WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the cumulative impact of the federal shutdown on its small business lending programs. For fiscal year 2025 (FY25), the agency guaranteed a record 84,400 7(a) and 504 loans, delivering $45 billion to Main Street thanks to a historic demand for capital amid the strong economic comeback of President Donald J. Trump. Based on this volume, the agency estimates it was unable to deliver $5.3 billion to 10,000 small businesses during the 43-day shutdown. Now that a group of Congressional Democrats have joined Republicans to reopen the government, SBA’s programs are once again available and will resume operation without delay.
“Thousands of American jobs and livelihoods were jeopardized during the longest shutdown in American history – inflicting pain on everyone from our military communities to Main Street,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “Over the last 43 days, the shutdown blocked $5 billion in SBA-guaranteed capital that fuels hiring, investment, and expansion – forcing more than 10,000 small business owners awaiting commercial loan closings into the difficult position of cutting hours, laying off workers, and shelving expansion plans. Now that the shutdown has finally ended, the SBA is immediately resuming its operations – and rapidly returning to the mission of supporting the historic economic growth agenda of the Trump Administration.”
Prior to the shutdown, small business confidence had reached its highest level since 2017 – bolstered by President Trump’s fair trade agenda, historic working family tax cuts, and deregulation. Amid rising wages, over $15 trillion in private sector investment, GDP growth of 3.8%, and low inflation, the SBA saw historic demand for capital as job creators prepared to invest in the future.
But the shutdown halted approvals within SBA’s flagship 7(a) and 504 programs, which provide federally-guaranteed loans for small businesses who typically use the funds to hire, finance expansion, fund startup costs, or meet working capital needs. In many parts of the country, consumer spending declined as a result of federal furloughs and stop work orders – impacting the nation’s small business contractors, who lost at least $12 billion in revenue from federal projects.
As of today, the SBA has resumed full operations and will continue to provide updates as it works to help small business owners regain access to the programs and capital they need to continue expanding amid President Trump’s pro-growth economic agenda.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
SBA HQ Press Team U.S. Small Business Administration press_office@sba.gov
