MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

SBA Initiative to Speed Up Loan-Application Process

June 11, 2014
2 min to read


The SBA loan-approval process is getting a technological makeover, reported Fox Business.


On Tuesday, SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet discussed a new lending initiative while speaking at the Center for American Progress. The in-development platform, called SBA One, is intended to streamline the loan-application process for small-business owners.


Many of the changes will be technological in nature. Contreras-Sweet said SBA One will bring documents and forms online, and business owners will be able to provide electronic signatures.


“Say goodbye to fax machines and mountains of paperwork,” said Contreras-Sweet.


Contreras-Sweet said the makeover will help save banks hours of time and thousands of dollars processing 7A loan applications. 7A loans, which Contreras-Sweet referred to as the SBA’s core product, can be used to pay operational expenses or accounts payable, or purchase inventory, equipment and real estate.


In combination with SBA credit scoring, Contreras-Sweet said that SBA One will hopefully lead more banks to partner with the administration.


“By making the process quicker, cheaper and more intuitive, these reforms will help existing lenders do more small-dollar lending,” she said.


While National Small Business Association spokesperson Molly Day applauded the intent to streamline the loan-application process, she raised concerns regarding the use of credit scoring.


“On the one hand, [SBA One] is a positive move, but the area where it raises questions for us is that moving everything to a credit-scoring model … it [could] create a more homogenized population and cut out some of the small-business owners from getting loans, who would have been able to if there were more qualifiers in the underwriting process,” said Day.


Day said this might particularly affect newer business owners or startup entrepreneurs who haven’t established a longer credit history.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter
No form configuration provided. Please set either Form ID or Form Script.

More Training

TrainingDecember 10, 2025

Accountable Is as Accountable Does

Auto dealerships work better when all staffers own their duties.

Read More →
TrainingNovember 26, 2025

The Power of Saying No

Agents should build this muscle to make themselves and their dealer clients strong.

Read More →
Trainingby Hannah MitchellNovember 6, 2025

Dealers Have Room to Run on Satisfaction

Survey finds it inched up this year, but consumers crave more communication

Read More →
Ad Loading...
F&Iby StaffOctober 15, 2025

The F&I Agent's Roadmap: Mastering the Cold In-Store Visit

Register for Allstate's FREE webinar on Oct. 21

Read More →
IndustrySeptember 18, 2025

Wish or Work To Success

Good, old-fashioned work ethic will get you where you want to go.

Read More →
TrainingSeptember 4, 2025

Elevated Concerns

Agents must have the ability to recognize and prepare to address high-risk compliance issues and offer solutions to dealer clients.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
F&IAugust 28, 2025

In F&I, Innovation Is Overrated

It’s what you do with your available tools that really matters.

Read More →
Product & Technologyby StaffMay 13, 2025

F&I Training Tool Updated

Reahard & Associates just released a new version of its recording and review service for F&I pros.

Read More →
TrainingMay 13, 2025

FUBAR and Risk Assessments

Three questions you can use to kick off your next (or first) risk assessment and avoid becoming a ‘FUBAR' dealership

Read More →
Ad Loading...
TrainingMay 12, 2025

Beyond Paperwork

The power of purpose-driven agency onboarding

Read More →