approved loans.

Los Angeles-based Lendistry — in less than two years — became the largest Black-run 7(a) lender. Its CEO credits a concerted effort by the Small Business Administration to reach out to minority lenders and businesses, whose participation in the lending program is growing.

This week the Small Business Administration followed through with a controversial policy change by granting access to its flagship 7(a) program to three additional nonbank lenders. These new participants vowed to ramp up their small-business lending efforts.

Denver-based InBank will expand into Georgia and Arizona, part of a wider plan to seize market share and build what one executive called a top-tier SBA lender.

Critics complain a bill sponsored by the leaders of the Senate Small Business Committee would reinstate a moratorium on participation in the SBA's flagship 7(a) program by nondepository lenders. Supporters of the bill argue that widening the program could invite more fraud.

As it pushes the boundaries of its Midwestern footprint, the Columbus, Ohio-based bank is on pace to book more than 6,000 7(a) loans in SBA's 2023 fiscal year, the biggest total in seven years.

After the departure of a key Small Business Administration official, lawmakers from both parties are calling on the SBA's chief to delay rules that could open the agency's biggest lending program to more nonbanks — or even consider reversing the changes.

BayFirst Financial, which says it lost $1.6 million when a planned Small Business Administration loan sale to Signature fell through, plans to file a claim for the lost revenue with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Rep. Roger Williams, chairman of the House Small Business Committee, says Small Business Administration is considering allowing borrowers to self-certify eligibility for loans, a step some believe could lead to more fraud. The agency declined to say whether that is one of the changes it's considering.

The proposal to streamline the Small Business Administration's signature program and expand the number of available lending licenses would benefit underserved communities.

A 40-year-old limit of just 14 nondepository 7(a) lenders is set to expire May 12 despite concerns by lawmakers and opposition from banks and credit unions.

In its first three months as a bank, the Boca Raton, Florida-based NewtekOne doubled the size of its deposit base by relying almost exclusively on certificates.

Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., the House Small Business Committee's ranking Democrat, said she'd like to see the Small Business Administration delay opening its flagship loan guarantee program to more nondepository lenders until it sorted out growing concerns about Paycheck Protection Program fraud.

The agency's blueprint calls for giving lenders added underwriting flexibility, as well as upping the number of for-profit nondepository small-business lending companies, which has been capped at 14 since the early 1980s

Some lenders to companies owned by women, minorities and veterans say they'd prefer that the Small Business Administration strengthen its Community Advantage program rather than bring them into the agency's flagship loan-guarantee program.

The Small Business Administration must be prepared to effectively oversee any new lenders it allows in its flagship 7(a) loan guarantee program to guard against fraud and other risks, Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Small Business Committee warned.

Citing a congressional report, SBA says it will investigate PPP operations at several fintechs, community banks and other participants. The review raises questions about plans to open up the agency's flagship loan-guarantee program to more nonbanks.

A proposed rule would end a 40-year moratorium on participation in the Small Business Administration's flagship 7(a) program by nondepository lenders. However, staffing constraints would limit the number of new licenses to just three at the start.