U.S. Small Business Administration delivers $100 billion in FY26 support

Highlights

The U.S. Small Business Administration guarantees 62,205 7(a) and 504 loans totaling $39.5 billion in FY26, the third-highest lending volume on record.
A record $60 billion is raised via the Small Business Investment Company program in FY26, while 9,700 startups receive $6.5 billion in financing through 7(a) and 504 programs.
A 2025 federal shutdown halts 7(a) and 504 loan guarantees, restricting an estimated $5 billion in FY26 financing despite continued strong demand from construction, manufacturing, and rural businesses.

FY26 lending and investment totals

As reported by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the agency guarantees 62,205 7(a) and 504 loans totaling $39.5 billion in fiscal 2026, marking the third-highest lending volume in its history. The SBA also says its Small Business Investment Company program closes the year with a record $60 billion in combined private capital and SBA leverage.

The 7(a) program approves 56,130 loans totaling $32.4 billion, while the 504 program approves 6,075 loans totaling $7.1 billion, for a combined average of 1,350 small business loans each week. The agency says it supports more than 9,700 startups through those two programs, with $6.5 billion in financing.

The SBA says a 2025 federal shutdown freezes the 7(a) and 504 programs and prevents it from guaranteeing an estimated $170 million in loans each business day, or roughly $5 billion in financing that otherwise could have been approved during FY26. Even with that disruption, the agency says demand for SBA-backed capital remains strong throughout 2026.

Sector demand is strongest in accommodation, retail trade, health care, construction and manufacturing. Construction and manufacturing businesses receive a combined $7 billion through 11,790 7(a) and 504 loans, while rural small businesses receive 10,314 guaranteed loans totaling $6.5 billion.

The agency also expands targeted lending tools during the year. It approves 149 loans totaling nearly $300 million through its 90% Made in America Guarantee, 79 loans totaling $145 million through the 90% Grocery Guarantee program, and 59 loans totaling $54 million through the Manufacturers’ Access to Revolving Credit program.

Disaster recovery and small business impact

The SBA says its fiscal 2026 support extends beyond lending to disaster recovery and entrepreneur services. The agency approves 5,879 disaster loans totaling $272 million and disburses 5,371 loans totaling $192 million, with major responses tied to Super Typhoon Sinlaku in the Northern Mariana Islands and severe winter storms in Mississippi and Tennessee.

It also obligates $419 million in Entrepreneurial Development Program payments to support its nationwide resource partner network. Those funds back counseling, training and technical assistance intended to help entrepreneurs access capital, navigate federal programs, start businesses and expand local operations.

The figures point to sustained demand for government-backed financing and private investment vehicles across the U.S. small business sector. They also show how federal shutdowns can interrupt capital flows even as lending demand in manufacturing, construction and rural markets remains elevated.

Our earlier coverage of Pakistan’s push to expand priority-sector lending detailed how the government urged banks to increase financing for SMEs, agriculture and housing, tying improved lending performance to access to incentives. The report outlined targets to raise farm and SME credit by June 2027, alongside steps to streamline loan processing and introduce regulatory reforms, risk-sharing tools and public-private partnerships to unlock wider access to formal credit.

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