Newity was founded to buy and administer Paycheck Protection Program loans. Now that the program has ended, the company is teaming with a bank on a platform that offers Small Business Administration 7(a) loans.

Faster payments would help the economy in general and individuals and small businesses in particular. It's time for banks to step up.

To strengthen ties with entrepreneurs, Citizens Bank of Edmond in Oklahoma and the de novo Genesis Bank in California offer co-working, education and other resources.

Technology that Biz2Credit used to help certified public accountants obtain Paycheck Protection Program loans for their clients is being updated to offer term loans to small-business owners.

Kabbage and other firms are extending credit to fund higher salaries at the small merchants that are struggling to hire new employees.

A few changes to underwriting rules could result in a huge opportunity for both lenders and minority women who own businesses.

Startups in the U.S. and Canada are emphasizing features such as virtual issuance and receipt capture in creating expense cards for business owners.

Republicans on the House Small Business Committee question the wisdom of having the Small Business Administration depart from its traditional model of backing loans made by private-sector lenders. But agency Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman says the plan is necessary to fill "large gaps" in credit availability to the smallest companies.

A new proposal to allow the Small Business Administration to offer credit directly would pull customers away from community lenders, writes the head of a credit union trade group.

Despite some bumps in the early days of the Paycheck Protection Program, small businesses report that they had positive experiences with lenders. Savvy banks are channeling the good vibes to generate more revenue from a sector that has sometimes been overlooked.

Digital upstarts like Square, Stripe and PayPal are invading community banks' turf by appealing to local merchants with a mix of electronic payments and lending. Small banks are fighting back by leaning into digital services while maintaining their personal touch.

Collaborations among rival banks and fintechs can be mutually beneficial, Vanessa Colella says. A recent example is a small-business loan portal Citi created that other banks can use.

The head of personal and business banking is on a mission to help Americans become better savers.

The White House and key lawmakers want to allocate $4.5 billion for smaller 7(a) loans that would be made by the Small Business Administration. The financial services industry says the government should collaborate with the private sector rather than compete with it.

Bankers worry the proposed reporting requirements on small-business loans will be used to shame lenders for neglecting minority-owned firms. Community groups are already preparing to use the data to point out racial disparities.

A new service offered by the company helps clients automatically capture payment and invoice information as well as make sure the data matches.

The North Carolina bank says the new system, which took one year to implement, will make it easier to compete with challenger banks and customize digital banking services for doctors' offices, dental practices and other small businesses.