WASHINGTON, Feb. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced a major milestone for its 7(a) Working Capital Pilot (WCP) Program, which has delivered more than $150 million in new lending since its inception – of which more than $125 million was approved since President Trump took office last January. The success of the program is driven largely by small manufacturers, who make up 98% of all U.S. manufacturers and who are experiencing a resurgence thanks to the Trump economic agenda that is restoring American industrial dominance.
“Manufacturing is a growing but capital-intensive industry, which is why SBA’s Working Capital Pilot Program is playing a key role in empowering small firms to reshore their supply chains, hire American workers, and begin growing again after decades of bad trade deals that shipped U.S. jobs and industry overseas,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “The WCP is one of many SBA initiatives tailored to support America’s 600,000 small manufacturers amid the Trump Administration’s work to restore American industrial dominance. The SBA will continue to expand access to capital, support onshoring, and pursue deregulation to drive economic growth, job creation, innovation, and national security.”
The WCP is a complement to the SBA’s core 7(a) and 504 loan programs, developed to help small businesses gain access to the working capital necessary to support their growth. Since its launch, small manufacturers have been the largest beneficiary of the WCP and currently account for more than 25% of the total portfolio. Through WCP, job creators can take advantage of both the asset-based and transaction-based financing options, making the program a potent tool within SBA’s suite of loan offerings alongside the new Manufacturers’ Access to Revolving Credit (MARC) program.
The WCP was built around the innovative annual guarantee fee structure developed and launched during the first Trump Administration to increase flexibility for small businesses and lenders, providing more options when structuring a line of credit:
- Asset-Based WCP loans provide small businesses with a cost-effective way to access working capital against their assets, allowing small businesses to procure inventory, manage expenses, and offer competitive sales terms.
- The Transaction-Based WCP empowers small businesses to fund individual projects or orders, enabling access to working capital earlier in the sales cycle while supporting the ability to finance 100% of direct costs.
- For small businesses competing in the global marketplace, the WCP can support both domestic and international orders under one facility allowing firms to open new markets.
Complete details on the WCP program, including updates to the FY26 Program Guide and list of delegated lenders can be found on the SBA’s website. For lenders interested in the WCP, one-on-one counseling is available from SBA’s team of finance managers. A complete list of Finance Managers can be found here.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or 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
