JAN NIBJ: SBA announces record-breaking lending to small businesses
In Fiscal Year 2025, the U.S. Small Business guaranteed more than 84,000 loans exceeding $44 billion in capital to small businesses, nationally. The totals include 6,750 loans totaling $7.8 billion in the SBA 504 loan program, and 77,600 loans totaling $37 billion in the SBA 7(a) loan program.
In the SBA's Seattle District, agency officials said more than $1.2 billion in funding went to small businesses in FY25, which began Oct. 1, 2024, and ended Sept. 30, 2025.
The Seattle District serves Washington state (minus the four counties in southwest Washington served by the Portland District) and 10 counties in northern Idaho, with offices in Seattle and Spokane.
“Thanks to a robust local network of SBA Lenders, access to capital continues to expand to more small businesses,” SBA Seattle District Director Melanie Norton said. “Loan volume grew to an impressive $1.2 billion in FY25, and nearly 300 more small businesses received financing in the SBA Seattle District compared to the year prior. Our District also implemented the ‘Are You Lender Ready’ training series during FY25 and continues to prioritize borrower education and lender meetups.”
The district had 2,178 7(a) loans totaling $1,098,519,600, 112 504 loans totaling $119,626,000 and 44 microloans totaling $943,558.
In North Idaho, Kootenai County lead the 10 counties that fall under the Seattle District's jurisdiction in both number and amount of SBA loans. The county had 76 loans totaling $40,410200 — 7(a) and 504 combined — in Fiscal Year 2025, a slight decrease from FY24 when the county had 84 loans between the two categories totaling $37,535,300.
Bonner County was in third place in the region, totaling 25 loans each in FY 24 and FY 25. Loans totaled $3,410,000 in FY 2025 — a slight increase over FY 2024's $3,013,500.
Boundary County saw the fifth most loans, totaling four loans in FY 2024 worth $362,600 and two in 2025 worth $1,627,100.
In Benewah County, there were four loans in FY 2024 worth $1,090,000 compared to eight in FY 2025 worth $260,000.
SBA Seattle District highlights
• More than $1 billion in overall SBA-backed lending.
SBA lenders delivered more than 2,300 loans to small businesses in the Seattle District, exceeding $1.2 billion across the SBA 7(a), 504 and Microloan programs. This is the second consecutive year of loan volume exceeding $1 billion, and marks a 12% increase over FY24.
• Increase in lending to rural businesses.
In the Seattle District, 289 loans went to rural small businesses exceeding $135 million, a 20% increase in loan volume to rural small businesses compared to FY24. Business locations are designated as rural according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Property Eligibility search tool.
• Access to capital for small business manufacturers.
In March 2025, the SBA announced the Made in America Initiative to support the growth of America’s small business manufacturers. Under this initiative, the SBA announced a new loan program specifically designed to increase access to capital for small manufacturers. In the SBA Seattle District, small business manufacturers received 125 loans for nearly $68 million across the 7(a) and 504 loan programs.