Paycheck Protection Program

The application process was a mess in the first rounds of the Paycheck Protection Program. Fintechs say their efforts will make it go smoothly in the latest iteration.

The application process was a mess in the first rounds of the Paycheck Protection Program. Fintechs say their efforts will make it go smoothly in the latest iteration.

Businesses owned by minorities and women got a head start this week in a new round of $284 billion funding, and early anecdotal evidence suggests stronger demand coming from these businesses.

First Bank in New Jersey, Northeast Bank in Maine and others have warmed to the idea of using software to streamline Paycheck Protection Program lending so that employees can be more hands-on with customers.

The pace of forgiveness for Paycheck Protection Program loans is expected to accelerate when the Small Business Administration issues guidance on additional steps meant to streamline the process.

The Small Business Administration will allow lenders with less than $1 billion of assets to process applications in two days. The portal will open to all lenders on Tuesday.

Several community banks said they didn't have enough time to review the Paycheck Protection Program's application forms, forcing them to sit out Monday's reopening. The SBA is not saying when more lenders will be allowed to access its portal.

Some categories of businesses, such as restaurants, have different needs the program doesn't adequately address, says LendingFront's Jorge Sun.

Bankers have several unanswered questions about the Paycheck Protection Program before it reopens to select lenders on Monday. Among them: When will forms be available, and which portal will the Small Business Administration use?

Community banks will have access to allocated funds and at least two days of exclusive portal access when the Small Business Administration relaunches the Paycheck Protection Program.