As a government body, the Small Business Administration works to help small businesses get the funding they need for things like expansion, resolving debts, renovation and other tasks that independent businesses might struggle with, especially in unforeseen circumstances like the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although they don’t offer up the funds to do this, they do work with many different lenders across the US, backing up to 85% of the amount in order to prevent as much risk for banks or other alternative lenders.

Being such a prestigious and reputable provider of finance, the SBA will only work with and help you secure funding from their list of pre-approved lenders. These are known as Preferred Lenders and each one will have official documentation as well as carry the SBA’s logo so you know they are legitimate.
You can use their SBA Lender Match service in order to connect with a potential lender offering funding; simply fill in the quick five minute questionnaire and receive a list of potential matches in just two short days.
You may also be interested in working with one of the SBA’s intermediary lenders, who offer microloans to small businesses. Use their state lookup tool here to find out which ones you’re eligible for where you’re located.
As an example of the kinds of businesses you’ll be looking to lend from, the top one hundred most active lenders for the SBA 7(a) program - their most popular loan - in the financial year of 2021 (up until June 30th) are as follows:
Lender Name | Number of Loans Approved | Approval Amount |
Live Oak Banking Company | 923 | $1,303,399,300 |
The Huntington National Bank | 2864 | $540,248,500 |
Celtic Bank Corporation | 318 | $423,351,400 |
Byline Bank | 324 | $388,448,300 |
Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc. | 576 | $377,099,600 |
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association | 1273 | $370,319,400 |
Readycap Lending, LLC | 247 | $307,623,300 |
Harvest Small Business Finance, LLC | 240 | $276,648,600 |
Enterprise Bank & Trust | 236 | $249,502,400 |
KeyBank National Association | 561 | $249,349,400 |
U.S. Bank, National Association | 997 | $229,080,600 |
Commonwealth Business Bank | 154 | $227,370,000 |
United Midwest Savings Bank, National Association | 817 | $203,351,600 |
Bank of the West | 250 | $201,652,000 |
BBVA USA | 347 | $197,131,000 |
MUFG Union Bank, National Association | 137 | $193,785,900 |
TD Bank, National Association | 646 | $176,643,700 |
Berkshire Bank | 176 | $172,391,600 |
Wallis Bank | 91 | $165,289,100 |
Metro City Bank | 76 | $154,257,900 |
Bank of Hope | 166 | $144,307,000 |
Citizens Bank | 203 | $143,362,100 |
Regions Bank | 110 | $137,707,700 |
Bank of George | 65 | $137,149,900 |
First Bank of the Lake | 101 | $136,972,300 |
Cadence Bank, National Association | 376 | $136,035,600 |
FinWise Bank | 108 | $133,774,100 |
Pacific Western Bank | 97 | $133,206,200 |
Open Bank | 73 | $130,897,400 |
Umpqua Bank | 124 | $128,401,900 |
Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | 777 | $128,385,500 |
Peoples Bank | 96 | $126,560,600 |
US Metro Bank | 66 | $125,505,600 |
Truist Bank d/b/a Branch Banking & Trust Co | 117 | $124,446,100 |
Zions Bank, A Division of | 193 | $111,687,200 |
Pacific City Bank | 71 | $110,951,500 |
Pinnacle Bank | 94 | $107,131,800 |
IncredibleBank | 71 | $102,792,600 |
Hanmi Bank | 108 | $102,782,400 |
First Home Bank | 241 | $98,726,000 |
The Bancorp Bank | 127 | $97,468,900 |
Meridian Bank | 104 | $96,958,500 |
Fund-Ex Solutions Group, LLC | 91 | $94,509,600 |
Dogwood State Bank | 139 | $94,008,500 |
Midwest Regional Bank | 109 | $86,798,600 |
First Bank | 92 | $86,691,500 |
Old National Bank | 91 | $86,267,200 |
First National Bank of Pennsylvania | 108 | $85,684,300 |
United Community Bank | 122 | $85,405,000 |
First Chatham Bank | 61 | $83,360,200 |
First Internet Bank of Indiana | 79 | $82,404,100 |
Bank of America, National Association | 171 | $81,476,800 |
Webster Bank, National Association | 159 | $79,876,900 |
VelocitySBA, LLC | 77 | $78,271,500 |
LendingClub Bank, National Association | 55 | $77,522,500 |
Summit State Bank | 29 | $76,711,000 |
South State Bank, National Association | 82 | $75,514,100 |
First Western SBLC, Inc | 38 | $75,192,000 |
HomeTrust Bank | 60 | $72,867,400 |
First Savings Bank | 94 | $72,397,700 |
Colony Bank | 56 | $71,905,300 |
Comerica Bank | 166 | $71,799,200 |
NewBank | 51 | $68,210,000 |
CalPrivate Bank | 55 | $67,923,600 |
First Choice Bank | 54 | $67,347,600 |
Ameris Bank | 64 | $66,806,100 |
Synovus Bank | 60 | $66,425,100 |
Home Loan Investment Bank, F.S.B. | 21 | $66,235,000 |
First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company | 72 | $66,228,900 |
First Commonwealth Bank | 73 | $65,618,400 |
East West Bank | 66 | $65,594,100 |
Gulf Coast Bank and Trust Company | 76 | $64,843,100 |
Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB | 114 | $62,596,500 |
Merchants Bank of Indiana | 52 | $60,700,100 |
Independent Bank | 78 | $60,097,600 |
T Bank, National Association | 36 | $59,458,400 |
First Financial Bank | 64 | $59,085,400 |
Santa Cruz County Bank | 39 | $58,399,000 |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association | 194 | $58,038,900 |
US Eagle FCU | 23 | $57,710,500 |
America First FCU | 76 | $56,843,400 |
Five Star Bank | 196 | $55,332,000 |
Fifth Third Bank | 63 | $54,859,200 |
Golden Bank, National Association | 40 | $54,414,600 |
Meadows Bank | 56 | $53,094,800 |
Pilot Bank | 53 | $52,949,900 |
Customers Bank | 62 | $52,244,000 |
Hanover Community Bank | 45 | $50,997,000 |
Paradise Bank | 37 | $50,870,300 |
Atlantic Capital Bank, National Association | 52 | $49,410,900 |
Sunflower Bank, National Association | 58 | $48,512,000 |
Bank Five Nine | 60 | $48,107,300 |
Quantum National Bank | 35 | $47,428,700 |
North State Bank | 73 | $46,949,200 |
Dime Community Bank | 45 | $46,610,500 |
Fountainhead SBF LLC | 33 | $46,605,600 |
American Continental Bank | 35 | $46,054,500 |
Red River State Bank | 57 | $45,732,600 |
MidFirst Bank | 29 | $44,710,500 |
Citizens Bank, National Association | 48 | $43,624,300 |